M3 effectively building study abroad into the university chinese curriculum - shepherd

4/24/2013 Eric Shepherd, University of South Florida

The Goal
 To train USF students to a professional level of
proficiency in Chinese in their four years with us
 Help students develop the ability to independently
engage China and Chinese people in sophisticated
ways IN Chinese
 Enable students to walk away from USF prepared to
immediately contribute to an organization using their
Chinese language skills

Raising Expectations
 Set communicating effectively in the culture (language
and behavior) as long-term goal (Walker)
 Goal skill set includes linguistic, socio-cultural and
behavioral skills
 Goal of training students to use linguistically accurate
AND culturally appropriate Chinese (thinking in Chinese)

Learning IN the Culture
 Students learning Chinese need to have experiences learning
IN Chinese culture to develop memory of HOW TO
communicate in Chinese
 Involves procedural knowledge-complex integrated skill set
(like learning how to ride a bike, play a piano, etc.)
 And, the declarative knowledge that typically fills textbooks
and language learning materials
 Only a small portion of what we have to teach
 And, more difficult to learn without the procedural knowledge

Learning IN the Culture
 Being introduced or exposed to a culture is not enough to
move learners to our goal level
 There is no magical process of cultural osmosis
 Culture is learned behavior
 Culture is more easily learned by doing than
hearing/explaining
 The more you explain the more you have to explain and
the more confused the students become
 Learners must participate in on-going cultural activities to
learn new cultural behaviors (Walker, 2000)

Role of Study Abroad
 Classroom drills cannot substitute for extended experience
communicating with native speakers in natural settings
about real life matters (Brecht et al, 1993)
 Truly functional competence in a language requires
spending time living in a country where that language is
spoken (Brecht, Davidson, Ginsberg 1993)

Role of Study Abroad at USF
 Classroom environment can be structured in a way to mimic
real world communication
 Extended experience in a country does not equate directly to
functional competence in a language
 Most learners of Chinese who begin their learning in China
without prior exposure to the language are not as successful as
those who have Chinese language learning experience prior to
studying in China
 To be successful communicating with native speakers over an
extended period in natural settings, learners must also have
certain cultural knowledge and social skills

Role of Study Abroad at USF
 Most efficient and effective format is a blend of structured and
unstructured learning (Brecht et al, 1993)
 Structured academic program (that must include
social/communicative experiences and pre-departure training)
and substantial exposure to native speakers in natural
settings/intensive interaction with native speakers
 Study abroad is a necessary part of the process to achieve goal
of advanced proficiency but must be structured in a manner
that facilitates pedagogical goals
 Not all study abroad situations are good language learning
situations

Preparation For Study Abroad Impacts Outcomes
 Whether students have preparation prior to studying abroad
matters
 Prior listening and reading skills have significant impact on
gains in study abroad (Brecht et al, 1993)
 American students who learn how to learn Chinese efficiently
and effectively first, gain more while studying abroad in China
 American students who learn how to learn in China first, gain
more while studying abroad in China
 Students who know how to socialize in Chinese culture, gain
more while studying abroad in China

Pre-Departure Performance-Based Regimen
 Two full semesters of performance-based learning required to be eligible to
participate in program-learning by mimesis (imitating/doing things in
Chinese)
 Rehearse performing in commonly encountered contexts in Chinese culture
 Internalize language and behaviors associated with those contexts
 Develop ability to use what they are learning in classroom simulations
of real life situations
 Develop memory of how to do particular things that can be called upon
once in that situation in real world in China (familiarity reduces anxiety
and increases likelihood that learners will engage people in China)
 Practicing for real life use, goal is set in Chinese I (we are getting ready
for when we go to China)
 Continuously failing at increasingly higher levels

Autonomous Learning
 Teacher cannot accompany learner 24/7
 Period in formal learning situations very small part of student‟s
learning career
 Goal is for learner to develop ability to function on own in
Chinese
 Taking responsibility for management of own learning career
 Outcomes measured by student performance; not #s of
characters learned….what can they do in Chinese?
 Daily performance regimen fosters these attitudes and
expectations
 Attitude and approach (I am going to have to do this in China);
raises stakes

Integrating In-Country and Home Institution Learning
 Whether study abroad program is integrated into regular
curriculum matters
 Credit issues, course equivalency, articulation through
program, pedagogical approach, academic standards,
expectations for foreign learners in China, etc. (Requires well
though out articulation plan, course proposals, etc.; CLIC is
part of major and minor in Chinese at USF)
 Skills that learners develop in China setting are different from
the skills that learners develop best in home US institution
settings
 Integration maximizes efficiency in both settings

Duration of Study Abroad Matters
 Short term experiences have minimal impact not only in terms
of linguistic gains
 Requires significant time to move beyond guest-host roles in
Chinese culture (3-6 months)
 Time needed to develop empathy-both “put yourself in „their‟
shoes” and “finishing one another‟s thoughts”

Duration Matters
 American students do not know how to think in Chinese
 Only have default American base culture to fall back on if they are not
forced to learn how to think in new ways
 Even “common sense” does not apply-Crossing the road, Eating cold food
when you have a cold
 Need time to learn how to establish Chinese intentions/intentions
recognized by Chinese
 Can‟t go through English/American culture filter
 Time needed for cognitive reorganization-learning to do things in ways
recognizable to Chinese people (particularly those not familiar with
American culture)-“You eat first”, “Classmate X keeps his room so tidy.”

Learning Through Chinese
 Learners must initiate two processes if they are going to
be successful life long learners of Chinese
 Enculturation—learning from Chinese
 Acculturation—syncing with Chinese (culturally
calibrating behavior, reduce accommodation, make
Chinese comfortable)
 To reach distinguished and superior levels of proficiency,
must engage in both
 Time need to develop trust and emotional connections

Types of SA Experiences Matter
 Language contact outside of class has been shown to explain
gains in speaking during study abroad (Freed 1995)
 No generalized advanced level skill exists-advanced learners
develop ability to handle particular contexts, have advanced
skills in certain forms, venues, and domains
 Community-based learning maximizes the potential gains in
this type of environment-service learning that requires
language use and collaboration with Chinese peers

Community-Based Learning
 Learners doing specific things with language, completing
concrete tasks-structure + context (real life tasks = motivation)
 In-country environment provides opportunities to gain socio-
cultural information that informs language use as well as
behavioral culture through participation in community events
 Opportunities for socialization, which factors in long term
success
 Stages: Peer learners, Roommates, Community Activities,
Community practicum, Internship

Multi-Tiered China Experiences
Integrated into Curriculum
 Periods of performance-based instruction at USF
interspersed with periods of guided real world experiences
in China
 Not simply outsourcing instruction to Chinese institution
 Internalize what one learns in Tampa through use in
everyday interaction in China
 Learn linguistically accurate and culturally appropriate use
of language at the same time developing the ability to
effectively interact in Chinese culture

Repeated Experiences
 Repeated learning experiences in China that increase in
sophistication and occur in different learning environments
 Changing environments forces learners to adapt to new
conditions
 Increasing sophistication, raising expectations:
 Tier I: we are going to learn how to survive;
 Tier II: we are going to learn how to participate in the local
community;
 Tier III-we are going to do something that has a real impact on
the community

Smooth Reintegration Impacts Progress
 Without appropriate classes for returnees, enrollments drop
because students are not challenged or don't fit into the
curriculum
 Students return from CLIC program knowing what they don't
know and what they cannot yet do in Chinese
 They know what they can do and what they know
 They know what they need to know
 Focuses attention, work and learning process
 Separate track for “elite” learners

Divide and Conquer: Separating Skills
 Separate skills to avoid attentional and information
overload
 In Chinese, learner must cope with: tones, orthography,
meaning, pronunciation, grammar, behavior, linguistic
diversity, a significant cultural gap, etc.
 If all are presented at the same time, cognitive overload
results + none of these skill areas are learned to high
levels

The Path to Professional Skills in Chinese
1st Year
Chinese
USF
Tier 1
8 Weeks in
China
2nd Year
Chinese USF
Tier II
10 Weeks in
China
3rd Year
Chinese
USF
Tier III
1 year
capstone in
China

Pre-Tier I in China
 Intensive instruction that focuses on basic interaction sills
 Tone recognition and production, laying foundation in
aural learning-contours of Chinese + phonology
 Basic socio-cultural knowledge and behavioral culture-
ways to reduce accommodation
 Basic grammar

Tier I in China
 Intensive instruction that focuses on basic interaction
skills
 Cultural knowledge-gaining level of comfort in informal,
everyday contexts
 Socializing
 Listening
 Practical reading and writing (street signs, menus, etc.)
 Solidifying what already know and transferring from
short-term memory to long-term memory which takes
place through use in context

Post Tier I China, Pre-Tier II China
 Two semesters of intensive instruction that focuses on
developing reading and narrative skills
 Grammar
 Development of lexicon
 Sophistication of speech
 Feedback on performance (tones, use, etc. that learners do
not get while interacting in China)

Tier II in China
 Intensive instruction that focuses on advanced productive
skills and interaction in formal and professional contexts
 Presentational skills
 Domain specific knowledge, specialization of reading,
vocabulary, etc.
 Cultural empathy

Post-Tier II China, Pre-Tier III China
 Two semesters of intensive instruction that focuses on
developing advanced reading skills with primary texts and
writing skills
 Composition
 Grammar
 Lexicon
 Feedback on sound, performance, and products

Tier III in China
 One year of intensive independent functioning and
autonomous interaction in China
 Post Tier III China-two semesters of fourth-year Chinese
focused on content-based courses taught in the target
language
 1) Networking in China and America
 2) Understandings and Misunderstandings While
Communicating in Chinese

Team Teaching
 What we want our students to be doing while in China is not
what students or foreigners typically do in China
 Pedagogical approach differs from traditional Chinese
approaches in China; requires change in teaching approach
 Curriculum designed by USF faculty; taught by both partner
institution faculty and USF faculty
 Team teaching model-to take advantage of strengths of teachers
trained in different ways
 Hybrid courses-Engaging Chinese Culture-lectures by Chinese
professor; language debriefings by USF instructor-both taught
in Chinese

Using Study Abroad to Increase Learning Time
 Chinese is a Category IV language-number of hours needed to
achieve advanced level proficiency in Chinese is very high
 We address this by building additional learning hours into
summer and year-long study abroad experiences
 Significantly increase the number of learning hours in each
academic year while significantly reducing the number of years
to reach ultimate goal

 The Foreign Service Institute estimates that it requires at least
1,320 hours of training to achieve advanced proficiency in
Chinese (480 hours/3.2 years for category I languages such as
French, Spanish, Italian)
 1 year of college instruction typically totals approx. 150
instructional hrs (120 hours at USF, 60/semester)
 To reach advanced proficiency, it should only take 8.8 years
of college (11 years at USF!!!!)

 Tier I-240+ hours of structured language learning + 125+ hours of
additional language use
 Classes -4 hours/day, 4 days /week-16 hours + 2 hours 1 day total 18
hours/week, 6 weeks of classes,108 hours
 Language Clinic-2 hours/day, 4days -8 hours/week 5 weeks, 40 hours
 Community activities-2 hours/day, 4 days/week-8 hours/week, 6 weeks,
48 hours
 Study tours-3-5 hours/day, 36-60 hours/week, 2 weeks-36-60 hours
 Roommates-21-42 hours/week, 6 weeks, 126-132 hours
 Total time on task is equivalent to 6 semesters/3 years (358-388 hours) and
structured time on task is equivalent to 4+ semesters/2 years (240 hours)
 And, students have no skill atrophy due to taking the summer off

 Tier II-280+ hours of structured learning + 190+ hours of additional
language use
 Classes (7 days/week)-Domain Tutorial-4 hours/week, Presentational
Speaking-7 hours/week, Chinese Media-4 hours/week, Interacting with
Chinese Professionals-4 hours/week, 8 weeks, 152 hours
 Internship-6 hours/week, 8 weeks, 128 hours
 Community Activities-20 hours/week, 8 weeks, 160 hours
 Study Tour-6 hours/day, 9 days, 54 hours
 Roommates-21-42 hours/week, 9 weeks,189-378 hours
 Total time on task is equivalent to 8 semesters/4 years (469-658 hours) and
structured learning time is equivalent to 4.7 semesters/2+ years (280 hours)
 And, students have no skill atrophy due to taking the summer off

 Tier III-Integration into regular student population
 Semester I-Students enroll in 4-5 classes, 1 of which must be in
his/her major area in the general population, 1 of which must
be a content course in the target language and the remaining
arranged with program director (often take 3 language courses
designed for non-native speakers)
 Semester II-3 options: 1) 2nd semester of classes, 2) semester of
research, 3) semester-long full-time internship

Tier I
1st Year
Chinese
USF
Tier 1
8 Weeks
in China

Tier I
 Two semesters of intensive preparation for learning in China followed by
eight-week summer intensive program in China
 Overall goals: 1) Help students internalize content learned in year one, 2)
Help students gain comfort level in interacting in Chinese culture (move
beyond culture shock and can function and survive independently), 3) Help
students develop advanced listening comprehension skills
 2009: 13 students
 Students now come to our language program specifically for study abroad
experiences

Program Structure
 Multiple pre-departure orientations conducted during
spring semester in addition to regular language classes
 One-week study tour in Beijing
 One-week in-country orientation
 Five-week intensive training session in Qingdao
 One-week study tour through Shandong Province

Curriculum
 Designed to take advantage of in-country environment
 Addresses aspects of language learning unique to learning
abroad (China specific) setting
 Not designed to replicate coursework that can be offered
in US and cannot be substituted for courses offered in
Tampa
 Speaking, listening, social interaction, and behavioral
culture are primary targets but practical uses of
reading/writing also addressed
 Underlying theme of “interacting in Chinese society”

Core Courses
 1) Socializing in China and America,
 2) Engaging Chinese Culture,
 3) Practical Reading and Writing
 4) Overseas Study in Chinese
 These core courses are supplemented by a Language
Clinic and participation in local cultural and social
activities

Learning in the Culture
 Performance-based coursework and guided
interaction in local Qingdao community

Community Activities
 Maximize use of out-of-class time by arranging a set of
required tasks that force learners to interact in the
local community using their Chinese
 CLIC staff create opportunities for students to take
part in community activities such as volunteer work,
promotional events for local companies, local festivals,
trade fairs, and holiday events
 Participation is required and graded, debriefings

Opportunities to gain invaluable experience in meaningful
intercultural interaction in live contexts

Community Activities: Participatory

Two-Directional Exchange/
Mirror Program

Tier II
1st Year
Chinese
USF
Tier 1
8 Weeks
in China
2nd Year
Chinese
USF
Tier II
10
Weeks
in China

Tier II
 Two semesters of intensive second year Chinese at USF followed by ten-
week summer intensive program in China
 Move into real world use of language; fully participate in local community
activities using Chinese; learn language of professional field
 service learning, internships, community projects
 Curriculum:
 Domain Tutorial; Chinese Media; Interacting with Chinese Professionals;
Presentational Speaking; Community Activities; Chinese roommates

 Provide participants the opportunity to enhance their
language skills and cultural understanding through
classroom instruction and guided social and cultural
experiences in China
 Designed to develop participants‟ productive skills in
Chinese formal contexts
 Prepare them linguistically and culturally to be successful
in a subsequent internship experiences in China
Tier Two Goals

• Two semesters of second-year Chinese (distinct elite
learner track)
• Pre-departure orientation conducted at USF during spring
semester
• One-week in-country orientation
• Eight-week intensive training session at Qingdao
University
• One-week study tour that takes students to a range of
sites of cultural and historical significance in Shaanxi
Province
Tier Two: Structure

 1) Interacting with Chinese Professionals (2 credit hrs)
 2) Presentational Speaking in Chinese (3 hrs)
 3) Chinese Media (3 hrs)
 4) Domain Tutorial (2 hrs)
 5) Community Practicum(2 hrs)
 6) Community Activities
 7) Study Tour
Tier Two Curriculum

• Community Practicum, 6 hrs/TR; Reports, 2 credit hours
• Students work with faculty to arrange a practicum position in a local host
company, government office, or organization in which they use their newly
developing Chinese skills
• Participants spend 6-8 hours each Tuesday and Thursday working at their
host practicum site with primary focus of familiarizing themselves with
professional culture and office environments associated with their domain in
China
• Each week, participants are required to meet formally to present and discuss
reports on their Community Practicum experiences
Community Practicum

Community Practicum Sites
 Aishi Eyeware Company
 Shandong Foreign Trade Corporation
 Lihua Import Export Company
 Kaiping Road Elementary School
 Qingdao Municipal Tourism Bureau
 Jinxiu Import Export Company
 Specialty Street Government Management Office
 Jinshengtang Media Corporation
 Xinhua Bookstore
 Qingdao School for the Blind

Chinese Performance Traditions

Exchanges with Chinese Students

Talks with Local Professionals

Interacting with Chinese Professionals

2 Directional/Teaching About American
Culture (presentational skills)

Exchange with School for the Blind
2010

Exchange with School for the Blind
2011

Community Volunteer Work:
Jinse Center for Autistic Children

Helping Organize Government-Sponsored Events

Selling Newspapers for Charity

Organizing and Hosting Community
Activities

Contributing to the Local Community

Recognized for Community Contributions

Capstone Experience
 Two semesters of third-year Chinese followed by a full
year spent in China
 Two phases:
 1) Fall Semester: study in major field in general
population at Chinese institution
 2) Spring Semester: Internship, research project
related to major field, or additional coursework

M3 effectively building study abroad into the university chinese curriculum - shepherd

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