Heritage Language Programs - Chinese
Los Angeles Chinese Learning Center
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Institution: Los Angeles Chinese Learning Center
Program address: 401 N. Garfield Ave. #1, Alhambra, CA 91801
Telephone: 626-487-8909
Fax: 626-282-9252
Web address: http://chinese-school.netfirms.com/
Contact person
Name: Samuel Chong
Title: Director
Email: chineselanguagetutor@yahoo.com
Telephone: 626-487-8909
Fax: 626-282-9252
Languages/dialects taught: Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, and Mandarin Chinese translation and interpretation
Program Description
Purposes and goals of the program: To educate Americans and Chinese who aim to function professionally in English and Chinese
Type of program: Customized Chinese classes and group classes with many different options - immersion, partial immersion, bilingual, foreign language, content-based, exploratory, before or after school, or Saturday academy. The interpreters program is a California court certified program.
Program origin: It was founded in 2001 by an individual.
Staff
Instructors’ and administration’s expectations for the program: To help students to learn Chinese language and culture, and to allow certain students to be able to translate and interpret professionally
Students
Students: 10% of students are first-generation immigrants, 20%, second-generation immigrants, and 70% are students with non-ethnic background. Students are from the United States, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
How the program identifies heritage speakers: We are open to everyone.
Possible reasons for student withdrawal: Change of work or financial conditions.
Instructors
Number of instructors in the program: 12
Languages in which instructors are proficient: They are native speakers of Chinese, Mandarin, and Cantonese.
Proficiency level: They are native speakers.
Credentials: 30% of the teaching staff hold a teacher's certificate or license in teaching Chinese in California. Some teachers have a BA, and others have an MA in Education.
Instruction
Total contact hours per week: Once or twice for a total of 3 hours per week.
Student grouping: They are grouped by level.
Language skills
Heritage language skills: Listening, speaking, reading, and writing
English skills: Listening, speaking, reading, and writing
Culture
Aspects of culture taught: History, festivals, customs, traditions/beliefs, religion, folktales, social and cultural norms, cultural appropriateness, and literature
Methodologies
Methodologies and instructional strategies used in the program: Mixed with activities and language instructions
Materials
Materials used for instruction: My Chinese Classroom (with one CD), Conversational Chinese 301, and Easy Ways to Learn Chinese Characters (Simplified Chinese Characters). Instructors use other books as well.
Assessment
Assessments used to evaluate students’ progress: Chapter tests, mid-term tests, and final exams
What the program has in place
Financial support the program receives: Student tuition
