Introduction
This research project, Maximizing the National Resource: Chinese as a Model for Heritage Language Development with Community Involvement, is made possible with the support of an International Research and Studies grant from the US Department of Education and the research team at the University of Toledo. The primary goals of the three-year study are to provide information and resources in order to strengthen current Chinese community-based schools and to encourage their development where they do not exist; to encourage dialogue that results in resource sharing, research collaboration, and articulation between formal education systems and heritage community school systems, and to inform policy makers, school administrators, teacher trainers, and parents in utilizing and maximizing the national linguistic resource.
Objectives of the study :
  • To consolidate and develop an online searchable database of Chinese heritage language programs in Chinese community-based setting in the United States
  • To form descriptive profiles of Chinese heritage schools and to categorize curriculum and program types
  • To identify and consolidate popular teaching & learning resources and instructional materials for Chinese heritage learners in the U. S
  • To determine the needs for improved programs and instruction in materials and resources for Chinese heritage education in the U.S.
  • To build capacity of useful models for evaluating educational resources in Chinese heritage programs to inform decisions of parents, educators & decision makers
  • To showcase best practices (e.g. program curricula, effective teaching strategies and parental involvement) in the acquisition and maintenance of the Chinese language by heritage speakers in the US by the end of the third year.
We sincerely invite you to participate in the study of Chinese heritage school profiles.

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