Educators, parents and students are invited to meet international and local experts who will address meeting the demand for Chinese language instruction in the United States

SAN FRANCISCO, February 13, 2007 -- The Confucius Institute at San Francisco State University invites educators, parents, students and Chinese heritage teachers to the first International Conference on Teaching Chinese as a Second Language on Sunday, March 4. The conference, devoted to teaching Chinese in American kindergarten through grade 12 schools, will be held on the main campus at 19th and Holloway Avenues in San Francisco. Cost of registration for the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. conference including lunch is $55 if registered by February 28 and $65 thereafter.

Prominent international speakers include Stephen Krashan, emeritus professor of education at University of Southern California and world-renowned expert on second- language acquisition; Shek Kam Tse, associate dean of education faculty and director of the Centre for the Advancement of Chinese Language, Education and Research of the University of Hong Kong and a leading expert in Chinese language education; and Lingchi Wang, emeritus professor, University of California, Berkeley and recognized advocate for Chinese language education. Topics related to teaching Chinese as a second language include instructional technology, Chinese teacher credentialing in California, Advanced Placement and national standards, and establishing and sustaining programs.

Spaces are limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. To register for the conference, visit www.sfsu.edu/~ci/conference/ or call Kristin Foxe at the Confucius Institute (415) 338-7631.

The Confucius Institute at San Francisco State University was founded in 2006 to respond to the increasing demand for Chinese language instruction in the United States. The institute operates as a collaboration of faculty representing SF State's Colleges of Education, Humanities and Extended Learning. In cooperation with China’s leading teacher training institution, the Beijing Normal University, the Institute provides Chinese language training to the community and teachers of Chinese. In addition, it develops teaching materials and curriculum, and promotes educational exchange and research with the People's Republic of China. SF State is the first Western United States home of the Confucius Institute, which has offices worldwide.