U.S. Department of State programs supporting mandarin language learning
1. U.S. State Department Programs
Supporting Language Learning
Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs
April 13, 2012
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
2. U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
(ECA)
Mission: to increase mutual understanding
between the people of the U.S. and people in
other countries through educational and
cultural exchange.
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
3. ECA by the Numbers
• More than 160 countries
• Over 1 million people around the world
• Approximately 310,000 Fulbrighters since 1946
• More than 50 Nobel Laureates
• Over 350 current and former heads of state
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
5. National Security Language Initiative for
Youth (NSLI-Y)
• Promote critical language learning among American
youth
• Use their skills to advance international dialogue,
compete effectively in the global marketplace, promote
mutual understanding, and contribute to a more peaceful
world
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
6. NSLI-Y
Scholarships for American youth to study 7 critical
languages in overseas programs:
• Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Korean, Persian
Russian, and Turkish
• Chinese is the largest program
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
7. History:
• Chinese & Arabic summer institutes 2006
(46 participants)
• Academic Year and Semester programs added in 2009
2012-13 Program:
• Summer (6 week) and Academic Year Programs
• 650 scholarships available for 2012-13
• Chinese – 250 Summer; 25 Academic Year
• 10 Countries and Locations
• Summer and Academic Year in China
• Academic Year in Taiwan
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
8. Eligibility
– American citizen
– 15-18 years old at program start; gap year welcome
– All levels of proficiency; beginners welcome
Recruitment: Fall 2012
Currently finishing selection for 2012-13 program
Implemented by American Councils for International Education and
partners
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
10. NSLI-Y
• ACTFL OPI Testing – started in 2011
All NSLI-Y Participants
• Academic Year 2010-11:
Pre-Program: 61% had little or no prior knowledge of language
Post-program: 92% scored Intermediate-Mid or Above
42% scored in the Advanced level
• Summer 2011 participants: (6 weeks)
Pre-Program: Nearly 50% of participants had
little or no experience with the language
Post-Program:
48.5% tested Intermediate or Advanced
Improved on average one or two levels
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
12. NSLI-Y
Chinese Participants – OPI Results
• Spring Semester 2011 & Academic Year 2010-11:
Pre-Program: Approx 25% little or no experience with the language
Post-Program: 100% scored Intermediate-Mid or Advanced
65% scored in the Advanced levels
• Summer 2011 participants: (6 weeks)
Pre-Program: 28% No knowledge or Novice Low
Post-Program: 60% scored Intermediate or Advanced
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
13. Summer 2011 OPI Results – CHINESE
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
15. Critical Language Scholarship Program (CLS)
Participants: U.S. undergraduate and graduate students.
Expectation: Participants will continue their language study
beyond the scholarship period and apply their critical
language skills in their future academic and professional
goals.
Languages: 13 languages will be offered for summer 2012:
Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla/Bengali, Chinese, Hindi,
Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Russian,
Turkish and Urdu. All CLS institutes are located in countries
where these language are predominantly spoken.
Competition: Over 5,200 applications received for 631
awards.
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
16. CLS Program Structure
Group-based summer intensive language instruction and
structured cultural enrichment experiences.
4-5 hours of formal language instruction each day, five
days a week, covering approximately one year’s worth of
language study during the summer institutes.
Activities outside of formal classes are designed to
complement language learning and include: tutoring,
local peer conversation partners, cultural enrichment
activities.
Summer only. 8-10 weeks.
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
17. CLS Program Diversity Snapshot (2011)
• 10% are STEM majors;
• 20% self-identify as a student
of color.
• 225 institutions represented,
including: public and private
institutions, community colleges,
and Minority-Serving Institutions.
• Undergraduate students (70%);
graduate students (30%).
• Women (60%); Men (40%).
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
18. Chinese Language Institutes
Beijing
Xi’an
Levels offered:
Intermediate and
Shanghai advanced
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
22. Gilman Scholarship for Study Abroad
• Scholarships for American undergraduates who are Pell
grant recipients to study abroad for college credit
• In FY 2011, more than 2,300 scholarships to critical
language countries
• 50 Critical Language Supplements (additional funding)
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
24. Critical Language Enhancement Award (CLEA)
• Open to Americans accepted to Fulbright program
• Before or concurrent with Fulbright award
• Three to six months language training
• Arabic, Bahasa, Indonesian, Bangla/Bengali, Chinese,
Gujarati, Hindi, Marathia, Punjabi, Russian, and Urdu
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
25. Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching
Assistant (FLTA)
• Awards to young foreign
teachers of English to teach
their native languages on
U.S. campuses
• In 2011-2012, 440 Fulbright
FLTAs from 51 countries
teach 32 languages on U.S.
campuses in 50 states
• Arabic, Chinese, Hindi,
Turkish, Russian and Swahili
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
27. Intensive Summer Language Institutes (ISLI)
• Six week language “boot camp” for
U.S. teachers of Arabic and Mandarin
at the intermediate and advanced
level
• Alexandria, Egypt and Changchun,
China
• Includes: peer tutors, enrichment
activities and excursions, graduate
credit hours, book and shipping
allowance, room and board, airfare,
and insurance
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
28. Teachers of Critical Languages Program
(TCLP)
• U.S. K-12 schools host highly qualified
teachers from the Middle East and
China for an academic year
• Open to U.S. school with developing
and existing Mandarin and Arabic
programs
• Program includes extensive
orientation for exchange teachers,
professional development workshops,
and small grant opportunities
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
30. Questions?
Visit us at Exchanges.State.Gov
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Hinweis der Redaktion
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State fosters mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries to promote friendly, and peaceful relations, as mandated by the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 . ECA accomplishes its mission through a range of programs based on the benefits of mutual understanding, international educational and cultural exchange, and leadership development. We engage youth, students, educators, artists, athletes, and rising leaders in many fields in the United States and more than 160 countries through academic, cultural, sports, and professional exchanges. Striving to reflect the diversity of the United States and global society, ECA programs, funding, and other activities encourage the involvement of American and international participants from traditionally underrepresented groups, including women, racial and ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities. ECA exchange program alumni encompass over 1 million people around the world, including more than 50 Nobel Laureates and over 350 current and former heads of state and government. ECA by the Numbers Origins of ECA Exchange Participants to the United States in 2009 Sub-Saharan Africa 8,112 East Asia and Pacific 10,602 Europe and Eurasia 36,222 Near East 22,611 South Central Asia 17,706 Western Hemisphere 15,816
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State fosters mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries to promote friendly, and peaceful relations, as mandated by the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 . ECA accomplishes its mission through a range of programs based on the benefits of mutual understanding, international educational and cultural exchange, and leadership development. We engage youth, students, educators, artists, athletes, and rising leaders in many fields in the United States and more than 160 countries through academic, cultural, sports, and professional exchanges. Striving to reflect the diversity of the United States and global society, ECA programs, funding, and other activities encourage the involvement of American and international participants from traditionally underrepresented groups, including women, racial and ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities. ECA exchange program alumni encompass over 1 million people around the world, including more than 50 Nobel Laureates and over 350 current and former heads of state and government.
Launched in 2006 as part of a U.S. government interagency effort to increase language proficiency and cultural awareness among K-12 students, undergraduate and graduate students, and teachers. The CLS Program provides fully-funded group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences. In 2012 the CLS Program awarded 631 scholarships in one of 13 critical languages: Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish, and Urdu. Institutes are held for 8-10 weeks each summer in 14 countries where critical languages are spoken. NOTE: Countries are: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Russia, South Korea, Tajikistan, Tunisia, and Turkey. ELIGIBILITY: Open to U.S. citizens only. Applicants must be enrolled in a U.S. degree-granting program at the undergraduate or graduate level. Must be 18 years old and have completed their first year of university-level study at the start of the CLS institute.
Students receive a minimum of 20 hours of formal classroom instruction per week with classes typically held for four hours a day/five days a week. An estimated year’s worth of instruction is provided. Students also receive tutoring, language partners, and cultural activities meant to enforce language learning.
CLS Program encourages applicants across a diverse range of fields, from area studies to business to sciences to public health to engineering. Language is essential for work in a variety of fields and CLS works to support that. SELECTION: Recruitment and selection is handled by our cooperating agency, the Council of American Overseas Research Centers. Each application is read by two independent readers, with the top third forwarded to selection panels convened in Washington, DC. Readers and panelists are typically language and area studies professors. For 2012, over 5,200 applications were received.
CHINA The CLS Chinese Program is administered by the American Councils for International Education in cooperation with the Alliance for Global Education. 80 scholarships are awarded each year for intermediate and advanced Chinese. In 2012, CLS Chinese institutes will take place in Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an. Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Shanghai: Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE) Xi’an: Shaanxi Normal University Students are housed with Chinese host families or in dormitories with Chinese roommates.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW Nine-month, non-degree grant that brings young foreign teachers of English to U.S. campuses to teach their native languages as well as take two courses each semester in U.S. studies and/or teaching methodology PROGRAM GOALS (3 PILLARS) Increase language learning of strategic languages by U.S. students Support and encourage the improvement and development of language classes on U.S. campuses Improve English teaching abroad Throughout life we are both students and teachers and this program illustrates that perfectly, which is what really makes it stand out from other Fulbright Programs. Look for a Fulbright FLTA on your university campus when you get there!