1. Supply and Effectiveness of
Chinese Language Teachers:
What Have Accomplished and
What Are the Next Steps?
Shuhan C. Wang, PhD
Deputy Director
National Foreign Language Center
University of Maryland
2012 NCLC

2. Overview
• Look back to some issues and data regarding
Chinese language teachers from a historical
perspective
• Share STARTALK data on Chinese language
teacher preparation
• Discuss the characteristics of effective teacher
programs
• Suggest strategies to enhance institutional
capacity for teacher development

3. 2005 Asia Society Report: Planning Chinese:
What would it take to have 5 percent of US high
school students learning Chinese by 2015?
1. Tap into major developments and initiatives to
advance the field
2. Take both short- and long-term approaches to create
a supply of qualified Chinese language teachers
3. Leverage growing interest to expand and improve
Chinese language programs
4. Incorporate research and technology to develop
effective curriculum, materials, assessment and
delivery systems
5. Make a long-term commitment to invest in the
future (Asia Society Report, 2005) 3

4. 2005 AS Report: Urgent Needs
• A comprehensive set of data on student enrollment, teachers,
programs, and schools
• Analysis on students (the type and levels of students, goals of
learning, proficiency attainment levels); teachers (number of
all and certified teachers in various educational sectors,
educational background and pedagogical training of teachers;
and programs (types, geographical location, funding source,
evaluation)
• Teacher education/training programs that are flexible and
portable across states, which can meet the needs of multiple
groups of prospective and practicing teachers
• Teacher trainers who know about teaching Chinese as a
second/heritage/foreign language
4

5. 2005: Chinese Language Programs/
Schools and Teachers
HL
HEd K-12
Schools
634 (NCACLS-
640 Taiwan system)
163
Programs/ (LCTLs
(CLASS, 130 (CSAUS-
Schools Database, PRC system)
2003)
2005)
764 HL schools
213 5,540
Teachers 382 members (CLASS, (NCACLS,
6,135 (CLTA, 1995) 2004-05 1996)
membership) (CSAUS, N/A)
5

6. 2006: Chinese Teacher Training Programs
State Approved: 4 Undergraduate; 5 Graduate
1. California State University at East Bay
2. California State University at Long Beach
3. George Mason University
4. University of Hawaii
5. University of Iowa
6. University of Kansas
7. University of Mass, Amherst
8. New York University
9. Ohio State University
10. Rice University
11. Rutgers University
12. University of Pennsylvania: Summer Chinese Teachers’ Institute
(College Board & Asia Society Meeting, May 31, 2006 )
6

7. Chinese Field National Accomplishments:
2005-2012
• Launched federal, state, local initiatives
• Increased student enrollment in all levels
• Increased K-12 school programs
• Began to develop curricular, materials, and
assessment resources
• Increased the numbers of teachers and
teacher education programs
7

8. STARTALK Chinese Programs: 2007-2011
Year Student Programs Teacher Programs
Number of Number of Number of Number of
Programs Participants Programs Participants
2007 18 681 17 292
2008 37 2079 27 702
2009 45 3143 33 776
2010 54 4242 44 991
2011 63 5737 49 986
Total 217 15882 170 3747

9. Key Findings: STARTALK 2011
Teacher Participant Data
• Only 11% of respondents were born in the
United States.
• Female participants (84.3%) outnumbered
male participants (15.4%).
• Half (50%) had graduate degrees.
• About 67% of Chinese teachers have taught
for fewer than 5 years.

10. Age of STARTALK
Teacher Program Participants
# of Respondents
(N=1181)
20-29 253 (21.4%)
30-39 317 (26.8%)
40-49 354 (30.0%)
50-59 194 (16.4%)
60-69 41 (3.5%)
70 and over 5 (0.4%)
No response 17 (1.4%)

11. Highest Degree Attained:
All STARTALK Languages
# of Respondents (N=1181)
Doctorate 78 (6.6%)
Master's 517 (43.8%)
Some graduate school 76 (6.4%)
Bachelor's (4yr) degree 425 (36.0%)
Associate’s or vocational (2yr) 38 (3.2%)
degree
Some college 31 (2.6%)
High school 8 (0.7%)
No response 8 (0.7%)

12. Aggregated grade levels in which respondents
have taught the target language
Chinese (N=774)
Pre-Kindergarten 128
Elementary (K-5) 339
Middle School (6-8) 221
High School (9-12) 225
Post-Secondary 94

13. Aggregated settings in which respondents have
taught the target language
Chinese (N=774)
Public PreK–12 291
Private PreK–12 180
Heritage PreK–12 215
(incl. afterschool)

14. Number of participants who are certified
to teach the target language (All STARTALK)
# of Respondents (N=1181)
Yes 253 (21.4%)
Not yet, but I plan to 537 (45.5%)
become certified
No 371 (31.4%)
No response 20 (1.7%)

15. Key Findings:
About Teacher Programs
• The two most common responses about the
best aspects of the program:
– the quality of teachers (they were knowledgeable,
helpful, concerned about students, etc.)
– the opportunity to learn from and share
information with fellow teacher trainees

16. What teacher trainees liked best about the
program (Top 10 responses)
Response # of Respondents (N=1046)
Excellent teaching staff 261
Sharing ideas/experiences with fellow
teachers 148
New/useful information 73
Practice/practicum 59
Well-organized 57
Hands on experiences/activities 41
Resources used and received 41
Practical skills learned 30
Lectures 29
Feedback from instructors 27

17. Top 10 topics teacher trainees found most
valuable to have learned
Response # of Respondents
(N=1046)
Teaching methods/strategies 81
Technology training 68
Assessment 27
Lesson planning 26
5 C's/standards 21
Using the target language in the classroom 21
MOPI/OPI training 13
Student-centered 11
Backwards design 10
Culture 9

18. Teacher Development
• What are the characteristics of effective
program design and implementation of
teacher development?

19. www.startalk.umd.edu
http://www.nflc.org/
pubcatalog 19

20. http://www.nflc.org/pubcatalog

21. A National Vision:
An Additive Language Policy for All Students
Five Goals:
(1) expand the range of languages offered;
(2) increase the number and effectiveness of language
programs;
(3) begin language instruction at a younger age and
continue through a longer, articulated sequence;
(4) establish clear expectations for students’ language
learning outcomes; and
(5) expand access and opportunity to learn via both
traditional and innovative delivery systems.

22. New Trends, New Demands
1. Demands for world language education
have expanded and changed in the global
age
2. Our world language teacher supply system
was built for the past era, which must be
modernized to become more effective and
responsive

23. Indicators of Demand for World Language
Programs in the US
• Greater awareness of the need for a linguistically and
culturally competent citizenry
• Increasing popularity of immersion and early
language learning programs
• Expanded offerings of online or distance learning
language learning programs
• STARTALK , FLAP grants, and Language Flagships have
generated enthusiasm and planted seeds for
programs in less commonly taught languages
23

24. We Need:
• Effective foreign/world language teachers
• Elementary and immersion world language
teachers
• Teachers of emerging world languages
• Teachers with technological literacies who
can teach in distance learning, online, and
blended learning environments

25. Continuum of Teacher Development &
Life Cycle of a WL Teacher
• Teacher • Teacher
Recruitment Preparation
Aspiring Candidates/
individuals Apprentices
Practicing Novice
Master/ teachers
• Induction, PD & Teacher
• Certification/
Lifelong Learning trainers
Licensure
25

26. Seven Aspects of the Teacher Supply System
Teacher
Partner
compet-
-ships encies
Data
Collection Certifica-
& tion
Evaluation
Clinical
Experience Expanded
& Prof. pools
Develop-
ment Capacity
&
Quality

27. An agenda for Transforming World
Language Education and Teacher Supply
• What are the competencies of world language
teachers in light of the new demands?
• What does it take to produce a highly effective
world language teacher?
• How can we, as a society, leverage resources
across federal, state, local, and institutional
boundaries to ensure that the supply of world
language teachers meets the demand?

28. Discussion
• What are other needs of Chinese language
teachers?
• What are the needs of teacher preparation
programs?
• What can we do together to contribute to the
supply of and support for Chinese language
teachers?

29. Conclusion (1)
1. We must close the world language gap.
2. Second language study plays an essential role
in a “world-class” US education and in overall
student achievement in the global age.
3. Advocate for an “additive” language education
policy that encourages all students to become
biliterate.
4. Every language classroom needs a highly
effective teacher.

30. Conclusion (2)
5. Make sure demands meet supplies, and vice
versa.
6. New trends and demands:
 early language learning,
 a wider range of languages,
 student attainment of higher language
proficiency
 learning via technological tools and in real
and virtual environments

31. Take a Short- and Long-Term Strategy
1. Consider recruiting Hanban guest teachers, but
ensure the necessary support and professional
development is in place
2. Identify and prepare local Chinese language
teachers
3. Tap into local Chinese heritage communities
4. Re-examine and revise outdated teacher
preparation models and certification
requirements
5. Make sure supply meets demand and vice versa 31

32. Access the Teachers We Need and
Resource Guide at
STARTALK Central:
http://www.startalk.umd.edu
Shuhan C. Wang: swang@nflc.org