Organize field trips related to language learning

Mentor teacher Robert Wiley at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago, IL and TCLP Arabic teacher Abdel Magid Hussein collaborated on a project to enhance 58 Arabic I students' knowledge of Ancient Near East culture and language using resources at the Oriental Institute Museum in Hyde Park, Chicago. In order to initiate interest and basic Arabic knowledge among those not currently enrolled in Arabic, 20 Reading/Writing students were invited on the trip and paired with Arabic students during an Arabic scavenger hunt.

• Mentor teacher Emad Eldigwy and TCLP Arabic teacher Hossam Sarhan at The Center for Global Studies in Norwalk, CT created a multifaceted project which included a field trip for 50 students to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the ancient Egyptian exhibit and follow-up activities to be used during an Arabic Class Fair. During the Fair, 130 middle school students from other schools were introduced to Egyptian culture, clothes, and cooking as facilitated by 50 current Arabic students.

Mentor teacher Amy Sanders at Yarmouth High School in Yarmouth, ME applied for a CLP grant with TCLP Chinese teacher Xiao Chunzhi to organize a field trip to the Peabody Essex Museum and Boston’s Chinatown. Nineteen students in grades 8 through 12 and their family members expanded their understanding of Chinese culture during a guided tour of the museum, and Chinese language students learned new vocabulary they could practice in real-world settings as they ate lunch at a busy Chinese restaurant and explored the shops in Boston’s Chinatown.

Mentor teacher Jacqueline Coe and TCLP Chinese teacher Zhao Yanzhen at Bow High School in Bow, NH implemented a project entitled: “Chinese Language: Practice, Outreach, and Sustainability”. The project contained three subcomponents aimed at enhancing and increasing critical language learning and outreach. A field trip to Boston’s Chinatown targeted a total of 40 current Chinese students and students in the Chinese Club that might be interested in enrolling in Chinese classes in the future.

TCLP Chinese teacher Sun Liang and Mentor teacher Claudia Miettunen at Ithaca High School in Ithaca, NY designed a Critical Languages Project grant for a field trip to Chinatown in New York City. Twelve students attended this field trip, including high school Chinese students and middle school students who will be enrolling at Ithaca High School in the coming year.

At Plymouth High School, mentor teacher Laura Koebel and exchange teacher Ez Eldin Salem designed a project in which 30 Arabic students at Plymouth High School participated in an all day event centered around Arabic studies. First, the students attended 1st and 4th semester Arabic courses at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. Afterwards, the students discussed language learning at the college level and practiced their Arabic with the university Arabic students.

TCLP Chinese teacher Yao Xiaoning organized a three-part CLP for students at Correia Middle School. Part one was a visit to the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum to learn about Chinese history, appreciate some Chinese artwork and watch a calligraphy presentation. Part two was a May field trip to the Chinatown in Los Angeles, where students completed a scavenger hunt in a Chinese market, had lunch in a Chinese restaurant, and bought books in a bookstore using what they’ve learned from Chinese class. Part three was a Chinese Night activity.

TCLP Arabic teacher Manal El Gamal worked with mentor teacher Claudine Clark to organize a field trip to the Milwaukee Public Museum in order to provide an authentic cultural experience for the facilitated language students at Madison East High School. In April, 45 students attended the exhibit on Egyptian Mummies, explored actual Egyptian artifacts, viewed educational films on ancient Egypt, and had lunch at an authentic Middle Eastern restaurant.

Exchange teacher Wei Wei received a CLP grant to implement the Joy of Eight Project at her U.S. host school, Roton Middle School. The project encompassed various activities with the overall goal of motivating middle school students enrolled in Mandarin classes to continue to study the language after they enter high school.