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| From left to right : Ardon Chang, the former president of the CLTA of Texas; Amy Chen, President of the CLTA of Texas; Louis Huang, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston; Dr. Hans Stockton, Director of Center for International Studies at the University of St. Thomas; Dr. Meng Yeh, Professor of Rice University; Desa Dawson, President of the ACTFL; Sophie Chou, Director of Education Division of TECO in Houston. |
In an effort to enhance the quality of the
Chinese language teaching at all education levels and conduct professional
development for Chinese teachers in both language teaching and cultural
awareness, the Chinese Language Teachers Association of Texas (CLTA-TEXAS), along with the Education
Division of Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Houston (TECO in Houston) and
the Center for International Studies at the University of St. Thomas, co-hosted
a the Chinese language teacher professional development workshop on January 15,
2017 at University of St. Thomas. There were more than seventy Chinese language
teachers who participated in the workshop this year.
Director General Louis Huang of the TECO in
Houston gave a warm welcome to all attendees who took a Sunday to learn more
about teaching the Chinese language. “The United States and Taiwan have enjoyed
a strong friendship for decades, nurtured by vibrant exchanges of culture,
education, and trade.” he said. “To do our part in facilitating these
exchanges, TECO offers scholarships and helps organize the administration of
the TOCFL exam. TECO is proud to provide these services for students and the
community. We hope to always find ways to make learning about the Chinese
language and culture more accessible.”
The President of the American Council on the
Teachings of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), Ms. Desa Dawson, was invited to give a
keynote speech at the beginning of the workshop. This was the first event that
Ms. Dawson has attended after she assumed office as the president of the ACTFL
and she was very happy to share her experiences in foreign language education
with all the teachers devoted to Chinese language teaching.
This workshop provides an opportunity for
information, training, and networking. Participants from not only Houston, but
also Austin, Dallas, and even Oklahoma City at all education levels had the
chance to get together and shared their experience and knowledge in Chinese
language teaching. They all enjoyed the inspiring lectures and conversations
together during this workshop.
