Chinese Language InitiativeTeacher Support :

Mandarin Chinese Project

Governor Tim Pawlenty's proposal to develop and provide school districts with a common curriculum, materials and classroom assessments to be used for a Mandarin Chinese program was adopted by the 2006 Legislature. The legislation also required the Minnesota Department of Education to make recommendations on related issues including teacher preparation programs, the need for an adequate supply of Mandarin Chinese teachers, expedited licensure for Mandarin Chinese teachers and the development of an adequate number of high-quality programs.  A network of approximately 100 higher education representatives, educators, Chinese speaking people, business representatives, Department of Education staff and other interested partners were brought together to accomplish the goals set forth by the governor and legislature. The work of the groups has been completed and includes a final report to the governor and legislature. View the report.  View the report in Chinese.

Calendar of MDE Workshops, Trainings and Meetings
The Minnesota Department of Education, in response to input from Website visitors, is pleased to announce the launch of an agency-wide calendar. The calendar includes all MDE-sponsored training, meetings and events. Search and sort features allow you to find events by date, title, location and sponsoring program area. View the calendar by using the “Calendar” link at the top of this page.

Listserv Targeted at K-12 Chinese Language Programs in Minnesota
The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) at the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) are pleased to announce a new listserv dedicated to promoting and supporting Chinese K-12 language education in Minnesota. The purpose of this listserv is to provide a forum to exchange ideas and information on Chinese language education in Minnesota targeted at:

• Chinese K-12 teachers currently teaching in programs across the state
• Individuals/groups interested in setting up a Chinese language program in their area
• Anyone who is interested in Chinese K-12 language programs

Visit the CARLA site to subscribe on-line *. 

Chinese Learning Objects
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Chinese Learning Objects addresses the critical need for high quality materials by developing e-learning lessons that will help students improve their ability to read Chinese. See link to Chinese Learning Objects under the related links at left.

* Links to third-party sites are provided as a service to Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Website visitors. See our disclaimer regarding these sites in our copyright information linked at the bottom of this page.