Get Certified to Teach Chinese

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Humorous homework: a joy of teaching Chinese? Image: Joseph S. Huang.

Interested in teaching Chinese? There is a high demand from American schools for qualified Chinese language teachers. The first step is to contact your state education department to see if there is certification requirements or special exceptions to make you an eligible candidate. Many states have waived certification--or will grant a temporary license--because good language teachers are difficult to find. The best place to start is your state education department's website; click here for a directory.

If your state requires that you have a teaching certification, here are university programs that will give you the credentials you need:

Chinese Bilingual Teacher Education Program | link
The Loyola Marymount University Chinese Bilingual Teacher Education Program (CBTEP) prepares qualified Chinese teachers to teach in both Chinese and English in K-12 bilingual immersion or foreign language classrooms. Successful graduates will complete a “3-in-1” program: a Single or Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, a Master of Arts degree in Bilingual Elementary or Secondary Education and a Mandarin BCLAD Authorization. Program starts summer 2008. Applications are being accepted now, with scholarships available. Click here to learn more.

Penn Chinese Language Teachers' Institute | link
The Institute began over a decade ago as a response to the demands of prospective Chinese language teachers. The institute aims at providing prospective teachers of Chinese with the pedagogical training necessary for obtaining foreign language teacher certification in their home states. In most states, the Institute courses meet partial requirements of teacher certification. All courses meet intensively for one week, supported by continuing online interactions throughout the summer and the subsequent academic year. Registration Deadline: June 5, 2006. Space is limited; registration may close prior to this date. For more information, visit the Institute Website.

Rutgers Accelerated Chinese Language Teacher Certification Program | link
The Rutgers University Department of Asian Languages and Cultures in conjunction with the Rutgers World Languages Institute are pleased to announce the implementation of an Accelerated Chinese Language Teacher Certification Program, which has recently been approved by the New Jersey Department of Education. The program was developed in response to a mandate by New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, who  said, "In a global economy, our students need to be prepared with world languages and culture. Eighteen New Jersey schools offer Chinese, but that's not enough. We need to do better at teaching the high demand languages that are increasingly important in the new world like Chinese and Arabic."

The Program, which begins in Summer 2006, is designed for proficient speakers of Chinese (putonghua) who are seeking a career change and are interested in teaching. There is the potential to complete within one year the certification requirements to obtain a certificate of eligibility to teach. All interested candidates should visit this site for details on the Program, including application procedures. They may also contact the World Languages Institute at wli@langlab.rutgers.edu or call 732-932-7373.