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Happy New Year! If you have international education
opportunities that are of interest to leaders and
educators throughout the country, please
send them to: hsingmaster@asiasociety.org
| New Newsletter: Chinese in the Schools |
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Although only a small number of U.S. elementary and
secondary schools currently teach Chinese, several
thousand are interested in doing so. As part of our work
to promote the expansion of high quality Chinese
language programs, Asia Society will produce a
monthly newsletter on Chinese in the schools beginning
next week. This electronic newsletter will provide timely
information on:
*New developments in the field
*Grants and opportunities
*New research and publications
*Technical assistance
*Ask an Expert column
The newsletter is produced by Asia Society but will
report on major initiatives in a wide range of
organizations. To receive the new Chinese Language in
the Schools newsletter, please click below.
Sign-up for Chinese in the Schools Newsletter »
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| AskAsia.org Launches New Youth Site |
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Full of exciting new features, www.AskAsia.org is Asia
Society's virtual home for young people featuring youth
voices and perspectives from both the U.S. and Asia,
as well as child-friendly content. An online resource on
Asian countries, cultures, history and peoples, the
award-winning education site has expanded to include:
interactive games; language features; content on
current events; an interactive world atlas;
and audio and video segments.
www.AskAsia.org will launch new youth features
throughout 2007, so keep coming back for more!
AskAsia.org »
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| States Award International Education Prizes |
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Many states have started their own International
Education award programs. Perhaps the
oldest of the state prize programs is West Virginia's
Cyrus R. Vance Awards, named for President
Carter's Secretary of State. Started in 2001, the
awards originally gave prizes to higher education, but
expanded in 2005 to include K-12 educators and
organizations. The awards ceremony is held each year
in November during International Education Week.
The Kansas in the World Award for Excellence in
International Education, is now accepting
applications from Kansas elementary/middle and high
schools. In its second year, the prize program awards
$1,000 in each category to a school that shows a
commitment to increasing international learning across
the curriculum. The deadline is March 1.
Also in its second year, the Massachusetts Initiative
for International Studies-AIG WorldSource Awards for
Excellence in International Education is currently
accepting applications in the categories of a
school district and a teacher/team of teachers. The
$1,000 prize in each category is awarded to the
applicants that have shown the most progress and
sustained effort in developing an international focus in
their school.
Vermont began its Awards for Excellence in
International Education in 2004. Two awards are
presented each year, one for an educator ($1,500), the
other for an organization ($3,500), at the annual
Statewide Conference on International Education.
Washington state awards a $1,000 scholarship to
the state teacher of the year to encourage
participation in an international activity.
State Awards »
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| Grants and Opportunities |
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Goldman Sachs Foundation Prizes for Excellence in
International Education: The deadline for online
applications to the 2006-07 Goldman Sachs
Foundation Prizes for Excellence in International
Education in the elementary/middle, high school,
media/technology, and state categories ($25,000 to be
awarded in each category) has been
extended to February 5. For more information, please
visit: www.internationaled.org/prizes
The Landscapes of China Online Course:
The Landscapes of China will be an online distance
learning course for teachers examining the historical,
political, economic, cultural, and environmental
dimensions of China. Class participants will use
academic texts, news and journal articles, art, and
literature to engage in critical reflection and discussion
of the topics presented. February 7 - May 8, 2007. For
more information:
http://askasia.org/teachers/teachasia/
2007 CIBER Business Language Conference:
Organized by The Ohio State University CIBER (Center
for International Business Education and Research) and
Foreign Language Departments, the theme of this
conference is The Key to US Competitive Edge:
Bridging Language and Business. To be held
March 28-30: fisher.osu.edu/centers/international-ciber
China Teacher Leadership Tour: The East Asia
Resource Center (EARC) of the University of
Washington has announced an opportunity for
American teachers nationwide interested in taking a
leadership role in education about China, to have a
first-hand experience there. Travel dates are June 27-
July 17. Deadline to apply is February 12. For more
information:
depts.washington.edu/earc/studytours.shtml
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| State Spotlight: Ohio |
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The state of Ohio is becoming very active in
international education and recently hired Eric Calvert
to serve the Department of Education as Assistant
Director for International Education. The Department
has convened a newly organized International
Education Advisory Committee which includes
executives from leading Ohio companies as well as
education and policy representatives. An International
Education summit is being planned for April with the
launch of a multimedia "advocacy toolkit" planned as a
follow-up initiative.
Ohio was one of four states awarded a federal Foreign
Language Assistance Program grant. This funding will be
used to support the development and pilot testing of a
new K-6 curriculum in Chinese. And on December 14,
representatives from more than 150 school districts
gathered in Columbus to learn how to initiate and
expand Chinese programs in their schools. Recently
enacted "Ohio Core" legislation has directed the State
Board of Education to convene a foreign language task
force to develop a strategic plan for foreign language
instruction in Ohio by the end of 2007.
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