[Krashen] Popularity of Mandarin Exaggerated

[Stephen Krashen's Mailing List]

Sent to the Lansing State Journal, April 27, 2006

Popularity of Mandarin Exaggerated

 “Preschools will offer Chinese,” April 27, gives the
impression that large numbers of children are studying
Mandarin in other states (In the words of one parent,”
I’m glad it’s finally come to Michigan.”).  But the
popularity of Mandarin has been exaggerated.

Only a few Mandarin programs exist, and they often
serve a small number of children.  The Lansing (20
children) and East Lansing (32 children) numbers are
typical.

According to the American Council of Foreign Language
Teachers, only 20,000 students are studying Mandarin
in the US; five million are studying Spanish.
According to the Center for Applied Linguistics only
one Mandarin two-way bilingual program exists in the
US. 

There are very good practical and cultural reasons to
acquire Chinese. The number of students studying
Mandarin in the US today is, however, modest. 

Stephen Krashen


Preschools will offer Chinese
Lansing district, E.L. to launch classes in fall
By Nicole Geary ?Lansing State Journal
Lansing State Journal, April 27, 2006
Mid-Michigan's youngest students will have a place to
learn Chinese language and culture beginning this
fall.
Actually, they'll have two.
Lansing schools and the city of East Lansing plan to
open preschools, both free and tuition-based, using a
bicultural curriculum developed at Michigan State
University.
The programs will give local 3- and 4-year-olds a rare
jump start in the push to create bilingual and
globally competitive students.
And the announcement, made by MSU leaders this week,
already is drawing interest from parents and educators
statewide.
"I'm glad it's finally come to mid-Michigan," said
Barbara Kolar, who plans to enroll her 3-year-old son
in the East Lansing program. "It's a difficult
language for Western learners so learning it at a
young age is wonderful."
Chinese-immersion schools are common in many states,
such as Oregon and California.
Yet few begin in preschool or incorporate both
Western- and Eastern-style teaching practices, said
Yong Zhao, director of MSU's U.S.-China Center for
Research on Educational Excellence.
The center has been at the forefront in preparing
Americans to interact with China - the globe's fastest
growing economy.
MSU also announced this week a new online resource for
adults and older students who want to learn Chinese.
The preschools, some with potential to expand into
elementary schools, provide an earlier, more effective
option.
"Our program's goal is to actually teach math (and)
science in two different languages," said senior
project director Nicole Ellefson. "We're trying to
create language users, not language learners."
Zhao and his team launched their curriculum last fall
in Beijing, then set out to bring it to Michigan.
Lansing schools, East Lansing - and Bay City Public
Schools - were eager to make it happen.
"If we are going to continue doing business (with
China), we need to have more of our children qualified
to understand and speak the language," said Sergio
Keck, bilingual education director at Lansing schools.
The school system will serve up to 32 children at no
cost to families who live in the district by operating
under the state-funded Michigan School Readiness
Program. Participants must meet two of several at-risk
factors.
Officials also have committed to expand into a regular
kindergarten classroom the following school year, a
move likely to attract more families from East Lansing
and other communities.
East Lansing's new Chinese-immersion program will
remain only at the preschool level for up to 20 kids
each year. It will be housed among existing child care
services at Bailey Community Center.
The Bay City program also will be tuition-based.
Zhao said he can accept up to two more partnerships
with interested organizations before charging for
services. The center is funded through a $5 million
endowment from Hong Kong's Sun Wah Education
Foundation.
Michigan's Department of Education supports the
initiative and will be watching.
Early education consultant Connie Robinson said 85
percent of brain development is in place by age 5.
"I would dare say these children will be bilingual and
possibly by the end of the year," Robinson said.
Contact Nicole Geary at 377-1066 or ngeary at lsj.com.