Teaching & Learning Faculty Workshop at MSU

Dr. Rick O’Connor, Director of the A.C.E. Language Institute at MSU, and Cheri Ladd LeCain, the Institute’s Director of Studies, will be leading a workshop at Montana State University’s SUB Ballroom D this Thursday, February 11, at 12:30. The workshop is titled “International Students in Your Classroom: Challenges and Opportunities for a Global MSU”. It will offer a practical look on how to meet challenges presented by cross cultural exchange in an academic environment, and how to transform them into opportunities for growth. Additionally, the workshop is worth one credit towards MSU’s Certificate of Teaching Enhancement. If you live in Bozeman and would like to attend, learn more and RSVP by viewing this pdf invitation.

Emergency Assistance for Haitian Students On U.S. Campuses

From the Institute of International Education:

The Institute of International Education (IIE) has created an emergency grants program to help students from Haiti on U.S. campuses whose home country support has been seriously affected by the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

Haiti-EAS (Emergency Assistance for Students) will provide grants of up to $2,000 to undergraduates and graduate students from Haiti enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, who are facing serious financial difficulties due to the recent tragedy in their home country. Accredited United States campuses will be invited to nominate up to 5 students at their institutions for whom help is immediately needed for the spring semester 2010. International Student Advisers or other campus officials are invited to submit applications to IIE; students cannot apply directly.

Find out more, including eligibility requirements and how you can help, by visiting the IIE website.

This Week in Education

President Obama to Revamp No Child Left Behind: After scathing criticism during the last administration, President Obama announced in his State of the Union Address that he would “seek sweeping change” for the law. Read more here and here.

A Visa and Immigration Policy for the Brain-Circulation Era: Victor C. Johnson, senior advisor for public policy at NAFSA, has released a detailed policy proposal to help spur intellectual exchange. You can read the entire proposal on the NAFSA blog.

Haitian School System Devastated: From elementary schools to universities, clearing the rubble of last month’s disaster reveals more challenges ahead. Click here and here to find out how you can help.

Global Campaign for Education Announces 2010 Initiative: The international coalition dedicated to promoting equal opportunity education for all nations just celebrated their tenth year, and announced after convening in Brussels last week that this year’s initiative will focus on increasing the organization’s visibility while drawing attention to the financial component of growth in education. You can read more at Education International.

Group Programs at A.C.E.

It’s Friday!  Time to check out this new video about A.C.E.’s Group Programs!

Chinese Language Programs Blossoming in U.S. Schools

The New York Times has another story on this noticeable trend. One major indicator: Chinese has recently surpassed German for the #3 spot in the most tested AP language in American high schools. One major reason: the Chinese government is paying to send teachers abroad, alleviating strained foreign language budgets. One major benefit: more American students are being exposed to a foreign language at a younger age.

The story broke after the Center for Applied Linguistics recently released the results of its K-12 Foreign Language Survey, which it administers only once every ten years.

A.C.E.’s World Language Programs have long been providing Chinese language instruction in elementary schools around Puget Sound. To learn more or enroll your child, visit our website.

For some back story on Chinese and American language exchange, read (1) these (2) older (3) posts brought to you by ACEBook. As always, thanks for reading.