XinXing Academy Teachers Train at CARLA-Hear Their Stories!

On June 25 to 29, 2007, all of the teachers and teaching assistants from XinXing Academy in Hopkins school District attended a seminar hosted by Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition at the University of Minnesota, designed specifically for Chinese and Japanese immersion teaching . The following are some comments from them after the training:


Qiuyue Wang- Kindergarten Teacher

Although I have been teaching Chinese in China , Singapore and America for over 16 years, I’ve never been fully involved with a full Chinese immersion program. This training for me has been truly beneficial. The five-day training courses covered a broad range of immersion education: history, principles, goals and disciplines. We also discussed some topics that specifically related to Chinese immersion, such as teaching of Chinese characters and literature.
During this training, one best thing for me was the interactions with a number of teachers that have years of experiences in immersion instruction. Although these veteran teachers did not teach Chinese, they were rich in other language experiences, and introduced a lot of their own ideas on teaching in immersion program, from which I learned a great deal. Some parents and students who participated in immersion program also came to our panel, and what impressed me the most was their belief in and support of immersion education. Most of the parents of Chinese, French, or Spanish immersion students do not know much of their respective languages, but they fully support schools and teachers in the immersion teaching, firmly trust in the immersion program they involved. From the conversation with the children, I also learned that the first time they go to school, it is more challenge for them than those go to the regular kindergarten. Because the immersion students don’t know nothing about the language that is being spoken to them, and that lend greatly to the confusion and fear of the young children. As they described some experiences that only after they returned home, hearing their family talking in English , they found the speech being “normal” to their ears. This reflects new language environment mentality at the beginning days. This information really helped us immersion teachers to understand the students’ feelings at the beginning stage. We also learned ways such that we can establish an environment where students feel safe, comfortable, and being relax, then they can absorb the new language much easier.

At the end of the meeting, listening to the children singing Chinese songs without difficulty, enunciating fluent French, and seeing the parents’ proud smiles on their faces, I was moved deeply.

Through this training, I have established a new vision, a new perspective, and a confidence in our success. Our Chinese immersion program in Hopkins has strong support of the district, coupled with the resolute support of parents, along with the hard work of our teachers, our efforts will indeed shine with the light of success.

LiJun Fang- Teaching Assistant

Late June, as a teacher assistance of XinXing Academy in Hopkins schools, I fortunately participated the training from CARLA with other teachers in our school. In this five day training, two outstanding languages experts Tara Fortune and Diane Tedick provided us both challenges and the rich experiences of the immersion language instruction.
The first two days, mainly we were give lectures about the development of immersion education history. Instructors analyzed the main characters in theories, and provided a deep understanding of teaching methods.
In later days, we passed through discussion when observing experienced teacher's teaching, It helped us to see how the theory and actual applied in practice. I understood better from the basic classroom management and the skills and responsibilities for a teacher.
In last day of training, Amy Egenberger, a immersion teacher demonstrated her instruction, that impressed me deeply. The topic she talked was: Week one, Day one, What are some effective ways to build the immersion classroom community? She let us discuss "how classroom climate be established " in groups. From the discussion, I understood more about using imagination and creative development method. It is clear that they will give the students the enlightenment through seeing and hearing directly. It establishes interactive atmosphere in classroom, and stimulates students the interests of learning Chinese. In this way it improves the quality of learning Chinese.
Some parents and students of Twincities immersion programs were invited to classroom, face-to-face talking to us about their attitude and the feeling towards immersion. Their positive attitude gave us great encouragement.
On that day, four beautiful kids from YingHua Academy sang a school song in Chinese. Some Spanish and French immersion teachers shared their experiences. One of the trainee, Kai Li demonstrated a Chinese lesson, instructor Michale Bacon leaded us to sing the Japanese song with body movement to stimulate us after lunch... ...

Everything offered make a happy, unforgettable impression to me.

Although five days training studies is short, but I learned a lot. My job will start soon, I engaged in even more to fill the deep love and the confidence on Immersion Chinese education.

Meyer Qin, Teaching Assistant

In the beautiful summer of Minnesota, I was very pleased to attend the training for Chinese and Japanese Language Immersion Education hosted by The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, University of Minnesota (CARLA). This one-week training benefits me a lot!

Before attending the training, I have read many articles about foreign language immersion education, knowing that full immersion education is the most effective foreign language education instruction form. The students become mostly likely as proficient in immersion language as those native language speakers, I am very curious to know about Immersion education, yet I never have a chance to meet any full immersion teacher or student!

This training gave me the opportunity. The first time, I met immersion teachers and students, who benefit from immersion education. A blonde girl named Elizabeth impressed me a lot! She has learned Chinese language for only one year, she can talk with me in Chinese and spoke Chinese fluently! I asked her some questions such as what’s your name? how old are you? what year were you born in? Etc. Not only can she understand each of my questions correctly, but also she answered them quickly, in standard mandarin, and with Chinese words precisely.

During the training, the lectures provided instruction in both theory and practice. The immersion teachers demonstrated their teaching vividly and fun, which gives me better understanding about full immersion education! Students learn the language through songs, games and other activities they like. The students learned both the language and culture, and the parents stop worrying: “What we should do if kids couldn’t understand what the teacher is talking about?” I also learned many useful teaching methods suitable for kindergarten kids.

You can tell very easily those parents were satisfied the good progress their kids have made. You also can tell that those parents all have high expectations for full immersion education. The students were proud of themselves for talk in Chinese with their teachers - native Chinese speakers.

I’m grateful for Hopkins School District giving me this opportunity to attend the immersion education training, I’ll work hard to make XinXing Chinese School the best Immersion Education school of the nation!