| Orlando Schools Administrators Visit China | | | | more language education at younger grades. |
| | | | |
| Several Orlando School administrators will be | | | | In surveys conducted in the Orlando Schools |
| among the nearly four hundred curriculum | | | | concerning Advanced Placement courses several |
| developers and administrators from around the | | | | high schools expressed an interest in |
| nation to visit China in an effort to create | | | | offering an AP Chinese course for the |
| and expand educational programs that teach | | | | 2006-2007 school year. The problem was that |
| Chinese language and culture in America. The | | | | many of these schools do not have a teacher |
| trip to China will last one week from June 27 | | | | of Chinese nor do they see a way to fund such |
| through July 5. The trip is in cooperation | | | | a program. But that may be changing thanks to |
| with Hanban, China's Office of Chinese | | | | new programs that unite the governments and |
| Language Council International, in | | | | educators of China and the US. In April 2006, |
| partnership with the College Board, the | | | | the College Board and Hanban announced the |
| Chinese Language Association of | | | | formation of a partnership to build and |
| Secondary-Elementary Schools (CLASS), and the | | | | expand Chinese language programs in U.S. |
| National Council of State Supervisors for | | | | schools. The partnership features other |
| Languages (NCSSFL). The visit will focus on | | | | programs especially intended to help |
| the incentives and strategies that educators | | | | educators who would like to create or grow a |
| can take back to their own schools and use to | | | | Chinese language and culture program in their |
| support the growth of Chinese programs. | | | | schools or districts. Because of this program |
| Currently there are only about 24,000 | | | | plans have been made to allow 250 guest |
| students in the US studying Chinese compared | | | | teachers from China to work in schools in the |
| with close to 150 million Chinese students | | | | United States. Also some American teachers |
| studying English. During the trip, educators | | | | will begin training at Beijing Normal |
| will have an opportunity to meet with Chinese | | | | University and Shanghai International Studies |
| education leaders, build sister school and | | | | University. The first sessions begin this |
| city ties, and network with other U.S. school | | | | summer with sixty teachers from across the |
| leaders who are bringing Chinese language | | | | nation attending special intensive courses to |
| programs to their districts and schools. | | | | gain state certification to teach Chinese |
| Orlando Schools want to ensure they are | | | | classes for the new school year. |
| prepared for the new opportunities to offer | | | | |