Teaching Chinese Language in International

Contexts

Joanna HuangChinese Studies Department

Canadian International School of Hong Kong

Teaching Philosophy

Good teaching happens when competent teachers with non discouraging personalities, use non defensive approaches to language teaching and learning and cherish their students. ( Dr. James E Alatis, Dean Emeritus, School of Languages and Linguistics, Georgetown University )

A Vision of 21st Century Teachers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4g5M06YyVw&feature=related

Learners BackgroundL1: English, French, Spanish or languages other than Chinese

L2: learning Mandarin Chinese as a foreign or second language in CDNIS, HK (Canadian International School of Hong Kong)

having been learning Mandarin Chinese for a few years

with very limited Chinese vocabulary and structures ability background

Core Curriculum

Nihao - An Introduction to Chinese Vol. 3

Chinese Made Easy Vol. 1

CDNIS teacher developed materials

Supplementary Resources

website-based on-line reading materials

TV programs/CDs/videos/any electronic resources

newspapers, magazines, stories, brochures...etc.

IB PYP Program Framework:What kind of person are we becoming?

Learner Profile:

Caring

Knowledgeable

Open-minded

Inquirers

Principled

Communicators

Thinkers

Reflective

Risk-takers

Balanced

What skills help us to learn?Transdisciplinary skills

Communication ski)s

Social ski)s

Self-management ski)s

Research ski)s

Thinking ski)s

What can we learn about? (Knowledge) Transdisciplinary Themes

Who we are

Where are we in place and time

How we express ourselves

How the world works

How we organize ourselves

Sharing the planet

What will we understand? (Concepts)

Form - What is it like?

Function - How does it work?

Causation - Why is it the way it is?

Change - How is it changing?

Connection - How is it connected to other things?

Perspective - What are the points of view?

Responsibility - What is our responsibility?

Reflection - How do we know?

The 5’Cs of Foreign Language Education

Objectives/Standards for Foreign Language Learning

Knowing How, When and Why to say What to Whom ( The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages)

Teaching Techniques/Approaches

Grammar - Translation Method

Audio-Lingual Approach

Total Physical Response

Silent Way

Community Language Learning

Communicative Language Learning, ( or Communicative Approach )

Content - Based Approach

Task - Based Approach

Why Technology Not every student is interested in learning a second/foreign language, able to express ideas and pronounce Mandarin we); therefore, I decide to infuse technology into the Chinese curriculum, e.g. GoChinese

Through effective technology tools, students can listen to the Chinese texts at home, learn and correct own pronunciation, obtain English meaning of unknown Chinese words and work on on-line supplementary exercises.

Furthermore, students can improve their listening, speaking, reading and writing ski)s.

Innovative strategies wi) enhance students’ motivation and interest in learning Chinese as a second /foreign language.

GoChinese Platform

Assessment

Formative assessment

Summative assessment

Peer - evaluation

Self - reflection ( Self - evaluation )

Wikispaces/Skype Project between CDNIS, HK and Chung Hsin School in Taiwan

http://cdnis-huang-laoshi-g6-nihao-0809.wikispaces.com

http://cdnis-huang-laoshi-g6-nihao-0910.wikispaces.com

http://cdnis-huang-laoshi-g6-nihao-1011.wikispaces.com

video 1

video 2

video 3

Pre-Skype

CDNIS students brainstorm ideas, make sentences with learned phrases and structures, then type their sentences into wikispaces.

Both school students exchange information in their co)aboration pages of wikispaces website.

Skype

CDNIS students share ideas in Mandarin Chinese.

Chung Hsin School students share ideas in English.

Students of both schools ask and answer questions in Chinese and English in order to help their global partners practice the second/foreign language.

Post-Skype

Students upload their feedback/su,estion into the discussion forum of wikispaces website.

Conclusion

Teachers’ great personalities, we) planned curricula, varied teaching approaches, different class activities, positive classroom atmosphere, technology integration, proper assessments plus students’ good learning attitude will contribute to efficient language learning and indispensable 21st century learning ski)s.

Kudos

Learning and Teaching Technologies Department, Canadian International School of Hong Kong

Teachers in Chung Hsin School, Taiwan

ReferencesInternational Baccalaureate Online Curriculum Center (OCC): Primary Years Program. Retrieved Oct. 1, 2010 -om http://occ.ibo.org/ibis/occ/guest/pypxx_home.cfm

American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages: National Standards for Foreign Language. Retrieved Oct. 1, 2010 -om http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1

HKU MED/PCAES Moodle Platform: MEDD6051 Course. Retrieved Oct. 2, 2010 from http://med.edu.hku.hk/course/view.php?id=81