Correia Middle School Hosts Exchange Teacher from China

Ailing Fu

Correia Middle School in Pt. Loma proud to be hosting an exchange teacher from China this year.

The teacher, Ailing Fu, is teaching Mandarin Chinese this year in Correia's language program. Pt. Loma area schools now offer Mandarin Chinese through grades, ranging from elementary at Barnard Elementary, Correia and Dana middle schools, and Pt. Loma High School.

Ms. Fu is visiting as part of the State Departments's 2011 Teachers of Critical Languages Program along with 24 other teachers from China and Egypt. The Teachers of Critical Languages Program is designed to increase the study and acquisition of important world languages in U.S. schools.

This program enables primary and secondary schools to strengthen their teaching of Arabic and Mandarin by bringing Egyptian and Chinese teachers of English as a Foreign Language to the U.S. to teach Arabic and Chinese language and culture for an academic year. In addition, Arabic and Chinese teachers have the opportunity to learn more about U.S. teaching methodologies, culture, and society, as well as to improve their English language proficiency.

The Teachers of Critical Languages Program is funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which fosters mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries around the world through academic, cultural, and professional exchanges. The program is administered by American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS (http://www.americancouncils.org).