Teacher attends conference to benefit Mandarin Chinese program
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North East ISD mandarin Chinese teacher Xueling Xu attended The National Chinese Language Conference: Building Global Competence of U.S. Students from April 17-19, 2008, and this was the first of its kind with more than 800 in attendance. Xu has returned to share her impression of the conference and what the teaching of Mandarin Chinese will mean to NEISD schools, students and communities. This was the first national meeting, with educators and policy makers from the Peoples Republic of China and the U.S., and was sponsored by the Asia Society and College Board. The conference was spearheaded by two leaders, Vivien Stewart, vice president of Education for the Asia Society; and Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board. "Both have a passion for bringing global education and the teaching of Chinese language, history and culture to schools across America," said Xu. "The message delivered by the U.S. participants, to a person, is that learning more about China, including its language, history and culture, is critical to America if we wish to maintain our leadership position in the world. Chinese is the most-spoken language in the world and the most used language on the Internet. Chinese children begin learning English in elementary school." Learning Chinese is important for commerce, national security and building better understanding among people." "It is helpful to have the leadership of the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban), Confucius Institutes, the Asia Society and the College Board to help lead the way." NEISD adapted the Chinese program in 2007, and four high schools offer Chinese: Reagan, Churchill, International School of the Americas and Roosevelt. For the 2008-09 school year, there will be Mandarin Chinese I and II in different campuses |
Posted
April 28, 2008
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