STARTALK Lead with Chinese

Trainee Courses

Summer 2023 

We are excited about our 2023 STARTALK Summer Programs which will implement this new format. It will include a pre-program in the late spring of 2023, the summer experience (June 29 - July 10), and a post-program throughout the 2023-2024 school year.  When applying for this new format of the STARTALK program, participants are committing to the pre- and post- program activities in addition to the summer experience.  Preference will be given to applicants currently teaching.


Please see below for the course description for past programs.

If you have any questions, please contact Jimmy Wildman, Program Director.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScUibh9ZO20MYvnDf9dtsqMXUcL-Kcut0VodqW1_Lfr5ZCfIQ/viewform

Application Deadline: Extended to April 15, 2023

Click here to download the Supervisor Recommendation Form*.

Please scroll below for information on courses offered this coming year, and for our full course list which is offered on a rotating basis.

*Previous attendees are not required to complete a Supervisor Recommendation Form.

Lead with Chinese Professional Development for Teachers of Chinese

Summer 2023 Update

As part of a new national STARTALK model, all programs will be required to offer a pre- and post- summer program component.  

Full Course List 

Course 1 – Standards-Based Instruction in Chinese Language: From Theory to Practice 

This course is designed to provide information on aspects of creating a Chinese curriculum that is standards-based and incorporates technology and the latest philosophies on language teaching. Participants will discuss how curriculum needs to be created with a “backward design” model, keeping in mind that focused assessment is a key component of Understanding by Design. Participants will also learn techniques for helping their own students become more proficient as they continue their language study. They will learn basic elements of differentiated instruction and demonstrate their understanding by teaching a mini-lesson. Micro-teaching and observation will be integral parts of the course. Infusing technology into the curriculum will also be an important aspect to be covered. Participants will create projects that both teach new material and assess the learning. They will have an opportunity to put into practice the new techniques they have learned and will be afforded time to critique and improve their lessons. In addition, participants will share their materials with other members of the class and with the field through the development of an e-portfolio that provides evidence of their learning. 

Course 2 – Creative Language Teaching through Technology and Learning Strategies 

This course is designed to provide and develop the practical aspects of standards-based language teaching. The theory of standards-based language teaching will be reviewed and ideas for implementation will be discussed. In particular, teachers will create activities for interpersonal communication for all levels of instruction. Technology will also be a major part of the course. Teachers will learn to create podcasts, implement powerpoints, use Skype for interpersonal communication, and devise appropriate video presentations. Teachers will have an opportunity to put into practice the new techniques they have learned and will be afforded time to critique and improve their lessons. Time in class will be devoted to enhancing effective classroom instruction to develop students' communicative competency in Chinese. Participants will apply all of this new knowledge to their Chinese language instruction by creating and adapting materials that focus on language acquisition through real-life communication. In addition, participants will develop an e-portfolio that provides evidence of their ability to deliver a standards-based program by using technology and learning strategies.


Course 3 – Foreign Language Assessment and Related Technology

This course is designed to provide information on aspects of assessing world language learning by using traditional paper and pencil tests and creating performance tasks. Teachers will learn how to use both formative and summative assessments, to create integrated performance assessments, to write rubrics, and to develop projects and use rubrics to evaluate them. They will also be involved in discussing how to make up good test questions and alternative types of assessments. Because many tests are being given on line, technology will also be a part of the course. Teachers will create projects that both teach new material and assess its learning. Teachers will have an opportunity to put into practice the new techniques they have learned and will be afforded time to critique and improve their lessons. In addition, participants will share their materials with other members of the class and with the field through the development of an e-portfolio that provides evidence of their learning.

Course 4 – Chinese Teaching in the 21st Century

This course is designed to provide the theory associated with effective classroom instruction to develop students' communicative competency in Chinese. There will be an emphasis on the role of the teacher as an instructional planner in a student-centered classroom that effectively matches curriculum, instruction, and assessment to identified learner outcomes. Course participants will learn the current theories and research to support an integrated skills approach to foreign language instruction. Participants will apply this knowledge to their Chinese language instruction by creating and adapting materials that focus on language acquisition through content and real-life communication. Participants will use these materials in real-life teaching situations. In addition, participants will develop an e-portfolio that provides evidence of their ability to deliver a standards-based program.

Course 5 – Interdisciplinary Teaching in the Chinese Classroom

This course is designed to provide information on aspects of creating a Chinese curriculum that is rich in Chinese culture and infuses interdisciplinary learning. Teachers will further their knowledge of Chinese culture by delving deeply into the fields of science, history, music, art, and literature. They will be expected to develop interdisciplinary lessons for the Chinese classroom and share their materials with other members of the class. In this course, teachers will also create assessments to evaluate interdisciplinary projects in all three communicative modes (Interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational), and teachers will be able to use these assessments in their own classrooms when they return in the fall. Participants are expected to be very familiar with the National Standards (the 5 C’s) so that they understand their importance in learning and are able to incorporate them seamlessly into their lessons. Teachers will demonstrate their understanding of the goals of the course by creating and teaching a micro-lesson. Micro-teaching and observations will be integral parts of the course. Infusing technology into the curriculum will also be an important aspect to be covered. Participants will have an opportunity to put into practice the new techniques they have learned and will be afforded time to critique and improve their lessons. In addition, participants will share their materials with other members of the class through the development of an e-portfolio that provides evidence of their learning.

Course 6 – Action Research and Learning Objectives in the Chinese Classroom

This course is designed for teachers who have a strong knowledge of standards-based instruction and have learned how to use the target language at least 90% in their Chinese classes. The focus of the workshop will be to develop participants’ ability to analyze student work and evaluate how students are progressing in their acquisition of a second language. Teachers will learn how to do research in their classrooms using student work and how to extend that research by developing and implementing student learning objectives in the world language classroom. Teachers will develop an e-portfolio that provides evidence of their ability to analyze student data and evaluate student progress.


Course 7 – Creating Teacher Leaders in the Chinese Classroom

This course is designed for Chinese teachers who have worked a number of years in classrooms and have a desire to become leaders in their profession. The focus of the workshop will be to develop participants’ understanding of what it takes to become a leader, how to develop a vision of what good classroom performance is, how to communicate that vision to other teachers, and finally how to assist other teachers in implementing that vision in their classes. During the course, teacher trainees will focus on developing a vision, diagnosing difficulties, and promoting ways to manage the learning process. They will learn how to provide feedback and coaching to other teachers so that instruction is maximized. Technology will be an integral part of the course and will be used to gather evidence of student and teacher performance. Teachers will have an opportunity to practice their leadership skills while engaging in activities in the co-located student program. They will practice their leadership skills by serving as co-leaders of different levels in the program. They will read research on classroom leadership while they practice their leadership skills onsite. They will assist their colleagues in refining classroom practice and in working more collaboratively.  They will work with classroom teachers to modify teaching plans and use peer coaching to improve instruction. They will “band together” with other teachers to promote professional growth while improving educational services (Troen & Boles, 1992). Teachers will also have time to reflect on the role that they can play in their home schools when they return in the fall. The course will allow teachers to “stretch” their knowledge base as they grow into future leaders.

Course 8 – Focus on Foreign Language Literacy

This advanced course will focus on promoting and understanding the role that literacy plays in foreign language learning.  In today’s world, literacy is fundamental to all learning – it is the means through which all further education is made possible.  Even an individual who wishes to pursue study in the field of technology must possess advanced skills in literacy.  Therefore, the focus of this course will be on how to promote literacy in the foreign language while still advancing students’ skills in oral communication.  This course will center on helping teachers choose texts that are both readable to students (readable at their instruction level not their frustration level) and interesting.  Teachers will also learn to use various tools to help students dissect texts.  Teachers will also learn how to teach “habits of mind” and other comprehension strategies to help students interpret meaning from texts.  Teachers and students in the co-located student program will correspond using a daily mail system so that students practice their literacy skills with another real live human being.  The practicum part of the course (microteaching) will consist of teachers providing private sessions on literacy with the group of students they are communicating with.

Course 9 – Foreign Language Assessment 

This course is designed to provide information on aspects of assessing foreign language learning by creating performance tasks.  Teachers will also see how to take traditional paper and pencil tests and transform them into real-world, relevant tasks that test student proficiency.  The class will learn and discuss the value of both formative and summative assessments.  Other learning will center on creating integrated performance assessments that will provide tasks in all three modes of communication:  interpersonal, interpretive, and presentation.  Teachers will also learn how to write rubrics for the evaluation of special projects.  Participants will be involved in discussing how to make up good test questions and alternative types of assessments. Because many tests are now being given online, technology will be an important part of the course. Teachers will learn to create projects that both teach new material and assess the learning. They will have an opportunity to put into practice the new techniques they learn through micro-teaching and will be afforded time to critique and improve their lessons. In addition, participants will share their materials with other members of the class and with the field through the development of an e-portfolio that provides evidence of their learning.

Course 10 – Writing to Read: Literacy in the Chinese Classroom 

The Lead with Chinese:  Writing to Read is a course designed for experienced teachers and will continue the 2016 focus on building literacy skills across the Chinese curriculum. This “advanced” course will focus on promoting and understanding the role that literacy (both reading and writing skills) plays in foreign language learning.  Because literacy is fundamental to all learning, we will continue to explore ways to enhance students’ literacy skills in the Chinese classroom.  The focus of this course will be on how to promote literacy in the Chinese class while still advancing students’ skills in oral communication.  The course will center on teaching students to use the oral skills that they have developed to enable them to read and write texts in the target language.  The theme of the co-located student program is “Discover Chinese through Authentic Tales.”   The practicum part of the course (microteaching) will consist of teachers providing lessons on “writing to read” to a group of students in the co-located student program.  In these sessions, teachers will use the techniques learned in the course to see how well these techniques assist students in learning the target language; teachers will also have the opportunity to talk with students confidentially about how productive and useful these techniques were.  Finally, teachers will document the students’ learning through presentational and interpretive tasks and reflect on the course in their journals.  Teacher trainees will also correspond with the students using a daily mail system so that students have additional practice in reading and writing through correspondence with a real live person.  

Course 11 – Creative Techniques for Engaging All Students 

Creative Techniques for Engaging All Students is designed to provide information on aspects of creating Chinese classes that are standards-based and engage all students with 21st century skills. Participants will learn techniques for helping students become more proficient as they continue their language study and learn how to integrate engaging activities in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, presentational, and interpretive).  There will be discussion as to how to create comprehensible input that leads to comprehensible output on the part of the students.  Trainees will apply this new knowledge to their Chinese language instruction by creating and adapting materials that focus on language acquisition through real-life communication.  Participants will have an opportunity to put into practice the new techniques while doing micro-teaching lessons in the co-located student program.

Course 12 – Using Authentic Tales to Advance the Three Modes 

This course will focus on understanding the role that literacy and authentic tales play in foreign language learning. The focus will be on promoting literacy in the Chinese class through authentic tales. Teacher trainees will explore new tales and develop tasks that promote communication in all three modes. The course will center on teaching students to use all four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) when studying authentic texts.  The theme of the co-located student program is “Discover China through Authentic Tales,” and the practicum part of the course (microteaching) will consist of teachers providing lessons on authentic tales. In microteaching, teachers will apply techniques learned in the course and determine the efficacy of these techniques. Trainees will create a “Chinese reading room” where students will be able to go to do free, voluntary reading and extensive reading. Finally, teachers will document literacy students’ gains and reflect on the course in their e-portfolios.

Course 13 – Creating a Learner-Centered Classroom by the Gradual Release of Responsibility

This course is designed to provide information on aspects of creating Chinese classes that are standards-based and encourage students to take ownership of their own learning. Participants will learn techniques for changing their classrooms from teacher-led classes into student-centered classes. They will help students become more effective learners and take ownership of their individual learning. They will discuss how to create comprehensible input that leads to comprehensible output on the part of the students. Trainees will apply this new knowledge to their Chinese language instruction by creating and adapting materials that focus on language acquisition through real-life communication. Participants will have an opportunity to put into practice new techniques while doing micro-teaching lessons in the co-located student program.  The teacher trainee course will tie into the theme of the co-located student program, “Discover China through Authentic Tales,” by having teachers focus their engaging activities and microteaching on authentic cultural stories. Trainees will be afforded time to critique and improve their lessons.  Finally, participants will write daily reflections and share their materials with other members of the class through the development of an e-portfolio that provides evidence of their learning.

Course 14 – Coaching Practicum for Teaching Languages

The “advanced” course will focus on how to create a “coaching model” for both teachers and students in order to enhance the learning of the target language.  The major pedagogical focus will be on creating “educational coaches,” who will take a leadership role in helping others.  Toll (2018) states that “Educational coaches partner with teachers for job-embedded professional learning that enhances teachers’ understanding of students, the curriculum, and pedagogy for the purpose of solving problems that impeded teacher success and pursing interesting that enhance teacher success.”  In this course, the trainees will partner with the classroom teachers in a cooperative and collaborative teaching mode to practice doing instructional coaching (Lang, 2018), thus improving both their own teaching effectiveness and the effectiveness of the individual classroom teacher.  The overall effect will be an understanding of how collaboration improves student achievement and performance.  They will plan lessons with the teachers and create a cooperative environment to increase student proficiency.  Participants will also examine how coaching integrates with and furthers the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model (GRR).  Participants will work with teachers in the regular program by observing classes and providing feedback on what students learn.  Participants will be expected to keep a log of their experiences and document the learning that they observe. 

Course 15 – Creating Proficiency-based Foreign Language Assessments

This course is designed to provide information on aspects of assessing foreign language learning by creating performance tasks.  Teachers will also see how to take traditional paper and pencil tests and transform them into real-world, relevant tasks that test student proficiency.  The class will learn and discuss the value of both formative and summative assessments.  Other learning will center on creating integrated performance assessments that will provide tasks in all three communicative modes:  interpersonal, interpretive, and presentation.  Participants will be involved in discussing how to make up good test questions and create alternative types of assessments.  Because many tests are now being given on line, technology will be an important part of the course. Participants will also participate in a Modified Oral Proficiency Interview workshop.  Teachers will learn to create projects that both teach new material and assess its learning. They will have an opportunity to put into practice the new techniques they have learned through micro-teaching and will be afforded time to critique and improve their lessons. In addition, participants will share their materials with other members of the class and with the field through the development of an e-portfolio that provides evidence of their learning.  

Course 16 – Creating a Blended Classroom Experience

The Glastonbury STARTALK teacher program is an in-person demonstration program that will consist of a two-week course that centers on creating a blended classroom. There will be both pre- and post-program activities required. The program begins on July 5th and ends on July 16th. Teachers of Chinese in public, private, and heritage language schools who have a minimum of three years of teaching experience are welcome to apply. Participants will learn how to create and deliver synchronous and asynchronous lessons that coordinate with the theme of the co-located student program. Participants will be able to continue their learning through subsequent online coaching sessions with the program directors and the instructional leads. 

Course 17 – Assessments: Create, Integrate, and Evaluate

The Glastonbury STARTALK Lead with Chinese and Lead with Russian Summer Academy for Teachers will consist of 144 hours of instruction, 60 hours of pre/post-outreach and 84 hours in the Summer Academy located in Glastonbury, CT.  The focus of the Academy will be how to assess growth in student proficiency. Teachers will learn to create an Integrated Performance Assessment (IPA) for thematically based units and how to assess students’ oral proficiency using a Modified Oral Proficiency Interview (MOPI). They will learn to create assessments in all three modes of communication and learn to differentiate their assessments. Teachers will share their assessments with others in the Academy before testing on a volunteer group of students to receive feedback on clarity and suitability of the prompts. Finally, they will use their assessments with their own students and present their results, including samples of student work, to other members of the Academy at a review conference in December 2023. By completing the course, teachers may earn three graduate credits at Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts.