STARTALK 2009 - Programs in VA
Arlington Public Schools (student)
Arlington Public Schools Summer Exploratory and Enrichment for Arabic and Chinese
The STARTALK Arabic and Chinese summer programs are intended for rising 9-12th grade students who have not previously studied either target language or who have limited proficiency but are interested in further developing their basic skills. The goal of the program is to motivate students to begin or continue the study of these languages. Students will learn practical vocabulary and will be introduced to basic language structures with a focus on communicating about everyday needs and experiences. In addition, students will learn about the practices, perspectives, and products of the culture. Field trips, hands-on activities, music and songs, and technology-based activities will allow for creative and culturally relevant experiences. This is a high-expectations program for students seriously interested in developing language skills and knowledge about the target cultures. Classes meet from 9:00a.m. to 1:00p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Arlington campus of Northern Virginia Community College. Public transportation is provided for this no fee program. The program is available on a space available basis to students from outside Arlington County.
Fauquier County Public Schools (student)
Fauquier County Language Explore
The Fauquier County Language Explore program is an introduction to the Turkish and Arabic languages and cultures. The goal of our program is to expose rising 5th- through 8th-grade students to less commonly taught languages and cultures. Students will choose one of the languages to focus their studies as the two programs will run at the same time. We hope to build a foundation for further study and inspire students to want to learn more about languages and cultures. Specifically, students who complete this program will be able to participate in simple conversations on familiar topics including, but not limited to, greetings, numbers, colors, clothing, food, and animals. Students will be able to identify alphabetic characters leading them towards the ability to read the target language. Students will become aware of the different languages and cultures around them to help them to be more productive citizens in a global community. This program will be held at Kettle Run High School in Nokesville, VA. The program runs from Monday, July 6 to Tuesday, July 21. There will be no classes on Fridays.
George Mason University (teacher)
Brain-Compatible Differentiated Instruction for Diverse Language Learners
This workshop for pre- and in-service as well as heritage teachers of Arabic and Chinese will highlight the needs of heritage language learners as well as culturally, linguistically, and cognitively diverse learners, using brain-compatible differentiated instruction as a research source. The literature on brain-compatible and learner-centered instruction and interactive activities provides a sound theoretical foundation for an integrated, multidimensional style of education across languages, learning styles and cultures. Based on current studies, this workshop will provide teachers the opportunity to create learning environments that foster the development of all learners. The workshop is also designed to meet the challenge of providing hands-on teacher training in the introduction and application of interactive approaches in brain-compatible differentiated instruction. Focus will be placed on successful practices of teachers who thoughtfully use brain-compatible theories of research to provide learners with opportunities to learn and acquire language in the manner in which they are most receptive and how that maximizes their potential to learn and become successful. The workshop will highlight how varied approaches can be applied to language learning thereby enhancing teacher expertise, student performance, and lead to the creation of new materials for teaching both Arabic and Chinese.
Northern Virginia Community College (teacher)
Powering Up Your Chinese and Arabic Language Courses With Technology
NOVA STARTALK is a summer institute in its third year designed to help teachers integrate technology tools and 21st century language pedagogy in the Arabic and Chinese curricula. Arabic and Chinese teachers in each language will create a collection of activities to expand the curriculum presently in place. The networking that has resulted from this course in the past two years has enriched instruction and created a bond between teachers who have worked in teams in and out of our STARTALK setting. Major goals: •Faculty participants will apply foreign language standards and multiple intelligence theory while creating Chinese and Arabic materials. •Faculty participants will learn to use technology tools that promote student engagement in Chinese and Arabic classes (i.e. QUIA, MERLOT, wikis, blogs, video, SlideShare, asynchronous voice tools, Photo Story, Nings, netvibes, social bookmarking, etc.). •Faculty participants will create a personal toolkit of materials to be used in Arabic and Chinese courses and shared with colleagues in the target languages. •Faculty participants will integrate activities that they discover in the daily workshops in syllabi for Arabic and Chinese courses during the summer of 2009 and beyond.
University of Virginia (teacher)
Virginia STARTALK Chinese Teacher Academy
Virginia STARTALK Chinese Teacher Academy (VSCTA) is a 3-week residential program that trains novice and continuing Chinese language teachers to enhance their expertise in teaching Chinese as a foreign language toward Chinese teacher certification or professional development. The program integrates a balance of theories and practice into the curriculum through a well-structured and sequenced supervised practicum based on a multi-reflective approach. By completing the 5-credit graduate course, teachers are able to keep abreast of new developments in second language acquisition theories and practice in general and in Chinese language acquisition and pedagogy in particular. Through a mid-program practicum, participants will also create standards-based curricula and materials, deliver effective instruction, and implement authentic performance-based assessment and instructional technology in a learner-centered, highly communicative and interactive environment conducive to productive learning. Participants' competence in teaching Chinese as a foreign language culminates in the completion of an E-portfolio that documents their extensive learning experiences in launching or advancing their career.
Virginia Beach City Public Schools (student)
Virginia Beach STARTALK Elementary Chinese Academy (VBSECA)
The STARTALK Summer Academy will increase opportunities for language-learning in elementary schools; set a model for other elementary schools to offer languages; focus attention on Mandarin Chinese, prompting expansion and an increase in enrollment at the secondary level; promote community awareness of the need to begin languages in elementary school; and remind stakeholders of the necessity to learn a critical needs language such as Mandarin Chinese. The fifth-graders who will attend the Academy will be encouraged to continue their language study in an after-school program. Forty-five students will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. However, students recommended to attend summer school are not eligible. There are no fees required, and bus service will be provided.
Virginia Commonwealth University (student)
Virginia STARTALK Chinese Academy
The Virginia STARTALK Chinese Academy is integrated into the 2009 "Global Village" of the Virginia Governor's Foreign Language Academies (VGFLA) sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education. Sharing campus facilities and participating in several joint activities with the VGFLA, the three-week residential Chinese program for current Virginia tenth- and eleventh-grade foreign language students is housed on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond from June 28, 2008, through July 19, 2009. The academy accepts beginners as well as students with prior study of Chinese (Mandarin). The program runs concurrently and in collaboration with the University of Virginia STARTALK Chinese Teachers Seminar.
Virginia Commonwealth University (student)
Virginia STARTALK Arabic Academy
The Virginia STARTALK Arabic Academy is integrated into the 2009 "Global Village" of the Virginia Governor's Foreign Language Academies (VGFLA) sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education. Sharing campus facilities and participating in several joint activities with the VGFLA, the three-week residential Arabic program for current Virginia tenth- and eleventh-grade foreign language students is housed on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond from June 28, 2008, through July 19, 2009. The academy accepts beginners as well as students with prior study of Arabic.
