The Cultivation of a New Generation of Overseas Sinologists—Starting with Content-Based Instruction in Written Chinese, by Liu Lening

The Cultivation of a New Generation of Overseas Sinologists—Starting with Content-Based Instruction in Written Chinese, by Liu Lening

The training of overseas Sinologists in written Chinese forms the foundation of their overall professional development. While previous approaches to teaching written Chinese have placed significant emphasis on enhancing students’ linguistic competence, they have fallen short in leveraging language instruction to advance their academic capabilities, such as their understanding of Chinese intellectual and literary history. To address this shortcoming, implementing a Content-Based Multiliteracies Approach offers an effective solution. This method emphasizes the use of authentic instructional materials, highlights the integration of cultural connotations within language teaching, adopts a flipped classroom model, and pays particular attention to the individual developmental needs of learners. Using two Chinese language courses at Columbia University—Readings in Modern Chinese Intellectual History and Vernacular Chinese and Modern Chinese Literature—as examples, this lecture provides a systematic introduction to the content, methods, and assessment practices of this new approach to international Chinese language education. Building on this, the speaker aims to present a fundamental perspective on international Chinese language teaching in the age of AI: such teaching must be guided by relevant theories, and the use of technology must respect the natural principles of language acquisition and learning. It is essential to enhance student engagement both inside and outside the classroom and to strengthen their ability to collaborate with technology. The application of technological tools should not come at the expense of interpersonal interaction.

Organized within the framework of the degree programmes in Languages for Intercultural and Business Communication and Languages for Business and Development, with the support of the Confucius Classroom of Arezzo.

Friday 22 May, h. 12.00-13.30 – Room 19 (Palazzina Uomini)

Siena University – Arezzo Campus,  Viale Cittadini, 33

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Liu Lening works in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Columbia University, where he also serves as the Director of the Graduate Program in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. He previously held long-term positions as Director of the Chinese Language Program at Columbia and as the American Co-Director of the Confucius Institute. With decades of dedication to the field of international Chinese language education, Liu has played a pivotal role in designing Columbia University’s two-year Master’s program in Chinese Pedagogy within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, as well as the TCSOL (Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate program. His research encompasses syntax, discourse grammar, and Chinese language pedagogy. He has led the publication of multiple Chinese language textbooks and academic monographs. Liu has served as a standing director of the International Society for Chinese Language Teaching for nearly two decades. He is also the editor-in-chief of International Chinese Language Education (Hong Kong), a member of the editorial board for several academic journals, and co-editor of the Routledge Series on Chinese Language Education.