UMass Confucius Institute

UMB’s China Program Center

 Confucius Institutes

• Hanban, the Office of Chinese Language Council International,

establishes Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms to
promote Chinese language and culture, and mutual understanding
between the Chinese and the peoples of the world

– 53 Confucius Institutes and 4 Confucius Classrooms in the US

– Establish 1000 CIs and CCs by 2020
 The Mission of
UMass Confucius Institute
UMB’s China Program Center

• Promote understanding of Chinese language and

culture in the communities served by the
University.

• We will provide opportunities for cultural

exchange and collaboration between the US and
China through professional development,
courses, conferences, travel, and cultural events.
 Primary Services & Programs

1. New England Chinese Language Teachers Network

2. New England World Language Department Chairs Network
3. New England Heritage Chinese School Principals Network
4. STARTALK Chinese language teacher summer institutes &
student Mandarin summer camp
5. National speech contests
6. Recruit local Chinese language teachers to teach in local schools
7. PB wiki website will be established to be a center and forum for
both Chinese language teachers and school administrators
8. China study tours for K-12 educators and students
9. Master’s Degree for Teaching Mandarin
10. Chinese culture events
11. Four Centers
• Professional development center for Chinese language teachers
• Teaching resources center
• Chinese language tests center
• Chinese curriculum development center
 2. New England Chinese Language Teachers Network
Conference

• Update Chinese language teaching in the U.S. and New

England
• Professional development events
• Share teaching experiences
• Teaching resources
• Learn American school culture and classroom
management
• Job opportunities
• How to prepare MTEL
• Technology workshops
New England Chinese Language Teachers
Network Conference, November 11, 2008
 2. New England World Language
Department Chair’s Seminar
• Update latest information on Chinese language
teaching in whole U.S. and New England
• Share successful experiences & unsuccessful
lessons with colleagues
• Establish connections
• Explore new opportunities
2. New England World Language
Department Chair’s Seminar
 3. New England Heritage Chinese Language
School Principals’ Network Conference

The first England Heritage Chinese

Language School Principals’ Network
Conference on April 18, 2009
• Sharing school management experience
• Set up network
• Share teaching experience
• Share teaching materials
6. K-12 School Teachers in
China
 National Security Language Initiative (NSLI)
• In January 2006, President Bush announced the National Security
Language Initiative (NSLI)… to increase the number of Americans
learning, speaking, and teaching critical need foreign languages.
Foreign language skills are essential to engaging foreign governments
and peoples, especially in critical world regions, to promote
understanding, convey respect for other cultures, and encourage
reform. These skills are also fundamental to the economic
competitiveness and security interests of the nation.

• The State, Education, and Defense and the Director of National

Intelligence launched this national initiative to expand U.S. critical
foreign language education beginning in
– kindergarten and continuing through
– elementary,
– secondary, and
– postsecondary education and into
– the workforce.
 STARTALK Summer Programs
o Two Summer Institutes for Teachers of Chinese Language

o One Student Mandarin Summer Camp

o “An outstanding model program of best practices, planning and execution”

o “a model of excellence in design, planning, materials development, and execution in
every way, and is a best practices model for new programs - from soup to nuts.”
STARTALK Central

o China study tour from July 19-August 5

o Beijing, Luoyang, Xi’an, Shanghai & Suzhou
o Learn Chinese culture/language in the International School of
Chinese Studies, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an for a whole
week
Paper cut at STARTALK
Tai Chi Performance at UMB
Visit Confucius Institute Headquarters in July 2009
 4. National and International Chinese
Speech Contests
• The Second National Chinese Speech Context in April 2007 at
UMB with Chinese Consulate-General of NY

• The Third National Chinese Speech Contest in April at UMB

with Chinese Embassy. Twenty high school students from 16
states participated in this contest.

• Three of the twenty four participants were selected to attend

the World Chinese Speech Contest in Beijing in summer 2008.
This team won the second place in the Chinese Bridge World
High School Student Chinese Speech Contest held July 29,
2008 on behalf of the United States. Twenty-four teams from 29
countries participated in the final round of the contest.
Massachusetts Team (middle) on behalf of
the U.S. at the World Chinese Speech
Contest in Beijing, Summer 2008
The Second National Chinese Speech Contest
 5. Master’s Degree for Teaching Foreign Languages
(Mandarin)
• UMass Confucius Institute initiated this program and
UMass Boston Applied Linguistics Department offers the
degree

• We plan to accept 15 students each year and total 60

students in 5 years

• Hanban will offer scholarships to the 60 students

 9. A link between k-12 World Languages
Department chairs and Chinese teachers
• PB Wiki Website
– New England Chinese Language Teachers Network
• Events
• Teaching resources
• Job opportunities
• Share experiences
– New England World Language Department Chairs
Network
– Heritage Chinese Language Schools
• Events
• Principal forum
Visiting Scholars at Harvard
Chinese Culture Events
 Thanks

Questions?