Teachers of Critical Languages Program - TCLP

Goodbye for now, Liu Hai (Haven Elementary School, Savannah, GA)! Ms. Liu started the academic year by actively participating in her school's professional development workshops and observing language classes of her colleagues. In her own class, Ms. Liu started off the year by teaching her elementary school students basic greetings, numbers, and the significance of the Mid-autumn Festival, which was celebrated with great enthusiasm by students and community members during her outreach event in the school. Ms. Liu continued to share important Chinese cultural traditions with her students and host school community throughout the year, including dances such as the Chinese square dance, music, and videos. Ms. Liu also utilized a variety of creative activities to further engage her students, including Chinese cultural activities such as shadow puppets and toys such as gyroscopes. For the Lunar New Year, Ms. Liu’s students learned how to make paper cuttings and construct paper dragons. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Liu got involved with her host community. Ms. Liu participated in an international festival at the local Woodville Tompkins Institute, attended the Spring Festival hosted by the local Chinese community in Savannah, Georgia, and presented at the 2024 Chinese Dietary and Culture Sharing Event held by the Savannah Chinese Heritage Group. Throughout the year, Ms. Liu also met with a Savannah Language and Culture Exchange group to share different ideas about cultures, gave a presentation about the differences between the education systems in the U.S. and China, and more.

TCLP is saying “see you later” to Chiang Wei-Shin (Vista Heritage Global Academy, Santa Ana, CA)! Ms. Chiang provided Mandarin language instruction to students ranging from kindergarten to 7th grade, but she also sought to provide educational opportunities for her host school students outside of class. Ms. Chiang started an after-school cultural exchange club, which she promoted by going to four different classes to talk to students. During club meetings, Ms. Chiang introduced students to Taiwanese culture in an interactive way. For Lunar New Year, for example, Ms. Chiang treated her Culture Exchange Club to traditional boiled dumplings and spring rolls to celebrate. Ms. Chiang also worked hard to set up a long-term, sustainable sister school program between her home school in Taiwan and her host school Vista Heritage Global Academies. Ms. Chiang carried out a pen pal project in which her U.S. and Taiwanese students wrote to each other in their respective target language. Next year, Ms. Chiang plans to continue her pen pal project between the two schools, with predetermined dates and themes to write about. Ms. Chiang was also dedicated to designing Mandarin language curricula for her host schools to continue building their Mandarin program over several years. Ms. Chiang created materials for four different Mandarin language curricula: one for pre-K to grade 2, one for grades 3 through 5, and two curricula for middle school. One notable outreach activity facilitated by Ms. Chiang was when she had the opportunity to coordinate and conduct a visit between her host school and representatives from the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles. The visit included a tour of the school and an explanation of Ms. Chiang’s role at her host school as part of TCLP. Ms. Chiang helped facilitate conversations focused on outreach and building relations between the deputy superintendent, school administration and the Director of the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office.

It has been a wonderful year, Qiu Huilin (California Area Senior High School, Coal Center, PA)! Within the classroom, Ms. Qiu focused on a range of subjects, from SMART board activities to teaching about greetings and the human body. At her school, Ms. Qiu started a calligraphy club, where she taught calligraphy and Chinese brush painting to attendees. She took the initiative to divide students from kindergarten to grade 12 into groups led by high school leaders, demonstrating her proactive approach to teaching. Ms. Qiu's outreach activities were equally impressive, covering a wide spectrum including the Mid-Autumn Festival and local multicultural events. One such event was “The Colors of Us,” to which Ms. Qiu was invited as a volunteer teacher to share her knowledge about Chinese culture with the families in attendance. Ms. Qiu introduced event attendees to cultural traditions such as Beijing opera and blue and white Chinese porcelain. After Ms. Qiu’s presentation, children and parents were invited to create their own Beijing opera faces and draw images of porcelain. Ms. Qiu also exposed her students and members of her host community to other aspects of Chinese culture through her outreach activities. In celebration of the Lunar New Year, Ms. Qiu held cooking classes for Mandarin students as well as those in after-school club. Students from all over the school district, ranging from kindergarten to high school, also participated in making different Lunar New Year hand crafts and decorations to hang in classrooms and hallways.

TCLP must say goodbye to Xiang Keyuan (Bellows Free Academy Fairfax, Fairfax, VT)! Within her community, Ms. Xiang initiated an adult Mandarin club at the public library with community members who met throughout the year to learn about Mandarin and Chinese culture. At her school, Ms. Keyuan attended a teachers' convocation and back-to-school night during the fall, where she encouraged more students to learn Mandarin. Within the classroom, Ms. Xiang explored online tools such as Gimkit for review quizzes with her middle school classes, as well as adapted a wide variety of games to help her students practice new vocabulary and enjoy learning Mandarin. For example, Ms. Xiang adapted different card games and board games for her students to review topics such as numbers and food, and she also taught students language learning games such as "Follow the Leader," "Evolution," and "Duck Duck Goose." Ms. Xiang further connected with students through games such as flyswatter and kicking shuttlecock. During the fall semester, Ms. Xiang conducted virtual language exchanges between her BFA students and students at her home school in China. Ms. Xiang also involved her BFA students in celebrating various Chinese holidays throughout the year. For example, for the Lunar New Year, Ms. Xiang celebrated with her Mandarin students and their families by enjoying traditional food such as dumplings, rice crackers, and tea eggs together. Ms. Xiang also gave out red envelopes, each containing one Chinese yuan, and event attendees participated in paper cutting as students took turns singing songs in Mandarin and performing dances. This Lunar New Year Party was the final part of Ms. Xiang's Capstone Project, which involved several weeks of in-class preparation for the festivities.

It's been a great year, Chi Jiu-Ching (Vanguard Van Gogh Elementary & Secondary, Pharr, TX)! Within the classroom, Ms. Chi engaged her Mandarin students with games and activities. Ms. Chi’s students enjoyed competing against one another in teams, as well as playing games in small groups. Some of the games Ms. Chi used in her classes included card games, Jeopardy-style question and answer games in teams, games that follow a Total Physical Response strategy to language learning, such as acting out scenes or actions, and more. These activities allowed students to practice their recently learned Mandarin skills in an active and exciting way. Ms. Chi also integrated culture into her teaching; she brought authentic materials from Taiwanese culture, such as Taiwanese currency and chopsticks, to her class for students to see. Ms. Chi further sought out authentic experiences for her students through a culture and language exchange program. Students at her host school in the U.S. and at her home school in Taiwan engaged in a language exchange throughout the spring. Students emailed each other and met with each other virtually on Google Meet, introducing themselves in their respective target languages and asking questions. Ms. Chi also took her Mandarin students on several local field trips to the Museum of South Texas History as well as a sea turtle rescue in South Padre Island. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Chi hosted a series of weekly outreach events at her school called "Tea with Ms. Chi," in which she connected with students and families about traditions and aspects of Taiwanese culture while also enjoying tea and snacks. Ms. Chi also actively engaged with her school and supported her students and community by participating in local events and festivities. For her school’s celebrations of “Day of the Dead,” for example, Ms. Chi shared a similar festival celebrated in Taiwan, called “Tomb Sweeping Day.” Attendees talked about how they celebrate Day of the Dead, and Ms. Chi led a discussion on the similarities and differences between these two festivals, all while enjoying tea and cookies together.

Congratulations to Lo Yu-Ting on the successful completion of her Critical Language Project, “Making Connections for Global Understanding.” Exchange teacher Ms. Lo aimed to foster cultural understanding and facilitate language exchange between students in Taiwanese and American classrooms through a three month-long project-based approach. Students at two Taiwanese high schools and one elementary school participated alongside United States students at Ms. Lo’s host school, Sauk Prairie High School in Prairie du Sac, WI, and another local middle school. Throughout the Spring 2024 semester, students exchanged three “culture boxes,” each of which contained post cards, snacks, toys, and other items representing U.S. and Taiwanese cultures. Ms. Lo’s Mandarin students at Sauk Prairie High School also went on a field trip in February to Chicago, Illinois. During this trip, students visited the Chinese American Museum of Chicago and Chinatown, ate lunch at an authentic Chinese restaurant, and shopped at a local Asian market for their upcoming Lunar New Year festivities. Throughout the month of February, students prepared a Lunar New Year Feast of dumplings and hotpot, hosted candy-giving pop-ups, and gave Lunar New Year presentations to their peers. During the months of March and April, students at the participating Taiwanese and U.S. schools met each other virtually for online synchronous cultural exchanges, during which they discussed classes, customs and traditions, festivals, and more. Ms. Lo's Critical Language Project provided Taiwanese and U.S. students immersive experiences that bridged cultural gaps and promoted mutual understanding.

TCLP is saying “see you later” to Larbi Hachard (Advanced Learning Academy, San Antonio, TX)! Mr. Hachard attended numerous school and district-level professional development sessions on topics such as classroom management, implementing a differentiated approach, and other classroom strategies in an effort to improve his teaching. Throughout the year, Mr. Hachard worked on creating routines and lesson plans for his students that included interactive and engaging activities. He incorporated strategies such as the Kagan Cooperative Learning strategies into his classes to enhance student participation and facilitate peer review. Mr. Hachard taught classes in which he shared Moroccan and Arabic culture with his host students and community. For example, he taught students about Moroccan biodiversity and its connection to traditions and culture. This lesson served as a foundation for 7th graders to explore the relationship between cultural diversity and biodiversity in future sessions. Mr. Hachard facilitated a variety of outreach activities. At one event at his host school’s pre-K through 3rd grade campus, Mr. Hachard introduced students to different types of Moroccan cuisine, and they had the opportunity to taste Moroccan dates from the city Rachidia along with glasses of milk. At an Arabic Club event at his school's other campus, Mr. Hachard presented information about clothing, food, and the Moroccan flag. At another outreach event, Mr. Hachard introduced Moroccan tea and shared with attendees about Gnawa, an ancient type of Moroccan music which has developed through time.

It has been a wonderful year, Ezzat Belal (Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts, Kalamazoo, MI)! Mr. Belal explored integrating various educational tools such as Google Classroom, Nearpod, and Kahoot into his classroom. He also actively engaged his students in learning about Egyptian culture and Arabic. For example, for the start of Ramadan, students made paper lanterns, and Mr. Belal brought in authentic decorations and materials for students to observe. Mr. Belal also emphasized collaboration and discussion in his Arabic classes, which allowed his students to think deeply about their communication skills with their teacher and peers. Mr. Belal was equally as active within his host community as he was in the classroom. In the fall, Mr. Belal took part in the school’s Open House, where he connected with numerous students and families. Mr. Belal's involvement in the community also included regular visits to the local Islamic center. This commitment underscores his dedication to both his profession and his community. Mr. Belal attended a Latinx event, where he introduced Egyptian traditions and culture to local residents. He also attended a church service, engaged in activities at a downtown park, explored a museum, and utilized the public library. In addition, Mr. Belal engaged with his community through the media. He was featured in the Kalamazoo Public School newspaper “Excelsior”, and he was interviewed by Public Media, a local media outlet. Mr. Belal has published several TCLP outreach videos throughout the year, even interviewing staff members and administrators in his host school about the benefits of hosting an international teacher. To further connect with his community, Mr. Belal created his own website, titled “Arab Culture”, in which he shares information about the traditions, customs, clothes, festivals, and geographical features of Arab countries.

It's been a great year, Liao Yuxiang (PilotED Schools Bethel Park Elementary, Indianapolis, IN)! Beginning early in the year, Ms. Liao connected with her host school and community. Ms. Liao attended the formal training for new teachers and participated in parent-teacher conferences. Ms. Liao also attended weekly professional development sessions addressing cultural integration, behavior management, school events, and academic progress. During the fall, Ms. Liao held an international education conference with parents from her host school. Within the classroom, Ms. Liao's students enjoyed tracing Chinese characters to practice their Mandarin skills. During the spring, Ms. Liao’s students continued to improve on their Chinese speaking and character-writing skills. Ms. Liao led her students in songs to practice their vocabulary, and used other methods such as drawing and arts and crafts to continue to engage her students. Ms. Liao incorporated elements of Chinese culture into her classes, such as playing the traditional Chinese game "Drop the Handkerchief and Run," akin to "Duck Duck Goose." Ms. Liao also regularly held “Lunch with Ms. Liao” sessions, in which she was able to engage with students outside the classroom. Some of Ms. Liao’s other outreach activities included a presentation on the great inventions of China, a session on Chinese clothing, a collaboration with her school’s art teacher to teach the U.S. and Asia, and more.

It has been an incredible year, Hossam Ahmed (Step Academy Charter School, St. Paul, MN)! Within the classroom, Mr. Ahmed made use of different games to keep students engaged and help them practice their Arabic. These games ranged from, for example, a spinning wheel game for the students to listen to and answer questions that are randomly chosen and shown on the screen, to a vocabulary-identifying game, in which two students compete against each other at the board to identify a vocabulary word from among the pictures. These games aimed to improve students' reading, listening and speaking skills. Mr. Ahmed also implemented Friday evening movie events at his host school. To introduce his community to the history of Arab and Egyptian art, Mr. Ahmed would show translated Arabic films and plays after school. Many teachers, students, and friends would attend these events. In November, Mr. Ahmed facilitated a Zoom meeting between his students at STEP and a group of 8th graders from his home institution in Egypt. The students reported having a wonderful time sharing and talking with each other. During the spring, Mr. Ahmed and his students also enjoyed regular “cinema in Arabic” classes, in which Mr. Ahmed and his students would watch movies dubbed in Arabic. This type of activity served as a great motivator for students and classroom management tool. Outside the classroom, Mr. Ahmed embraced various community activities, building connections with the local Somali community and even attending a Somali wedding. Early on in the year, Mr. Ahmed facilitated a parents' meeting, where he delivered a speech on the Arabic language and its impact on students' lives. His insights were well-received, and he garnered praise for his dedication and influence on the students' Arabic language skills, both in school and in the community. During the parent’s meeting, he volunteered to provide translation for Somali-speaking parents.

It's that time of year to say "see you later" to all the fantastic exchange teachers who have impacted communities across the U.S. this year. It’s been a great year, Laila El Baghazaoui (Washington Latin Public Charter Upper School, Washington, DC)! Ms. El Baghazaoui supported the future development of the Arabic program at her host school using the digital organization of her educational materials, diligently crafting a curriculum that instills essential skills in all her students. Ms. El Baghazaoui also fostered multiple sister-school partnerships with her host school throughout the year. For example, in December, Ms. El Baghazaoui’s students started an e-pal project with students from her home school in Morocco. Students also engaged in a multi-part cross-cultural exchange program with a private school in Morocco. During Spring Break, Ms. El Baghazaoui accompanied students and teachers on a trip to Morocco as a chaperone for the group. The group visited Casablanca, Rabat, Azrou, and Souq El Had. For outreach initiatives, Ms. El Baghazaoui worked with the music teacher and a group of students at her school on the pronunciation of Arabic lyrics, held multiple presentations on Moroccan culture and food, and more. In Ms. El Baghazaoui’s club, students explored culture and language through a variety of activities, such as preparing Moroccan mint tea and hanging posters in the hallway to celebrate and introduce the Amazigh New Year. Ms. El Baghazaoui even accompanied Cooper Middle School students on a field trip to a local restaurant to taste authentic Moroccan food after teaching them how to order in a restaurant using the Moroccan dialect.

Congratulations to Maguy Yancey on the successful completion of her Critical Language Project! As a result of this project, students at Tommy's Road Elementary School visited an authentic Chinese restaurant in Cary, NC, where they were able to put into practice the language and cultural skills learned in the classroom from Ms. Wang Limin. Students also met weekly with Ms. Wang throughout the semester to learn about Chinese Chess, including how to play it and its cultural significance. The project culminated in a presentation that students gave demonstrating their language and cultural competence in front of an audience at the Paramount Theater in Goldsboro, NC. With the support of administration, exchange teacher Ms. Wang Limin, mentor teacher Ms. Yanet Cast, and community liaison Dr. Maguy Yancey, the presentation gave more insight into their school's language program and how these awards help the students attain the three pillars of biliteracy, high academic achievement, and cultural competence. The students presented on the Mandarin Chinese language, culture and Chinese Chess.

Eid Mubarak to all those who celebrate! As the crescent moon appears in the sky, signaling the end of Ramadan, people around the world come together to celebrate Eid al-Fitr. Muslim communities around the world often celebrate this day with prayer and traditional foods.

This evening marks the beginning of Ramadan – a month-long period of fasting, introspection, and communal prayer for Muslims around the world. Ramadan Kareem to all those observing from all of us at TCLP.

新年快乐! Happy Lunar New Year to all our Mandarin alumni, current exchange teachers, and anyone else who celebrates! TCLP wishes everyone a wonderful new year full of success, good health, and happiness.

TCLP is pleased to announce that the annual Virtual Alumni Conference will be held on Thursday, February 15 at 8:00am Eastern (2:00pm Rabat and 3:00pm Cairo).
This year, the theme of the Virtual Alumni Conference is "Communities of Practice and Mentoring of Peers" and this dynamic session will be led by Dr. Rebecca K. Fox. During the conference, alumni will have the opportunity to learn strategies for developing communities of practice within their home schools and local areas to ensure students achieve world language competence.
We hope to see you there!

Happy New Year! The first day of the Gregorian calendar is often a time when people set New Year’s resolutions for themselves in the coming year.
What resolution will you set to improve as a teacher this year?

Today is Christmas Day! In U.S. culture, Christmas and the weeks preceding it are traditionally celebrated with caroling, charity, gift-giving, and holiday markets.
Merry Christmas, 圣诞快乐, and عيد ميلاد مجيد to those who celebrate from all of us at TCLP! We hope everyone has a safe and wonderful holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving from the TCLP Team! We hope everyone has a chance to celebrate and give thanks for all the things we have in our lives today!

Around the world, schools and organizations are hosting events for . See if there is an event near you!

IEW Events 2023 | Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Search for International Education Week Events for 2022.

November 13-17 is International Education Week! Join us in celebrating . Learn more at iew.state.gov.

🎃📚 Happy Halloween! 📚🎃

As we celebrate the spooktacular season, our international teachers are brewing up a potion of knowledge that's simply fang-tastic!

Today marks the start of the Mid-Autumn Festival, or Zhong Qiu Jie in Mandarin. This holiday is often a time for family reunions and celebrations. Happy Zhong Qiu Jie to all who celebrate!

TCLP would like to extend the final warm welcome to Yuan Zhen! Yuan Zhen is from Yuci, China, and received his master's degree and bachelor's degree in English education from Southwest University. He has been an English teacher at Shanxi Yuci No.1 Middle School since 2015. He is also an editor of English Weekly, a famous English newspaper for K-12 students in China. Outside of teaching, he enjoys traveling, cooking, and swimming. During his year in the United States, he looks forward to experiencing American culture, traveling to attractions in the U.S., and sharing Chinese culture with his students. His primary objective for participating in the Teachers of Critical Languages Program is to learn different teaching methods to increase students' interest in learning and deepen the understanding between Chinese and American students.

Mr. Yuan will spend the next year teaching Mandarin at Butler Academy in Hartsville, SC.

TCLP is excited to welcome exchange teacher Xiang Keyuan! Xiang Keyuan is from Tongling, China, and received her bachelor's degree in English education from Anqing Normal University in July 2010. Since graduating from university, she has been teaching English in Tongling for nearly 12 years, including three years of experience as a Head Teacher. She is now an English teacher at Shun'an Middle School of Yi'an District in Tongling City and is the group leader of lesson planning in Yi'an District. She received the first-place prize in the 2016 Tongling City Teaching Competition and the Outstanding Teacher of Yi'an District Award 2018. Outside of teaching, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and traveling. During her year in the United States, she is looking forward to celebrating Christmas and sharing the Spring Festival with the students in her host school. Her primary objective for participating in the Teachers of Critical Languages Program is to improve her teaching skills by learning more about U.S. teaching methodologies and attending professional development workshops.

Ms. Xiang will spend the next year teaching Mandarin at BFA Middle and High School in Fairfax, VT.

TCLP is excited to announce its collaboration with Wu Yi-Ting! Wu Yi-Ting is from Chiayi City, Taiwan. She received her master’s degree in teaching English as a second language from the University of San Francisco and her master’s degree in education from National Chiayi University. She has been working at National Chiayi Senior Commercial Vocational School for nine years, five of which were spent as a homeroom teacher and three of which were spent as the Head of the Department of Applied Foreign Language. In addition, she serves as a Division Chief of school clubs in the Student Affairs Office. Outside of teaching, she enjoys traveling, camping, cooking, baking, and doing handcrafts. During her year in the United States, she is looking forward to participating in local activities, celebrating holidays, and introducing as many things as possible about her cultures to her students. Her primary objective for participating in the Teachers of Critical Languages Program is to share the beauty of Taiwan with her students in the U.S. and share what she experiences in the U.S. with her students in Taiwan. Lastly, she hopes that her students from both Taiwan and the U.S. will be able to connect.

Ms. Wu will spend the next year teaching Mandarin at Mandarin Immersion Magnet School in Houston, TX.

Please join TCLP in welcoming exchange teacher Wang Yihui! Wang Yihui is from Yueyang, China, and received her master's degree in English teaching and her bachelor's degree in English literature from Hunan Normal University. She has been a senior English teacher at Yueyang No. 14 Senior High School for nearly 20 years, loves the purpose of education and teaching, and is interested in learning how to teach more efficiently. In addition, she has presided over several research projects and published over 10 papers on English teaching and learning. Outside of teaching, she enjoys nature and loves sports. During her year in the United States, she looks forward to experiencing different aspects of American culture and enjoying beautiful, natural scenery. Her primary objective for participating in the Teachers of Critical Languages Program is to learn how to teach Mandarin to American students efficiently, compare American and Chinese students' learning styles, and broaden her horizons on education and foreign language teaching.

Ms. Wang will spend the next year teaching Mandarin at East Voyager Academy of Charlotte in Charlotte, NC.

A warm TCLP welcome to Wang Limin! Wang Limin is from Shenzhen, China, and received her bachelor's degree in English education from Shenzhen University. She has been an elementary school English teacher at Shenzhen Tao Jinshan Primary School since 2017. In addition, she is a computer teacher and has received the Award of English Micro Course Competition. Outside of teaching, she enjoys listening to music, drawing simple (but cute!) cartoons, and exercising. During her year in the United States, she looks forward to celebrating festivals with friends and students, attending many different American cultural activities, and sharing her holidays with peers. Her primary objective for participating in the Teachers of Critical Languages Program is to share Chinese culture. After the academic year, she hopes students will gradually love China and remain interested in learning Mandarin. In addition, she hopes to learn more from others about American teaching methodologies, culture, and society.

Ms. Wang will spend the next year teaching Mandarin at Tommy's Road Elementary School in Goldsboro, NC.

Please join us in welcoming Qiu Huilin to the TCLP family! Qiu Huilin is from Huaihua, China, and received her bachelor’s degree in English education from Huaihua College. She has been an English teacher at Zhishi Middle School since 2018. Outside of teaching, she enjoys traveling, swimming, snorkeling, singing, cooking, and horseback riding. During her year in the United States, she looks forward to experiencing as much as possible, such as celebrating Christmas, attending American football games, graduation ceremonies and weddings, or any other local occasion. She hopes to share Spring Festival traditions with her students and other Chinese cultural traditions, such as Chinese tea, art, food, and music. Her primary objective for participating in the Teachers of Critical Languages Program is to observe typical American classes and to learn new skills such as classroom management and teaching methods. In addition, she hopes to build a bridge between her home school and host school and believes it will mutually benefit her students in America and China.

Ms. Qiu will spend the next year teaching Mandarin at California Area High School in Coal Center, PA.