Major Projects

Chinese language education for Arkansas schools.  Partnership has been formed with Arkansas Department of Education to place Chinese volunteer teachers in the non-traditional licensure program under the auspices of the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban).  Sponsored by Hanban and Arkansas schools, five teachers with Master's Degrees in Teaching Chinese as a World Language will teach Chinese in Arkansas schools in fall 2008.  Before starting teaching, the Chinese teachers will receive three-week concentrated professional training in summer through the Arkansas non-traditional licensure program.  While teaching, they will continue formal training by certified mentors and take classes on weekends.   UCA Confucius Institute acts as the service agent, coordinating all activities and providing cultural and regional training before the teacher candidates start the licensure program.  More than 300 students in six school districts have signed up for Chinese classes.

***   ***   ***

Workshops for Arkansas teachers.  UCA Confucius Institute will support and collaborate with the UCA History Department to hold a two-day state-wide teacher conference

on infusing China into the social studies curriculum at mid to high school levels in summer 2008.  Dr. Jonathan Spence, a prominent scholar in Chinese History at Yale University, will serve as the keynote speaker. UCA faculty members whose specialties are related to China will also conduct training sessions. The Director of the Confucius Institute will give a lecture on Chinese writing and culture.  This conference is also partially supported by the Title VI federal grant, which is directed by the CI director as well.

***   ***   ***

Seminar, "Best Practice in Psychological Counseling," in October 2008 for Chinese professionals in mental health.  As part of our series of "Best Practices in ..., this seminar provides two-week hands-on training that involves clinical practitioners and psychology faculty and is enriched by field trips to clinics and school counseling services.  Participants are directly recruited from Shanghai, China.