STARTALK 2009 - Programs in CA

Aldeen Foundation (teacher)

STARTALK Teaching Arabic Through Communication: Guidelines for Success

This program is composed of an online program that participants complete from home and an onsite program. The online program includes 20 real-life workshops recorded and posted online. The workshops were given by Professor Mahdi Alosh, an expert and leading figure in the field of teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language (AFL), to groups of Arabic teachers. This online program prepares the participants by giving them the requisite knowledge for the onsite program. The onsite program is a 12-day program,from June 18-July 3, excluding weekends. During the first six days of the program, participants will be introduced to the main theoretical and pedagogical concepts of teaching AFL through a combination of seminars, hands-on workshops, and micro-lesson teaching presentations to get a clear understanding of the basic practices of teaching AFL according to the communicative approach. The second six days of the program are comprised of a practicum. During this phase, participants will work closely with coaching Master Teachers that they will observe, reflect on their practices, and discuss any thoughts with them. Participants will also be assigned limited time to teach real classes and will be given feedback. Participants who complete the program will be awarded a generous stipend of $1,000 and may apply for five units of credit from Loyola Marymount University.

Aldeen Foundation (student)

STARTALK Summer Course in Modern Arabic for High School Students

This course is designed to take absolute beginners and learners at other levels to a higher stage. All learners will be engaged in speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills according to their language level. Small groups, with an instructional ratio of 1:8, will give learners individualized attention. Learners will be able to learn how to use the course textbook and to continue learning individually, following the course syllabus through the rest of the year and attending monthly support meetings with the program director and teachers. During the time students spend in the program, instructors will introduce learners to the sound and writing systems of the Arabic language and provide them with the basic instructional and lexical knowledge needed to produce language. Throughout the instructional time, students will be able to understand some formal and informal speech through clips of genuine communication that reveal several aspects of culture. Learners will engage in structured functional activities during the class period and communicate with classmates and teachers in class and during Middle Eastern breakfast and social time. Participants who fulfill the course requirement will receive a generous stipend of $500 and three units of college credit from California State University, San Bernardino.

CAIS Institute (student)

CAIS Institute Summer Chinese Program

CAIS Institute, in collaboration with the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), is offering two intensive Chinese language programs for high school students and for 1st-3rd grade SFUSD Mandarin Immersion students. HIGH SCHOOL CHINESE PROGRAM: This intensive language program is open to Bay Area high school students, grades 9-12. Students will enhance their language skills from a beginner (with no prior Chinese experience) to a high-beginner/low-intermediate level. Participation in one session, with a passing grade, is the equivalent of 60 hours of foreign language coursework. Students earn 5 district course credits for foreign language from the SFUSD. Students who have successfully completed two sessions, totaling 120 hours of language instruction, are eligible to receive up to an entire year of foreign language credit from SFUSD. GRADES 1-3 MANDARIN IMMERSION CAMP: In an effort to support San Francisco’s two new elementary Mandarin Immersion public school programs, CAIS Institute will offer a Mandarin immersion summer camp for children entering grades 1-3. In collaboration with San Francisco Unified School District, CAIS Institute has developed a tailored curriculum that complements and integrates with the existing curriculum from both schools, thereby reinforcing and furthering the children’s language learning. Students in each program will experience Chinese language and culture through a wide variety of traditional and cultural activities. Language acquisition will come naturally to the students as a result of their participation in these fun, immersion-based activities in addition to structured classroom learning.

California Foreign Language Project (teacher)

STARTALK 2009 Stanford University Leadership Professional Development Program for Teachers of Mandarin Language and Culture

This program is designed for Mandarin language educators who have participated in either the 2007 or 2008 Stanford University STARTALK programs. It will continue to strengthen the participants’ linguistic and cultural knowledge and, especially, their teaching practices, but will concentrate its efforts on building a cadre of teachers who can begin to play leadership roles in program planning, curriculum development, and assessment practices in their districts and schools. The participants will continue to interact during the 2009-2010 academic year in both face-to-face and follow-up programs sponsored by the California Foreign Language Project and via the My eCoach online virtual community. The program will take place July 7-15, 2009.

California Foreign Language Project (student)

STARTALK 2009 Stanford University/Palo Alto Unified Mandarin Language and Culture Program for High School Students

This program offers a four-week, two-level (IIA and IIIB) intensive Mandarin language and culture learning experience for students who have completed Chinese IB and IIIA courses of study or can demonstrate the equivalent level of proficiency expected at the end of these course sequences. The program takes place from June 22 to July 17, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Students will devote a substantial amount of time each day acquiring linguistic competency in a language lab, as well as learning word processing functions essential to electronically communicate with peers and adults in Chinese. Additionally, students will participate in culturally relevant field trips and complete daily homework assignments that involve the use of iPods and other instructional resources.

California State University, San Bernardino (student)

High School Strand in Summer Intensive Arabic With Academic Year Continuation, CSUSB

The CSUSB STARTALK project will accept 25 high school juniors and seniors into the summer 2009 Intensive Arabic program at very reduced rates (only $282 instead of the $2,000 price for university students). Needs-based scholarships will also be available to defray the program fees, tuition, and textbooks. Students will attend classes from 8:00 to 6:00, Monday through Friday, plus Saturdays from 9:00 to 1:00 from June 22 through August 6. Four days a week will be dedicated to direct language study (mornings), cultural activities (afternoons), and weekly field trips to local Arabic-speaking communities and/or Arabic-related cultural sites. The program is non-residential. The program focuses on being able to speak Arabic and explore cultures. Students will receive individualized instruction through interactions with faculty, classmates, and peer tutors (native speaking college students). Special activities include a four-day camping trip, cooking and dance lessons, and information about educational opportunities and scholarships. Students will continue to study Arabic during the 2009-10 academic year with classes every other Saturday as well as through a rich online program, a film series (with parental interaction), and conversational practice with peer tutors. By the end of the 12-month program, students will earn 20 units of college credit.

Human Assistance & Development International - CLASSRoad (teacher)

Leading the Way in Content-Based Arabic Instruction

"Leading the Way in Content-Based Arabic Instruction" is a two-part professional development course for K-16 Arabic language teachers. The first component is a competitive two-week online course that provides development of the teachers' professional and pedagogical skills through the use of video lectures, quizzes, and an online discussion board for participant interaction. Following the online session, teachers with the highest grades will be invited to join a two-week intensive onsite program at California State University, San Bernardino. The onsite workshop features in depth and hands-on application of the material discussed in the online course and includes building a thematic unit, creating lesson plans, micro-teaching lessons in the classroom, field trips and much more.

Los Angeles Unified School District (student)

Passport to the Arab World

Students at Bell and Roybal High Schools will accelerate their learning of Arabic by studying the language through different themes. The rich and mystical culture of the Middle East will be explored in a high interest, low anxiety environment. Technology such as document readers, MP3 players, laptops, and the Internet will be a core feature in the classroom to motivate students and emphasize interactive learning and teaching. In an authentic environment, students will learn to communicate purposefully in the target language as listeners, speakers, readers, and writers. The Arabic culture will be a natural component of language use in all activities. This will be supported through field trips into the local Arabic community. Students will acquire basic knowledge of the history of Arabic music and its influence on Western music, learn how to make Arabic food, and develop positive attitudes toward cultural diversity. Other relevant themes will include world history, health, science, and math. Students will be encouraged to take risks as language learners as the learning environment will be positive and supportive. Students will be expected to communicate, interpret, and present in beginning/intermediate levels. They will be assessed formally and informally on how well they meet the objectives of the lessons.

Los Angeles Unified School District (student)

Passport To India

Students at Bell High School, during the summer of 2009, will have an opportunity to learn Hindi. This enriching experience will give them a glimpse into a popular world language. The students will enjoy an immersion into various aspects of Indian culture. Through Hindi, students will learn the history, culture, traditions, geography, and economics of India. This learning experience will enhance their understanding of global dynamics. Using Hindi language as a medium, the instructor will teach units that emphasize currency, weather, festivals, family structure, schools, clothing, and so forth. Students will learn the Hindi alphabet, phonetics, numbers, colors, calendars and dates, interwoven in a rich cultural experience. The course will also use technology as an audio-visual aid; the Internet, PowerPoint, television, videos, and MP3 players will be used liberally, keeping learning relevant to current times. Students will visit an Indian restaurant and display familiarity with elements of Indian hospitality. Throughout the course, a variety of opportunities will be provided to assess student understanding. Weekly quizzes, group and individual presentations, and MP3 recordings will be part of formal assessment. Informal assessment will be based on simulated situations, ordering food in a restaurant, and showing courtesy while speaking Hindi.

Loyola Marymount University (teacher)

Chinese Language Teacher Preparation: Summer Institute for 2009

The School of Education at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) continues with its second year of Chinese Language Teacher Preparation by offering a 6 -week long program leading to the certification of 25 qualified teachers of Mandarin in K-12 bilingual immersion or foreign language classrooms in California. The STARTALK Chinese Language Teacher Summer Institute for 2009 takes place between June 15th and August 10th 2009. 15 continuing Chinese Language teacher candidates (Cohort 1) will begin their second year in the MA and Elementary or Secondary credential program and will complete an additional 6 units of study. Cohort 1 will be joined by our second cohort of 10 Chinese Language Teacher candidates who will also complete 6 graduate units towards their California teaching credential and masters degree. STARTALK teacher candidates will also receive support in taking state-required licensure tests for teachers.

National University (student)

NU STARTALK 2009 - Student Persian

National University (NU) is offering a 4-week summer non-residential day program for grades 6-12 in Persian language. The proposed program will award, upon successful completion, academic credit for language coursework through an established arrangement between NU and its WASC-accredited affiliate, NUVHS: grades 6-12 will be eligible to receive academic credit. The program will include cultural enrichment activities and field trips. In addition, the program provides ongoing follow-up learning opportunities for the students in order to create incentive for language learning and to refrain from linguistic attrition. An opportunity to enroll in NU’s on-line Persian language courses (high school level courses, as well as Major, Minor, Certificate) is offered. Instructional Lead Dr. Azita Mokhtari Email: amokhtari@nu.edu Phone: 858-642-8598 Administrative Point-of-Contact Dr. Ramin Sarraf Email:rsarraf@nu.edu Phone:858-642-8580 Program Sessions Spectrum Business Park Campus 9388 Light wave Avenue San Diego, CA 92123 Site contact person: Dr. Ramin Sarraf Onsite phone:858-541-7700 Onsite email:rsarraf@nu.edu Heritage: yes Non-Heritage: yes Language: Persian Grade levels: Middle School (6-8) High School (9-12) Incoming proficiency levels: Beginning Intermediate Advanced Start date: 2009-08-06 End date: 2009-08-31 Total instructional days: 20 Total instructional hours: 100

Occidental College (teacher)

Putting the Arabic Standards Front and Center

*BUILDING LEADERSHIP IN THE ARABIC LANGUAGE TEACHING COMMUNITY* Leaders: Iman Hashem, Brandon Zaslow • Dates: June 13-19 • This invitational program is designed for teachers who attended our STARTALK workshop in 2007 or 2008 or completed our Arabic Language Teaching Certificate or equivalent course work. The workshop will provide teachers with opportunities to hone their skills in standards-based instruction and learn to support their colleagues in creating exemplary Arabic language lessons. Participants will enhance their capacity to create standards-based units that can be used as samples for professional development. (Scholarships are available for 15 participants.) *TECHNOLOGY AS THE CORE OF STANDARDS-BASED ARABIC INSTRUCTION* Leaders: Iman Hashem, Randa Jad-Musa • Dates: June 22-26 • Participants will learn to effectively use various technologies to enhance a standards-based approach: locating authentic materials on the web including video, music, art, graphics, text, and data; making input comprehensible using MovieMaker, iMovie, Cartoon Maker, and PowerPoint; facilitating interpersonal communication through instant messaging, video, audio and written chats, e-mails, blogs, and interactive assignments; and supporting presentational communication using the technologies listed above, as well as webpages, wikis, and podcasts. (Scholarships are available for 25 participants.) * Participants must have basic knowledge of Microsoft Word and the ability to use the Web.

San Diego State University Research Foundation (student)

Turkish Language and Culture STARTALK Program

This proposal is developed in collaboration with the faculty from San Diego State University’s (SDSU) Language Acquisition Resource Center (LARC) and the committee members of San Diego Turkish School of the American Turkish Association of Southern California (ATASC). The proposal is to offer an intensive summer language program in Turkish for up to 20 students, grades 1-5. A unique feature of our proposal is that we will ensure the sustainability of our program by offering Turkish language courses for students in grades 1-5 for the following fall and spring through San Diego Turkish School of ATASC. The program will be open to any students (grades 1-5) in the community; however, we will make an effort to recruit students from Lahaska who are Meskhetian Turks, a small group of Turks who immigrated to the United States from Russia only recently and have little social and economic support and face challenges with linguistic and social integration. Our summer program will not only focus on teaching language but also will emphasize teaching Turkish culture by bringing in Turkish-speaking community members to teach Turkish history, music, dance, and other expressive forms of Turkish culture. We will have a small student to teacher ratio (20:2) and will use a co-teaching model, meaning that we will have 2 teachers for the classroom with expertise in the Turkish language, history, music, or art. In this way, students will be able to have small group instruction in Turkish based on their level of language proficiency.

San Diego State University Research Foundation (student)

2009 Persian STARTALK Camp, Grades 1-12

The Language Acquisition Resource Center at San Diego State University will offer a 3-week (July 6-24) full-time Persian STARTALK summer camp for students nationwide (grades 1-12). Our standards- and performance-based curriculum will follow the models offered by the Standards for Foreign Language Learning. Our students will be of varying linguistic and cultural backgrounds and will be grouped appropriately, especially in activities that are demanding linguistically. Since the group will have varying interests in cultural and artistic activities, teachers will tailor lesson plans to appeal to a number of diverse learning styles. Students will be assessed in several ways. We will use Linguafolio, student portfolios, and performance-based evaluations. We will gather performance data from audio and video files, crafts projects, students' interactions, and class discussions. In addition to the 3-week summer camp, students will continue to be instructed by STARTALK teachers twice during the year via on-line modules to maintain their language skills. Prior to this year's camp, teachers received extensive training in instruction and in curriculum and lesson development, and they have created media-rich resources to be used in the class. Materials used in class will be posted to the STARTALK site at http://persianstartalk.sdsu.edu. For more information, contact the Persian program director, Dr. Atefeh Oliai (aoliai@mail.sdsu.edu).

San Francisco State University (student)

San Francisco Chinese Language Academy for Summer Students (SF-CLASS)

The 5-week intensive Chinese Language Academy, SF-CLASS, will offer standards-based, technology-infused Mandarin summer programs for middle school students in a linguistically (oral and print) and culturally rich environment. Students will utilize a wide variety of highly interesting Chinese reading, oral, and musical material as well as current technological advancements to practice and to create their own Chinese language podcast files, digital storytelling videos, and graphic novels and plays. SF-CLASS will motivate students to learn Chinese, will change students’ perceptions of and attitudes toward the learning of Chinese, and, most importantly, will cultivate independent and lifelong learners of Chinese.

San Francisco State University (teacher)

Institute for Innovative Teaching of Chinese

The purpose of this 2-week intensive Chinese teacher language program is to train teachers of Chinese to develop and implement standards-based, technology-infused curriculum and to use the best practices in instructional pedagogy via literacy approach and project-based learning. Teacher participants will also develop skills in integrating technology into language teaching and learning, focusing particularly on second language acquisition, Chinese children’s literature comics and story-telling in the L2 classroom, L2 literacy development, Chinese language curriculum and material design and development, and extending the use of the Chinese language outside the classroom. Three units of course credit (one course) may be earned toward teacher certification or a master's degree.

Teaching Chinese Resources (student)

STARTALK Good Will Program

Teaching Chinese Resources (teacher)

STARTALK Good Will Program

The College Board (teacher)

Chinese Guest Teachers Summer Institute: An Extension of the Chinese Guest Teacher Program

The Chinese Guest Teacher Summer Institute Program offers professional development for newly arriving teachers from China prior to their placement as teachers of Chinese language and culture in elementary and secondary schools across the United States. The primary goal of the GTSI is to increase guest teachers’ understanding of American education and to facilitate their development of pedagogical skills particularly relevant to American classrooms. The program covers topics such as the structure of U.S. K-12 education, K-12 foreign language teaching standards, communication strategies, course design, classroom management, materials development, and more. The program is organized by the College Board in collaboration with partner associations such as the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSFL) and the California Foreign Language Project at Stanford University School of Education. For questions, please contact Michaela Kabat at guestteacher@collegeboard.org.

The Regents of the University of California (teacher)

The Berkeley K-16 Bridge: Improving Teacher Effectiveness in Foreign Language (Mandarin) Classroom

STARTALK 2009 Berkeley Teacher Program will provide enrichment training for Mandarin teachers from 4-year universities, 2-year community colleges, K-12 public and private schools, and heritage schools. This program will provide a model for K-16 articulation to support burgeoning state and national efforts to bring effective Chinese language instruction to K-16 classrooms in an articulated and organized fashion, and to ensure that K-12 programs fuse effectively with offerings at the collegiate level. The emphasis will be placed on teachers from the nine Bay Area counties who are currently teaching Mandarin as well as teachers who will be starting new programs in the fall of 2009. This program includes a 10-day, hands-on workshop and a 2-day international conference on Chinese language pedagogy. The curriculum contents will include the following: ACTFL, California, and CLASS Standards; Sample Chinese Curriculum Guide Review; Planning Standards-Based Thematic Unit; Designing Standards-Based Lesson with Backward Design; Selecting and Evaluating Teaching Materials; Mandarin Proficiency Assessment Tools Including Computer-Based Assessment; Distance Learning; Using Films to Teach Language and Culture; and Participating in the Second International Conference on Chinese Language Pedagogy. Each participant will receive a $500 stipend and a certificate upon completion of the 84-hour program.

UCLA Center for World Languages (student)

Hindi for Heritage Speakers of Hindi

This intensive six week course is for high school students who speak Hindi at home and want to develop literacy and a deeper understanding of historical and contemporary South Asian culture. The project-based curriculum will allow students to build academic proficiency in Hindi, using culturally relevant themes as a vehicle for listening, writing, speaking, and reading tasks. Projects will focus on developing academic skills in a content-based curriculum designed to impart cultural literacy. Students will have access to individualized instruction and feedback. The course is the equivalent of 1 year of high school world language study. This class meets a need for Hindi speakers, who have been underserved by world language instruction. A sizable Hindi speaking population lives in Los Angeles County and is committed to preserving its language and culture. However, survey data shows that most heritage learners of Hindi have had minimal or no schooling in the language, and that their reading and writing skills are often rudimentary or nonexistent. Their skill set is typical of many groups of heritage speakers, and their pedagogical needs are different from those of foreign language students. Their development in their home language must be nurtured by literacy.

UCLA Center for World Languages (student)

Persian for Persians

This intensive six week course is for high school students who speak Persian at home and want to develop literacy and a deeper understanding of historical and contemporary Persian culture. The project-based curriculum will allow students to build academic proficiency in Persian, using culturally relevant themes as a vehicle for listening, writing, speaking, and reading tasks. Students will have access to individualized instruction and feedback. The course is the equivalent of one year of high school world language instruction. This class meets a need in language instruction for one of Los Angeles ’s largest language groups. The largest number of Iranians outside of Iran — an estimated 330,000 — have made their home in Southern California . This population remains committed to preserving its language and culture. However, Persian language is not taught in any Los Angeles-area school districts. A survey of college-level heritage language learners, conducted by the National Heritage Language Resource Center , indicates that most heritage learners of Persian have had minimal or no schooling in Persian.

UCLA Center for World Languages (teacher)

Heritage Language Teacher Workshop

In today’s “foreign” language classes, teachers are faced with many students who are heritage language speakers. For these students, the target language is not foreign, but rather a home language whose development was interrupted by a switch to English. A typical heritage learner has grown up hearing the language and begins classroom instruction with measurable oral and aural proficiency but with few literacy skills. This workshop is designed to help language teachers better understand the differences between L2 and HL learners, and learn how to differentiate curriculum to address the range of skill levels present in HL classes. Participants will explore ways to design their own curriculum and select materials and assessment tools. They will learn how to start where the students are and involve them as ACTIVE participants in the learning process. The workshop will include information on how to research a heritage language community and create a community-based program. A grasp of demographic data will give teachers an advantage in teaching and promoting heritage language instruction in their own departments, institutions, and districts. The goal for the workshop is to develop a cohort of language teachers who will be leaders and mentors in heritage language instruction.