Asian Language Education

Three different organizations have been crucial to the development of Chinese language learning K-12 in the U.S., listed here in the order that they became involved in promoting Chinese language instruction since the 1980s: the Chinese Language Association for Elementary-Secondary Schools (CLASS), the College Board, and the Asia Society. Their websites are listed here and should be consulted by those exploring Chinese language programs.

• Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools (CLASS) | www.classk12.org
The Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools (CLASS) is a national nonpolitical and nonprofit professional association of all persons interested in teaching Chinese language and culture at pre-collegiate levels of American schools. CLASS aims to 1) actively promote the learning and teaching of Chinese in secondary and elementary schools in the United States; 2) encourage effective articulation among Chinese Language educators across the divides of elementary, secondary, and college level instruction; and 3) provide a national network for the exchange of information, ideas and curricular resources related to the teaching of Chinese language and culture in the United States. Additional information resources available to members.

• Chinese Language and Culture Initiatives (College Board) | www.professionals.collegeboard.org

• Chinese Language Initiatives (Asia Society) | www.asiasociety.org
A union website with information and excellent reports, published by the Asia Society, on best practices in starting a Chinese language program, the benefits of beginning language in the early grades, how to enhance a program through school exchanges, teaching strategies, and curriculum materials, and the state of Chinese language instruction in the U.S.

• Center for International Foreign Language Teacher Education (CIFLTE), Teachers College | www.tc.columbia.edu
Programs for students and professionals interested in learning how to teach Chinese with opportunities to earn a certificate in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language (TCSOL).

• Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA) | www.clta-us.org
Started in 1962, CLTA is primarily an organization of college and university faculty of Chinese language; the CLTA has also expanded its membership to include K-12 Chinese language teachers and offers publications, conferences, and K-16 articulation efforts that span all levels.

• Confucius Institutes in the United States | www.ciuscenter.org
The Chinese government, through its office for Chinese language learning, the Hanban, has funded Confucius Institutes throughout the United States to support Chinese language learning.

• National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages | ncolctl.org
The CouncilNet, the online network for organizations representing the less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) in the United States, is designed to address the communication and information needs of the members of the National Council of Organizations of Less Commonly Taught Languages, as well as those of other organizations, institutions, and individuals interested in the teaching and learning of the LCTLs in the United States.

• American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ) | www.aatj.org
The American Association of Teachers of Japanese is a non-profit, non-political organization of individuals and institutions seeking to promote the study of Japanese language, linguistics, literature, culture, and pedagogy, at all levels of instruction. AATJ fosters professional development, the promotion of Japanese and foreign language education, and the exchange of research, and seeks to coordinate its activities with related organizations to promote Japanese studies, including a network of state and regional affiliate organizations. AATJ is the product of the consolidation of two national organizations: the Association of Teachers of Japanese (ATJ), founded in 1963, and the National Council of Japanese Language Teachers (NCJLT), founded in 1992.

• Japan Foundation Japanese Language Learning Initiatives (Japan Foundation Los Angeles) | www.jflalc.org
The Los Angeles Office of the Japan Foundation supports Japanese language education all across the United States. The Foundation is funded by the Japanese Government and offers training programs for teachers, conferences, and travel exchanges for secondary school students of Japanese.

• Northeast Council of Teachers of Japanese (NECTJ) | www.nectj.org
The Northeast Council of Teachers of Japanese (NECTJ), formerly the Northeast Association of Secondary Teachers of Japanese (NEASTJ), is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the teaching of Japanese language at the pre-collegiate level throughout the northeastern United States. The NECTJ covers not only secondary education but also a wider range of levels including elementary education for children of Japanese heritage.

• American Association of Teachers of Korean (AATK) | www.aatk.org
The American Association of Teachers of Korean seeks to promote the effective teaching, learning, study and research of the Korean language, language pedagogy, applied linguistics, and literature in the United States.