Proposal for the CLTA-GNY Conference 2008
Decoding
AP Chinese Curriculum Requirements: Examples and Expansions
实例解读中文AP课程纲要
Frances Yufen
Lee Mehta
The first Chinese
AP Test for language and culture was inaugurated in May 2007. Schools from all districts in the country and
abroad are in the process of starting Chinese AP courses, or considering doing
so. The College Board has provided the
necessary support to help educators and instructors engage in this great
endeavor through published materials (such as AP
Chinese Language and Culture Teacher’s Guide, Course Description), online
service (AP Chinese Central), holding conferences, workshops and institutes (AP
Summer Institute), etc. AP Chinese Language
and Culture has strongly influenced the field of Chinese teaching from K to 16
in the past few years.
Despite the demand
from the field and the availability of information, some school teachers and
potential educators have experienced difficulty writing syllabi which conformed
to the Standards for Foreign Language
Learning in the 21st Century specified by ACTFL and Chinese AP Course Requirements by the College
Board.
This presentation attempts
to offer concrete examples of activities designed to meet the standards for
foreign language learning and the Chinese AP course requirements which are
specifically categorized in 22 components.
It will examine an ensemble of cases via a bottom-up method to infer
each standard and required component and thus help to generate more pedagogical
ideas to teaching the AP Chinese Language and Culture courses. Effective samples will be adapted from a
textbook written with AP Chinese in mind to enhance the three communication
modes on the base of five standards. Participants
will have a hands-on opportunity to practice on a list of activities and
identify their requirements accordingly.