The economic achievement and growth of China are pushing the country to the front page of global news.  More and more educators have realized the importance of preparing our students for the 21^st century with skills for global communication.  In the past 10 years, university Chinese classes in the United States have increased by 35%.  At the K-12 level, approximately 1,400 schools have offered Chinese language and cultural classes and 50,000 students are learning Chinese.  China, which used to be a mysterious remote land, is now making her inevitable presence in our lives.

What has happened in China?  Is China going to be a significant participant in global affairs?  Is the Chinese language a real, useful language from which our students can benefit by learning?  In order to answer these questions for many of our school leaders, district superintendents and educators, we, the Chinese Language Teachers Association of Greater New York, cordially invite you to join this year’s “Seeing is Believing” trip to China.

On this trip, educators will tour four famous and beautiful cities: Beijing, Xi’an, Suzhou and Shanghai. The group will have opportunities to visit schools with an English as a foreign language program; learn about web-based language teaching projects; meet with representatives from the Chinese Ministry of Education; and discuss potential collaboration between the U.S. schools and programs sponsored by National Office of Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (NOCTFL, or known as “Hanban” in Chinese).

Educators in the following positions may apply:     

1. Current school district superintendent, deputy superintendent or foreign language program supervisor;
2. Elected/appointed local or state officials working on setting educational policies and law;
3. Current school principal or assistant principal of an American public or private school;
4. Chair or coordinator of a foreign language department in an American college or university; or
5. Teachers who are interested in promoting the Chinese language and culture.   

Please fill out the three-page application form and return it to CLTA-GNY.  Unfortunately, there is only a limited number of educators that we can accept for the program.  Your application will be reviewed by the Committee of CLTA-GNY and the selected educators will be notified by December 20. 2007. 

            Should you have any questions, please contact the trip coordinators: Marisa Fang (mlfang@optonline.net) or Susan Yin Rui (syinrui@yahoo.com)