ALLEX Teacher Training Institute

A World Renowned Professorial Team

The ALLEX Chinese, Japanese and Korean Teacher Training Institute is an intensive course for current teachers of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, or those who plan to enter the field.

A Foundational Course in Asian Language Pedagogy

 

The program provides the foundation for a future instructor to teach Chinese, Japanese, and Korean and gives substantial tools to current teachers to reinforce and strengthen their programs. Effective methodology in teaching Chinese, Japanese, and Korean to North Americans is emphasized over a theoretical analysis of the languages. The program is administered by the ALLEX Teacher Training Consortium (Cornell, Ohio State, Portland State, and Washington University). Participants include practicing teachers of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, those who wish to enter the field, and graduate students from China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the United States

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The ALLEX program is the longest running teacher training program in the field. Since 1988 the program has been held each summer.

The Curriculum

 

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

Our Focus

 
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Pedagogical Theory

We instill in our instructors an understanding of developments in language teaching (particularly Chinese, Japanese, and Korean language teaching,) that view language as meaning-making activity that involves reflective performance

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Practical Experience

Trainees have ample opportunities in practice teaching with abundant constructive feedback

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Classroom Management

ALLEX trainees are prepared to assume responsibility for an beginning or intermediate language program at an American institution

Example Topics We Cover

 

The Language

  • Nature of language

  • Learned and acquired culture

  • Language in culture vs. Language and Culture

  • Analysis of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean for Western students

  •  Pedagogical grammar

  • Native orthography vs. pedagogical writing systems

The Classroom

  • ACT/FACT Dichotomy

  • Teaching of the four skills

  • Maintaining appropriate standards

  • Preparing a lesson plan

  • Determining appropriate pace

  • Use of visual aids

  • Use of audio- and videotapes and multimedia adaptations

  • Correction

  • Daily evaluation of class performance

  • Achievement vs. proficiency vs. prochievement testing

The Students

  • Handling students who are having problems

  • Total class involvement

  • Confidence building

  • Classroom etiquette

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ALLEX faculty have mentored over 1,200 program participants over the last 30 years.

DETAILS

 

Schedule

The Institute is offered in hybrid format with 4 weeks of synchronous and asynchronous online sessions followed by a two-week in-person session at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. The in-person session is full-time with six hours of class a day, five days a week. Both the online and in-person sessions require extensive preparation and review outside of formal class hours. Following the training program students head directly to their host institutions to start their teaching assignments.

Cost

 $6,000* (estimated)

*Summer-Only Student Tuition. Not applicable to Teaching Associate Program (TAP)/ Teaching Fellow Program (FP) students. TAP/FP students should see Program Guidelines for more information.

Dates

6 Week Program
Mid June – Early August

Online: Synchronous (live) classes held June 7-29, 2024 Friday and Saturday for 3 hours each evening in small group format. Prior to each synchronous session, students must complete 10 hours of asynchronous classwork, including viewing of pre-recorded lectures and teaching demonstrations.

In-Person: July 28-August 9, 2023 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

 

Lodging & Meals

Students are strongly encouraged to live on the Cornell University campus. Single rooms at Cornell are $77 a night. Students are housed in suites comprised of 4-5 single rooms with a shared bathroom in one of the newest dormitories on campus. A pillow and linens are provided; laundry facilities are available in the residence hall basement. Meals can be eaten in one of the university cafeterias for an additional cost or students can prepare their own food in one of the dorm kitchens.

Financial Aid

Summer-only students may be eligible for limited financial aid. ALLEX TAP and FP program participants are not eligible. Scholarship support ranges from $1,000 to $6,000. In the past graduate students and those expecting to teach within one year have been successful securing scholarship funds from ALLEX and/or our partners. To apply for a scholarship please have TWO referees send a letter of recommendation to the ALLEX USA Office by email or fax. A set of transcripts is also required. Financial Aid is limited to U.S. based students.

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Language teaching is a skill that requires mentorship, practice, and exploration.

  • Mari Noda

    Professor of Japanese
    The Ohio State University

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  • Ginger Marcus

    Prof. of Japanese
    Washington University in St Louis

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  • Li Yu

    Professor of Chinese
    Williams College

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  • Zhini Zheng

    Associate Professor of Chinese
    University of Mississippi

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  • Masayuki Itomitsu

    Associate Professor of Japanese
    Linfield College

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  • Kanako Yao

    Assistant Teaching Professor
    Wake Forest University

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  • Rachel Wayne

    Faculty in World Languages
    Bishop Ready High School

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  • Cornelius Kubler

    Stanfield Professor of Asian Studies
    Williams College

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  • Patricia Wetzel

    Professor of Japanese and Former AATJ President
    Portland State University

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  • Sanae Eda

    Associate Professor and Director of the School in Japan
    Middlebury College

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  • Haohsiang Liao

    Senior Lecturer in Chinese
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

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  • Xin Zhang

    Associate Professor of Chinese and Intercultural Communication
    Duke Kunshan University

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  • Nozomi Imai

    Lecturer in Japanese
    Vanderbilt University

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  • Hiromi Tobaru

    Associate Professor of Japanese
    California State University Fullerton

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  • Yongfang Zhang

    Associate Professor of Chinese
    Wofford College

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  • Cong Li

    Lecturer in Chinese
    Duke Kunshan University

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  • Yongsuk Song

    Lecturer of Japanese

  • Kumiko Takizawa

    Ph.D. Student
    Ohio State University

  • Wenting Zhao

    Ph.D. Student
    Ohio State University