Wei-Li Huang, California
The 3-week teaching and training, on-site residential program, with practicum at the 2009 Virginia STARTALK helped me see the CFL program in a new prospective. It also diagnosed my conventional teaching habits. I made a complete breakthrough to make my teaching effective and to help promote student output while applying a total communicative teaching approach in the classroom. The program provided a great deal of opportunities for both novice and seasoned teachers to enhance their teaching techniques and know the theories behind the best practices.
Chyichuan Chi, California
This is a cast-off-my-old-self training and I really appreciated it. Flying all the way from California to Virginia attending this program, I told myself that it had to be worthwhile, and it did.
This training was intensive yet well-knit and gave me really deep impact on how a language teacher should be and what teaching methods should take to fulfill the objectives of teaching. I went to the training with expectations and came back with an abundant harvest. I know that I am not only a language teacher but also a language teacher with mission!!!Thank teacher Tseng and Zhao.
Qiang Chen, North Carolina
The three week’s training reinforced my understanding the needs to promote Chinese language and culture in American schools, and the necessity for me to learn the current language teaching approaches and technology to be a qualified language teacher. It also enhanced my teaching competence and motivation to continue my teaching career as a Chinese instructor.
Wei-Ying Lin, Virginia
University of Virginia STARTALK Chinese Teacher Academy is no doubt one of the most rewarding learning experiences I’ve ever had. The three-week session was more than just a professional development experience. Not only did the program provide me with the tools needed for examining different teaching methods and styles, but it also give me the opportunity to reflect on my own teaching and learn from other experienced teachers and educators. That being said, the support network formed through the program is what every professional Chinese teacher dreams of. I strongly recommend this STARTALK program to those who want to make a difference in the teaching of Chinese.
Chenfang Hao, Virginia
I am so lucky to participate in STARTALK program. It guides me to a new world in which I learn about how to teach non-native speakers Chinese and how to engage them in meaningful and communicative activities. More importantly, the instructors of the program deeply influence me. I am affected by their passions for teaching, amazed by their rich experiences in teaching Chinese, and attracted by their charming personalities. Thanks to STARTALK program, I am equipped with knowledge and skills related to teaching Chinese. I believe that I can become an excellent teacher in the future.
Yuli Wang, Maryland
The Virginia STARTALK Chinese Teachers Academy is one of the best Chinese teacher training programs that I have ever attended. It was definitely well-organized, professionally run, and far beyond my expectations. I have benefited a great deal from it. After I completed this program, I now feel more confidence during teaching, not only for my Chinese language class, but also for my other classes. I felt very blessed that we have such professional, kind, generous, and friendly teachers and assistant in this program.
Zhifang Cao, Illinois
This three‐week residential program provides Chinese teachers with intensive courses on curriculum and instruction. As an English teacher for 9 years and a Chinese teacher for 3 years, I have gone through a process of transforming from the traditional teaching theories and methods to the innovative, functional and meaningful teaching approaches and practice gradually. Startalk UVA 2009 is a powerful and reassuring propelling force in my teaching style transformation. I am
going to witness a brand‐new myself with communicative method in the classroom. I believe this will be deeply‐rooted in my teaching in the future and benefit my students!
Xiaoqing Ma, North Carolina
The experience I had with Startalk program excelled everything I had ever expected that I could achieve in three weeks. From the language acquisition theories to applications of different teaching approaches, from the National 5C standard to the inspiring backward design of a class, from the systematic guidance the trainers provided to the heated discussions among trainees, everything was so refreshing and enlightening. The first week was the accumulation of theoretical foundations; the second week was the teaching practicum which tested and proved what we’ve learnt in the first week; and the third week was the presentation of the last two weeks--- the accomplishment of the E-portfolio which was the comprehensive conclusion and the climax of the three-week long program.
Joanne Shang,North Carolina
The intensity of the UVA StarTalk program not only gave me the opportunity to update my skills in curriculum design, development and delivery, but the practicum element also offered us an opportunity to turn ‘what’ we learned into ‘how’ to execute what we learned.
In addition to studying under the most effective leadership team headed by Professor Tseng and Ms.Zhao; we, the teacher participants, have also learned from each other by working as teams. I am very honored to be part of the program, and feel strongly that I should give back to the Chinese teacher/student community by actively promoting the Chinese language and culture curriculum, and by providing more support in teaching Chinese as a foreign language.
Zhiqin Wu, Florida
Time flies! Three weeks’ program jumped to an end. In this program I met two wonderful teachers, who not only refreshed me with most up-to-date knowledge, but also demonstrated the appropriate ways and approaches about how to apply these methods to teaching practice. I have benefited a lot from their demonstrations. Each of their classes was a demonstration of different teaching approaches. I really love their way to deliver the lectures. Tseng Laoshi, Zhao Laoshi, you are such great teachers! I’ll apply what I learned to my teaching.
I had learned 5C before I attended this program. But only this time in this program did I really understand and was able to disstruction. I am glad I attended this intensive yet very rewarding program. Thank Tseng Laoshi, thank Zhao Laoshi very much! I hope you two can be more teachers’ models.
Yu-Mei Li,Virginia
It’s a wonderful program! We learned so many academic theories and effective skills for teaching. It’s a challenge for me because I didn’t have enough teaching experiences before. Sometimes we stayed up late to design the lesson plans and created teaching materials. Although it was quite a challenging task, it’s worth it and we absolutely learned more from the process. Not only have I learned a lot from Dr. Tseng and Dr. Zhao, I have also benefited a great deal from all of the other fourteen teacher participants. I have more self-confidence in my teaching skills, and I believe that I can be a better teacher than before.
Xiaomei Mu, California
It’s been over a week since I parted with all the teachers in the Startalk program. But every moment we had in Richmond still lingers over me….In fact, it was the most refreshing, revitalizing and re-educated three weeks I’ve ever had!
Tsenglaoshi and Zhaolaoshi, you are definitely the best instructors ever! Your lectures on SLA theories, total immersion, differentiating instructions and so on are in essence best practices themselves. While learning about the theories, we also learned how to make communicative classes happen by observing your classes. And I am so grateful for all your patience and suggestions during our rehearsals. But for your professional help, we wouldn’t have improved that much and fallen in love with teaching Chinese again!
Andrew, you are such a helpful and cheerful sunshine boy! I miss your American Taiwanese accent so!
And the other fourteen teachers from across the States, your charisma when standing on the stage during our mini-teaching classes made an everlasting impression on me! I also enjoyed our interactions and discussions during our rehearsals. In addition to our professional exchanges, I feel so lucky to have met such good friends this summer. Especially when I got sick during the final week, Chilaoshi came to my aid and provided me with medicine. Chenfang and Yue-mei took good care of me. Yuli, Weili and everybody else were all being very considerate. I just want to thank you for the great friendship! I am sure we’ll all get together soon!
Daphne Lee, Pennsylvania
Are you a total immersion believer? Now, I AM. This wonderful StarTalk program made this mission possible and I have successfully achieved what I wanted within only 3 weeks. The credits went to these two great trainers Dr. Tseng and Dr. Zhao. Not only friendly learning environment was created but prompt feedback and constructive suggestions were provided. The curriculum, based on the communicative modes, was well designed from the theories through the practicum. Besides the great trainers, those talented scholars from different States definitely sparkled this program without question. I'd highly recommend this program for novice teachers as well as experienced teachers who want to seek a solid foundation of teaching Chinese as a foreign language and for those who want to know what their blind points are after years of teaching.
Tina Kao, Virginia
I have never learned so much in a program ever. From day one, briefing, welcoming meeting, and materials for workshop, it was well organized and planed. From teaching general approaches，methods， curriculum and lesson design，strategies，proficiency and assessment I have clarified some questions in mind，adhered to 5C guideline and designed cumulative language input within the context during the time。
In addition I have learned that all of teachers participated in this program have the great talent and personality in which I see the future of Chinese program and promotion。
As a teacher， I appreciate all this efforts to make it a success and I firmly believed that I have made a right decision and would like to continue to pursue my dream in educational arena and help on promoting Chinese program and culture whenever I can.
Kathy Henley, Georgia
Before I went up to UVA, I thought the training I was going to receive in Virginia would be exactly like all the other courses I had taken previously. That is why I was so surprised at how much I actually learned throughout the course of those three short weeks. Now I fully understand what the Foreign Language Standards are and why it is important to teach and use the standards in the classroom. I know I will be a better teacher through the practicum and advice from Tseng Laoshi and Zhao Laoshi. I will use the communicative mode daily. Thank you for the opportunity to be there and learn from such outstanding teachers.