Integrating National Standards in the curricular development, implementation, and student outcomes of a post-secondary Chinese language program

This paper chronicles the development of a post-secondary Chinese program after the establishment of the Language Center at Stanford University in 1995. It outlines a continuous process of curriculum development aiming to be consistent with the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning (ACTFL, 2006National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project. (2006). Standards for foreign language learning: preparing for the 21st century. Yonkers, NY: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.) and World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (ACTFL, 2014National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project (2014). World-readiness standards for learning languages. Alexandria, VA: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.). It also describes assessment programs implemented to obtain data on students’ oral and writing proficiency levels at the end of 150 hours of instruction (completion of first-year Chinese) and at the end of 300 hours of instruction (completion of second-year Chinese). Because Chinese is a non-cognate language to English, students’ achieving ACTFL proficiency levels of Intermediate Low in oral and writing proficiency at the end of their first year and achieving Intermediate Mid and higher at the end of their second year indicates the program’s successful curricular design and implementation. This paper outlines the main factors contributing to this success.

本文详细介绍了美国斯坦福大学语言中心自 1995 年建立之后对中文教育项目所进行的课程改革及该项目的发展。该项目以美国外语教学委员会 (ACTFL) 制定的“国家外语学习标准”及其提出的“为面向世界做好准备的语言学习”为理论基础，及时对课程设置及学生语言水平评估系统进行改革和完善。该项目用科学有效的方法测量了学生在完成 150 课时（完成一年级中文课程）及 300 课时（至二年级结束）后所达到的口语和写作水平。作为非英语同源语言的二语学习者，学生在接受 150 课时的学习以后，可以达到中级初等的口语和写作水平；在 300 课时后，可以达到中级中等以上水平。这样的结果，显示了课程设置及教学的成功。本文也总结了成功的几个因素。