Zeng
This is my second time participating in VA STARTALK. I have absorbed, processed and internalized the proved theories and the best practices I learned from the program. I can’t thank enough the people who worked so hard to make it possible.
Teacher
Xie
Three weeks pass quickly. To me, the program gave me a brand new idea about immersion teaching. It used to be impossible in my mind, but now, I firmly believe it is doable. This confidence is from the inspiration of the effect of the practicum we had the last two weeks.
The following are the highlights I learned from the training about teaching immersion Chinese.
Shih
Yes, you can teach Chinese in Chinese! Yes, you can turn the most traditional fill-in-the-blank exercises into the most fun and communicative tasks! And yes, you can learn all of this in three weeks! I brought doubts to the 2010 Virginia STARTALK Chinese Teacher Academy program and brought home the answer and confidence: everything is possible! The three-week program first lead us to examine our own teaching methods and styles, then instilled in us the 5C Standards, and finally pushed us into the pool of the teaching practicum to test our swimming skills.
Po
The UVA STARTALK teacher academy is by far the best teacher training program I have ever attended. It was well planned and organized by Dr. Tseng, Teacher Lee, and the two program assistants. For me, it was not just a professional development program; it was an intensive teacher training course.
Moore
The STARTALK Chinese teacher academy took me for a spin in the world of the finest educational practices for teaching Mandarin Chinese as a foreign language. Every day and night was packed with content. For me, the highlight of the program was to observe other teachers teaching. Many experienced teachers had unique techniques and styles to engage with students, and everyone tried to apply what we had just learned in the program lectures to our practicum sessions. The most effective aspect of the program was the combination of theories and the number of opportunities to apply them.
Liu
This workshop is the best out of the many workshops I have attended, and it has benefited me in many different aspects. Although the 3-week program looked long, I felt that the time flew by quickly because there were so many useful and interesting things to do every day. Some of the many tasks included reading the materials assigned by the program directors, writing reflections, preparing for the practicum, and sharing my strengths with the other teachers. It may seem overwhelming, but I learned a lot from Professor Tseng and the other participants.
Lim
When I first heard about teaching Chinese using the “Total Immersion” method at the beginning of the program, I thought it would be impossible. I have tried using this method in my classroom before but it was unsuccessful. However, as the class progressed, things began to gradually make more sense. The practicum was really where the puzzle pieces – student-centered activities, meaningful communication, interpersonal modes etc. were put together.
Li
This is definitely the most fulfilling program I have ever attended in my past experiences. Even though we had to work late into the night every day, but at the end when all was settled, I was glad and amazed at how much I had taken away from this program.
Jin
Only after returning home was able to think about the program and do some deep reflection. During the program, I couldn’t think about anything other than working on the daily assignments and preparing for the practicum. The 21-day program was certainly not an easy one. The intensive schedule, the work load, and the pressure to teach practicum added together made my days go by quickly and tired me out.
Jiang
I came into the program with many question marks. How effective will this program be? What kind of people will I work with? Why do people say Dr. Tseng is a TCSL/TSFL idol? On my flight back home after the program, I was filled with explanation marks which showed joy, satisfaction, and gratitude.
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