[EDLING:244] China: Foreign headmasters follow Chinese language teaching trail

[Francis M. Hult]

China View

Foreign headmasters follow Chinese language teaching trail 

BEIJING, June 20 (Xinhua) -- With the demand for Chinese language courses 
surging worldwide, a record 1,000 primary and middle school principals will 
visit China next week to build contacts, sources with the Office of Chinese 
Language Council International said here Wednesday. 

Office Director Xu Lin said the 1,000 delegates from the United States and the 
Republic of Korea would visit 18 Chinese provinces and cities, talk with 
Chinese counterparts and sign teacher exchange agreements. 

"The huge demand for Chinese courses overseas poses challenges and 
opportunities," said Xu. 

Statistics from the US-based Society of Modern Language Research show that the 
number of primary and middle school students learning Chinese in the United 
States increased from 33,000 in 2002 to 50,000 in 2006. The number of college 
students learning Chinese also leapt by about 50 percent, increasing from 
24,000 to 35,000.

Full story:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-06/20/content_6269292.htm