Michigan to Offer Teens Free Online Chinese Classes
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Debra Lau Whelan -- School Library Journal, 04/04/2007
You may start hearing Michigan teens saying "Ni Hao Ma?" instead of "How are you?" in the coming years. That's because every high school in the state is now eligible for free Chinese language and culture classes next year, thanks to Michigan State University's Confucius Institute and Michigan Virtual University.
The online course curriculum—which is being codeveloped with China Central Radio and Television University in Beijing—can be accessed from any school, no matter how large the class size. Online courses for primary school students and adult learners are also in the works.
The online classes are part of an effort by China to promote the study of Chinese and to provide a greater understanding of the nation's culture and history. Michigan Virtual High School and Michigan Virtual University will distribute the coursework, and the Confucius Institute will train Chinese instructors to teach in Michigan schools, coordinate China exchange programs for teachers and students, and provide online programming for schools.
"Overall, many of our international efforts—including this project—are about helping Michigan students and entrepreneurs be successful globally and also making Michigan an appealing destination for students and entrepreneurs from abroad," says Jeffrey Riedinger, Michigan State University's acting dean of international studies.
An estimated 30 million people worldwide now study Chinese.
