STARTALK is a component of the federal National Security Language Initiative (NSLI). It seeks to expand and improve the teaching and learning of strategically important world languages that are not now widely taught in the US. Its mission is to increase the number of Americans learning, speaking, and teaching critical need foreign languages by offering students (K–16) and teachers of these languages creative and engaging summer experiences that strive to exemplify best practices in language education and in language teacher development.

2012 Chinese Language Camp for Students

Twenty-eight middle and high school students with no or minimum experience (no more than one year) in Chinese language studies are selected to participate in a three-week residential program on the UH Manoa campus to acquire basic listening, speaking, reading, writing, and culture skills in Mandarin Chinese. Participants learn language along with sports such as martial arts, and engage in a variety of activities focusing on Chinese culture. Language lessons consist of learner-centered, interactive, task-based activities designed to encourage learners to communicate in Chinese. Weekend excursions to sites around scenic Honolulu led by native speakers of Chinese provide additional practice, and the Chinese ethnic presence links classroom practice with real-world usage of Chinese.

Click here for 2012 Program Information for Students

Chinese Language Camp video archive and Media coverage of camp and institute

2012 Chinese Teacher Training Institute

Fifteen Chinese language teachers (either experienced or new to the field) who are interested in observing and teaching according to standards-, performance-, and task-based principles are selected to participate in the camp. A three-day preparation workshop is the lead-off to introduce participants to the principles of a standards-based curriculum, as well as to available resources to teach following such a curriculum.

Once the concurrent student camp begins, teachers observe and participate in all scheduled activities, as the institute’s lead instructors demonstrate a variety of teaching approaches. All instruction is followed by critique and friendly feedback. After the first week of instruction, institute participants are invited to teach selected modules together with or in place of the lead instructors. By the last week of the Institute, participants are in charge of all instruction—lead instructors serve as guides and consultants. Daily summative feedback sessions allow for on-going reflection.

Click here for 2012 Program Information for Teachers

2012 Camp Leaders

Cynthia Ning, PhD - Camp Director and Lead Language Instructor. Associate Director at the Center for Chinese Studies and US Co-director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Hawai‘i. Author, Encounters: Chinese Language and Culture, Communicating in Chinese & Exploring in Chinese, Yale University Press.

Kristine Wogstad, MA – Lead Language Instructor. Mandarin teacher at the Highland Park High School, St. Paul, MN. Sub-group coordinator, Mandarin Chinese Project: Minnesota DOE. Co-author, Kaiming Intermediate Chinese, Cheng & Tsui.

Stephen Tschudi, MA – Lead Language Instructor/Language Pedagogy Consultant. Specialist in Technology for Language Education, National Foreign Language Resource Center, University of Hawai‘i. Past recipient of the Hawaii Association of Language Teachers Excellence in Teaching Award.

Chunman Gissing – Mandarin teacher, program designer, teacher trainer. Will be Chinese program assistant principal at International School of Beijing starting July 2012. Co-author of Go2 Guides China, Globalvision.

Terry Waltz, Ph.D – Lead Language Instructor.  Director and TPRS Trainer, Albany Language Learning. Developer for the Carnival™ series of educational games, including Chinese Carnival, Chinese Culture Carnival and Sunzi the Game of War™.

Xiu Zhang, MA – Assistant Professor of Chinese at the Defense Language Institute’s Foreign Language Center. Lead Martial arts instructor. Founder and chief instructor of the Hawai‘i Wushu Center; former leader, Shandong Provincial Wushu Team; former wushu instructor, Beijing University of Physical Education.

Jialin Sun (Sunny), MS – Camp Coordinator. Project Coordinator at the UHM’s Center for Chinese Studies and its Confucius Institute.

Qikeng Li, PhD – PRC Co-Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Hawai‘i. Professor of American Studies at the Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Ning Shu – Confucius Institute teacher at the University of Hawai‘i. Teacher at the School of Chinese Language and Literature at the Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Yulu Yin – Confucius Institute volunteer teacher. 2nd year graduate student at the Beijing Foreign Studies University majoring in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language.

Jiao Jiao - Confucius Institute volunteer teacher, Mandarin teacher in Hahaione Elementary School and Kamiloiki Elementary School. 2nd year graduate student at Beijing Foreign Studies University majoring in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages.

Zhe Jia – Confucius Institute volunteer teacher, Mandarin teacher in Aina Haina Elementary School and KoKo Head Elementary School. 2nd year graduate student at Beijing Foreign Studies University majoring in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages.

Antoine Koskas (Tony) – Visiting Scholar from France (University of La Rochelle) at the Confucius Institute of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. 2nd year graduate student in the research field of cross-cultural comparison of teaching Chinese language and culture via the Confucius Institutes.

Yen Chun, MBA – Camp Public Affairs Coordinator. Director and Vice President of Dr. Sun Yat-sen Hawaii Foundation and Director of Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Yen is consultant for US-China business and works closely with the Soong Ching Ling Foundation in Beijing and Shanghai on cultural and educational exchanges.

These key staff members will be joined by three dorm counselors and other volunteers. An additional fifteen Chinese teachers-in-training and experienced language faculty will be observing and assisting with instruction.

2012 Schedule & Itinerary

Download: 2012 tentative daily schedule

All student participants are expected to arrive at the University of Hawai‘i campus on Sunday, July 8 (check-in begins at 2 pm), and depart on Saturday, July 28 (check-out by noon). If notified by parents in advance, pick-up and drop-off service at the Honolulu International Airport can be provided to student participants for coordinated flights.

Out-of-state participating teachers are expected to arrive at the University of Hawai‘i campus on Thursday, July 5 (check-in begins at 2 pm), and depart on Saturday, July 28 (check-out by noon). In-state participating teachers are expected to check-in on July 6 in the morning before the workshop starts. If notified in advance, escorted pick-up and drop-off service at the Honolulu International Airport can be provided for coordinated flights.

2012 STARTALK Cost and Scholarships

All participants are required to live on UHM campus (except Honolulu-resident teacher trainees) and to participate in all scheduled events, including evenings and weekends, during the duration of the program. STARTALK funding will cover these items for each participant (both student and teachers): tuition, housing accommodation, daily meals, texts and materials, some Honolulu-based excursion costs, and some fees. Individual costs include the following —

1) Out-of-state students: you are financially responsible for the RT airfare from your current location to Honolulu, Hawaii, plus $600 towards the total cost (this amount must be submitted with your acceptance packet).

2) In-state students: $300 towards total costs (this amount must be submitted with your acceptance packet). If you are from a neighbor island, you are financially responsible for the RT inter-island airfare to Oahu.

3) Out of state teachers: you are financially responsible for the RT airfare from your current location to Honolulu, Hawaii, plus $300 towards total costs (this amount must be submitted with your acceptance packet).

4) In-state teachers: $100 towards total costs (this amount must be submitted with your acceptance packet).  No housing accommodation will be provided to teachers who reside on the island of Oahu, unless a special request is submitted at the time of application. If you are from a neighbor island, you are financially responsible for the RT inter-island airfare to Oahu.

Contact

Jialin Sun (Sunny)
Project Coordinator
Center for Chinese Studies/Confucius Institute
University of Hawaii at Manoa
1890 East-West Rd. Moore Hall #417
Honolulu, HI 96822
Office: (808) 956-2663
Fax: (808) 956-2682
jialin@hawaii.edu