As 400 education leaders travel throughout China learning about developing Chinese language programmes in their schools as part of the fifth Chinese Bridge Delegation trip, the College Board today announced that applications for the 2010 Chinese Guest Teacher Programme are available.
Interested schools and districts may get more information by logging onto: www.collegeboard.com/guestteacher
Now in its fourth year, the Chinese Guest Teacher Programme is the largest K12 Chinese guest teacher programme in the US, and has brought more than 325 Chinese teachers to US schools to teach language and culture. The programme represents a unique opportunity for students and educators to learn Chinese and learn about China from a native speaker. In addition, guest teachers assist with curriculum development, student recruitment and materials development, and serve as a cultural resource for other subject areas and for cultural enrichment activities.
The Chinese Guest Teacher Programme and Chinese Bridge Delegation are sponsored by Hanban/ The Confucius Institute Headquarters in partnership with the College Board. Other organisations that have collaborated on these efforts are the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSFL) and the Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools.
Hanban provides the teachers with international transportation and partially subsidises the guest teachers’ salary to reduce the costs to host schools and districts. As part of the selection process, the College Board and the NCSSFL interview guest teachers individually to assess teaching skills, adaptability and English proficiency. The guest teachers work at host schools for one year and then have the option to stay for up to three years if both the teacher and the school are satisfied.