[HERITAGE-LIST] Founding of CELIN - Chinese Early Language and Immersion Network

[Scott G. McGinnis]

Chinese Early Language and Immersion Network



Asia Society is pleased to present a new initiative, the Chinese Early Language and Immersion Network

(CELIN) @Asia Society. In response to the expressed needs of Chinese early language and immersion

programs throughout the United States, CELIN was established in 2012 under the leadership of Dr. Shuhan

Wang, President of ELE Consulting International and former Executive Director of Chinese Language

Initiatives at Asia Society.



Asia Society is a leader in building capacity for quality Chinese programs in U. S. schools, and CELIN is a

natural fit with its mission. Drs. Shuhan Wang and Joy Peyton will serve as CELIN’s Project Director and

Senior Project Associate, in collaboration with the Chinese Language Initiatives team at Asia Society.



Through this initiative, we seek to convene and work together with practitioners, researchers, policy makers,

parents, and advocates for language learning across the United States and beyond. Our goal is to strengthen

and expand Chinese language education in early childhood and primary grades. We will:

    •• Create an online directory of Chinese early language and immersion programs and practitioners

•    • Collect and share information and resources for various stakeholders via a CELIN online portal and

        newsletter, in conjunction with Chinese Language Initiatives at Asia Society

•     • Identify and develop model Chinese early language and immersion programs, including Confucius

        Classrooms

•     • Cultivate effective Chinese language teachers for early language and immersion programs by

        collaborating with professional organizations, teacher preparation programs, state certification

        agencies, and local education institutions



An advisory committee of national leaders in the field of Chinese language, world languages, language

immersion, and early childhood education will provide guidance to our work.



To learn more about CELIN at Asia Society, please contact us at celin at asiasociety.org. We look forward

to working with you!



Shuhan Wang, Ph.D.

Director, CELIN

President, ELE Consulting

International



Joy Kreeft Peyton, Ph.D.

Senior Project Associate,

CELIN



Jeff Wang

Director, Education and

Chinese Language Initiatives

Asia Society