effective teaching of chinese through cross-curricular thematic units

Kuangchi (Kathy) Lee, M.Ed. (miller@yscp.org)

Young Scholars of Central PA Charter School

Yuanyuan Lin, MAT. (yuanyuan.lin@uncp.edu)

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Across curriculum

Common core 5 Cs.

Communication, Culture, Connections, comparison, and Community

Connections: CONNECT WITH OTHER DISCIPLINES AND ACQUIRE INFORMATION

Standard 3.1: Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language

Standard 3.2: Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures

What are the benefits to develop a thematic unit across the curriculum ？Why do we need to across curriculum?

1. Enhance their foreign language proficiency and cultural knowledge.

2. Learn in target language the vocabulary, terminology, and concepts used in academics or professional disciplines

3. Develop a keener cultural awareness and language skills necessary to participate more fully in today's shrinking, interdependent world.

Principles

A focus on communication and content

An emphasis on developing meaningful content-focused language use outside traditional language classes

An approach to language use and cross-cultural skills as means for the achievement of global intellectual synthesis, in which students learn to combine and interpret knowledge produced in other languages and in other cultures

Who are our learners?

Learning styles – “visual/spatial”, “bodily/kinesthetic”, “musical”, “interpersonal”, “intrapersonal”, “linguistic”, “logical/mathematical” (Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences)

Language proficiency level

Different ability levels

Different cognitive needs

Different interests

Why teach with thematic units?

Thematic planning responding to the needs of the learner (Helena Curtain)

Makes instruction more comprehensible The theme creates a meaningful context for standards-based

Learning Changes the instructional focus from isolated pieces of

information to information revolving around a meaningful center

Effective thematic instruction uses a theme as "conceptual glue" for learners and strengthens bonds to knowledge.

Thematic planning puts the teacher in the role of instructional designer /curriculum developer.

Web: Subject Content

Webbing by Content

Disciplines

Physical Education

Mathematics

Social StudiesLanguage

Arts

Science

Music/Fine Arts

Geography

Culture

Source: Helena Curtain and Carol Ann Pesola Dahlberg

Web: Multiple Intelligences

Webbing by Multiple

Intelligences

Bodily Kinesthetic

Naturaist

Interpersonal

Intrapersonal

Musical

Logical Mathematical

Linguistic

Spatial

Source: Gardner, Howard . Multiple Intelligences: The Theory Into Practice.

Thematic planning responding to the needs of the learner (Helena Curtain)

Story

Games

Music/Songs/Chants

Dance

Poetry Rhymes

Drama/Role Play

What are effective teaching strategies?

Vygotsky’s ZPD (Zone of Proximal

Develiopment)

Standard-based instruction Proficiency-

based instruction

Content-based

instruction

Student-center instruction

WTC (Willingness to Communicate)

“Backward Design”

Planning

The PACE Approach

Web (Theme): Silk Road

Silk Road

Science

Language Art four skills

Social StudiesMath

PE/Health

Art

strength of fabrics

life cycle of silk worm

Process of making clothing from silk

vocab colors

pre, during, & post reading

vocab clothing

Numbers and measure words

skit or sequence the story with pictures

fashion show

clothing style

TPR putting on clothing

weather accepting clothing

cost comparison of materials

graphing-feeling

silk road country names

geographic features

Chinese history

Language Art four skills

vocab colors

vocab clothing

Numbers and measure words

skit or sequence the story with pictures

pre, during, & post readingArtclothing style

fashion show

Social Studies

Chinese historyChinese traditional clothes throughout the history

ScienceMath

Social Studies

silk road country names

geographic features

cost comparison of materials

Numbers/Calendar

life cycle of silk worm

Process of making clothing from silk

strength of fabrics

Unit Plan

Dress-up App and Photo Story

iMovie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9o5EPGr8J0&list=UU7nS03deGfhlg0hhawAtw9A&index=11

Movie Maker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQp3GM1gJeY

Pixton http://www.pixton.com/comic/5u19b9e6

…有沒有 ....? 在…?

the Magic Donkey

… 有沒有…?

Web (Theme): China, china

China,china

Science

Language Art four skills

Social StudiesMath

PE/Health

Art

The firing process

Chemistry reaction

Process of making pottery

vocab colors

Express likes and dislike

Vocab for different history term

Numbers and measure words

The sequence of making pottery

Ceramic

making pottery

The degree of firing process

Unit conversion

History of porcelain Different

kind of china

Chinese history

“China-china”

Grade level: college level or high school

Introduction of the unit :

china was introduced to Europe in the fourteenth century, Chinese porcelains were regarded as objects of great rarity and luxury. Students will be able to tell the process of making porcelain. Students will learn the history of Chinese porcelain. Implement Chinese

Learning by doing把字句 把泥土放在桌子上。 把泥土切小

把泥土放在转盘上 把两只手放在泥土上

转呀转 做好了

把他们放进烤炉 662 华氏度／350摄氏度烤七个小时。

把颜色刷在杯子上 把杯子再放进烤箱

漂亮的陶瓷做好了

Facilities available

Some other technologies 1.Students can make cartoons by using this website

(free):

http://goanimate.com

http://goanimate.com/videos/0s5-DohKYPqU

animation Some of the students work

http://goanimate.com/videos/0Y76mVDe15kQ

http://goanimate.com/videos/0VClgsNZzYX8

http://goanimate.com/videos/0hbwStrzFzJs

http://goanimate.com/videos/0lspHypRjK94

2. voice recording

http://vocaroo.com

Student’ work

http://vocaroo.com/i/s1VQHnEqMdGf

Students make their Chinese blog www.blogg.com

www.wordpress.com

The benefits to build the Chinese profile

Group Activity

Which level do you teach (elementary, middle, high school, or college)?

Do you implement thematic unit teaching in your instruction?

What kind of themes you might have in mind for your future teaching?

Reference

http://www.bsc.edu/academics/mfl/flac.cfm

https://www.actfl.org/advocacy/discover-languages/advocacy/discover-languages/advocacy/discover-languages/resources-1?pageid=3392

http://clacconsortium.org

Q & A

Thank you for your listening!