Interest in Chinese language soaring in Indiana
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INDIANAPOLIS
Nearly four dozen public and private schools in Indiana are offering Chinese language instruction for credit as part of an effort to make Mandarin Chinese the next world language.Many of the programs are taught by Chinese educators through a collaboration between the College Board and Hanban, a government-funded organization affiliated with the Chinese Education Ministry.
Since 2006, China has sent more than 325 "guest teachers" to work in U.S. schools to help launch Chinese language programs. The teachers can stay for three years, then reapply to stay for another three years.
Other teachers come from a U.S. State Department program called Teachers of Critical Languages or are immigrants or Chinese-Americans who have pursued other careers but are being recruited into education because they are fluent in the language.
Schools offering the instruction range from the private International School of Indiana in Indianapolis -
