ALLEX Foundation: Alliance for Language Learning and Educational Exchange

Program Overview
The Intercultural Exchange Program in Chinese and Japanese enables post-secondary institutions to begin or maintain a high quality Chinese or Japanese language program by providing them with professionally trained, native Chinese and Japanese instructors who teach in exchange for tuition waivers to pursue a master’s, associate’s or second bachelor’s degree.

ALLEX instructors teach one or two courses of elementary Chinese or Japanese emphasizing all four language skills, spoken, listening, reading and writing, with a curriculum specially designed for native English speakers.

Many tens of universities have established successful Asian language programs with the help of ALLEX and its predecessor, ExchangeJapan; scores of universities have since deepened their commitment by adding tenure-track positions (a few have even added two).

Universities establishing a new Asian language program will find that ALLEX instructors–in contrast to adjuncts–make a significant difference in the program’s long-term success.  The reasons are clear: 1) ALLEX lecturers are always on campus, 2) they are fully committed to the host institution because of the tuition-exchange agreement, and 3) they are professionally trained to teach native English speakers.

Institutions with established programs unable to commit to the two-year IEP plan, may request a lecturer with a one-year commitment through the Chinese and Japanese Teaching Associate Program (JTAP) to augment and enrich course offerings or to supply sabbatical replacements. JTAP instructors teach in exchange to audit one or two courses. (Please contact ALLEX for more information on JTAP.)

The Chinese and Japanese instructors, all college graduates, are carefully screened through a rigorous application process that includes standardized testing, program-related testing, and an oral interview. IEP matches institutions with instructors based on mutual needs and suitability.

Summer Training Program
As preparation for their teaching assignments, instructors enroll in a specially designed, eight week (16 credits / 190 contact hours) summer teacher training program taught by experts in Chinese and Japanese pedagogy and master university instructors.

The curriculum of the full-time-intensive summer program includes a lecture component (covering such topics as the basic principles of effective Chinese and Japanese language pedagogy, classroom teaching techniques, the linguistic analysis of Chinese and Japanese, and language testing); an observation component (during which participants observe and analyze actual Chinese and Japanese language classes taught by master instructors); and a demonstration component (during which participants teach actual Chinese and Japanese class sessions, which are videotaped and later critiqued by program faculty members).

Responsibilities of Host Institution
Institutions provide an instructor with financial support for one or two years. For IEP this usually takes the form of a tuition waiver (tuition, room and board, and health insurance). JTAP institutions provide room and board and the ability to audit one or two courses. For the duration of an instructor’s assignment, professional support is available from designated members of the IEP faculty. University financial support is negotiable and may differ from the terms above.

Host Institution Application Process
As soon as possible, complete the Letter of Agreement (the template is available from ALLEX), detailing administrative and financial arrangements proposed by your institution, and send it to our U.S. office. Institutions may request more than one instructor. High schools are encouraged to partner with neighboring colleges and universities that can provide for an instructor’s pursuit of a degree while teaching at the high school.

History
ALLEX provides a continuation of many of the same kinds of services formerly offered by Exchange: Japan’s Educational Exchange Program. During its nineteen year history, Exchange: Japan placed more than 500 trained Chinese and Japanese teachers at 150 institutions.