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Chinese language learning is now possible through a coordinated series of wireless broadcasts and online podcasts. China established its first Confucius Institute on the air here Thursday at China Radio International (CRI), offering Chinese language teaching in 38 foreign languages worldwide. Uniform study materials have been compiled by the Office of Chinese Language Council International.

The reason for providing online and wireless broadcast access is to meet the surging demand overseas for Chinese language instruction. The Chinese Ministry of Education estimates that currently 30 million people overseas are learning Chinese and the figure may hit 100 million by 2010.

This step marks an expansion of the existing programs offered by on-ground, site-based Confucius Institutes, which are located throughout the world. In fact, 200 Confucius institutes have been set up in more than 60 countries to spread Chinese culture. The Beijing Confucius Institute sets up organizations known as “Confucius Institutes” to teach and spread Chinese in foreign countries.

The CI supports Chinese language education around the world, provide convenient and high-quality study conditions for students of Chinese among the general public and increase understanding among other countries of the world about Chinese language and culture.

The Confucius Institutes were named after the famous philosopher, Confucius.

Apart from the broadcast institute, the country also plans to set up a television Confucius Institute and an online database of Chinese language education.

The Office of Chinese Language Council International also announced that quality standards on Chinese language education for non-Chinese speakers would be developed and implemented. The Teaching Quality Evaluation Division will oversee quality standards for teaching, assessing, and evaluating instructional materials used in teaching Chinese as a foreign language.

This is an exciting, pioneering venture which could transform the way that people learn Chinese as a second language. It could also revolutionize the pedagogy of distance language-learning. While the precise pedagogical approach is not defined yet on the Chinese Language Council International’s website, it will be interesting to see just how the instructional materials, the activities, and the assessment will take place. It will also be very useful to see how cultural elements are integrated into the language instruction.

Confucius Institute Project: http://english.hanban.edu.cn/market/HanBanE/412360.htm

Office of Chinese Language Council International: http://www.hanban.edu.cn/en_hanban/jgsz.php

Confucius Institute at Michigan State University: http://confucius.msu.edu/

CRI Talk China: http://enpf.chinabroadcast.cn/TalkChina/

posted by susan