Chinese take-out - ‘Language of future’ taught locally
By Christine Engstrom
The Times-Reporter
September 30, 2009
Video conferencing technology and a federal grant have made it possible for six Ohio high schools to offer Mandarin Chinese as a foreign language course for the 2009-2010 academic year.
Using Dover High’s successful introduction in 2008 of Mandarin as a model, schools in Coshocton, Dresden, Zanesville, Heath and Sandusky began offering the foreign language to their students beginning this fall. In addition, Dover has added Mandarin 2 to its curriculum.
The grant of just under $1 million was awarded to the East Central Ohio Educational Service Center at New Philadelphia by the Foreign Language Assistance Program on Aug. 31. It covers the cost of employing Fanghong Yu, a native speaker and certified instructor, as a full-time language instructor to all six schools through an Ohio State University flagship program.
“We are very proud that we got this grant,” said Michele Carlisle, video conferencing manager for the ECOESC. “It is a very competitive federal grant. The instruction was delivered over video conferencing last year from Ohio State campus to Dover. That worked so well that, when we saw the FLAP grant and what the focus was, I knew we had the potential to score very highly.”
All six schools had previously agreed to contribute $8,800 toward the shared cost of employing a full-time Mandarin instructor for the academic year, should the grant request have been denied. According to Carlisle, the grant award allows the schools freedom to bolster interest and growth in the language classes without financial burden.
“It removes the strain, financially, of a lower number of students. It would be difficult to justify low numbers with the cost of $8,800 for the teacher, but with the grant, it allows the districts the time to build the interest without the pressure of the financial costs.”
The OSU flagship program and video conferencing equipment allows Fanghong to interact directly with her students from OSU’s Metro Early High School building.
"Video conferencing is delivered, essentially, through your Internet provider,” said Carlisle. “It’s an Internet connection and receives an IP address the same way your computer receives the Internet. Fanghong can hear and see the students; they can see and hear her.
“The distance is of no consequence. The only obstacle is the technology and the perception that you are on television; once that is overcome – a day, two days – then there truly is not a barrier of communication.”
The curriculum is further supported by iPods which are provided to the students, allowing them to download audio files in order to re-watch lessons or to send their own recorded spoken Mandarin to Fanghong.
“It’s going very well so far,” said Carlisle.
The FLAP grant is designed to support the promotion and retention of foreign languages; specifically those considered “critical needs” languages, among which are Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Russian, Hindi and Farsi. The grant language also ensures that traditional foreign languages, such as Spanish, will still be available to students.
“Globally, China is a huge player, and there is a demand among employers for employees to have some understanding of the language and culture,” said Carlisle.
“I think it’s important because it’s going to become a really big language soon,” said Dover High freshman Jessica Becker, a student in Fanghong’s Mandarin 1 class.
“I wanted to take Chinese because it’s different,” Becker said. “It’s going to be a big language that’s going to be important to know.”
Dover senior Marissa Tarulli agreed.
“It’s so important with business and international activity,” she said. “People don’t realize the impact languages have on us with our careers. If there’s a wider variety of languages offered, I think that people would be more willing to try them. The distance learning does make that possible.”
“This is my first year with video conferencing, and I really like it,” said Becker. “I think it’s cool that we get to do that.”
The FLAP grant will cover the cost of offering Mandarin Chinese classes for three years, after which time Carlisle will reapply.
“As long as there is continued FLAP money available, we will apply again, because the project is sustainable, since the equipment has a pretty long life,” she said. “By the end of year three, all of our districts will have three sections of Mandarin. At that point, they will each be looking for a part-time person on their own. If we can get another teacher as part of the grant, we hope to offer elementary language.”
The grant award may remove some of the financial obstacles from other area schools that were not able to participate this year due concerns over the potential cost.
“We are going to have two slots locally available for next year,” said Carlisle. “I’m going to have more flexibility to offer districts Mandarin next year if they don’t get the equipment. I’ll have room for one more high school in year three.”
