F-LAN (Flagship- Language Acquisition Network)
F-LAN (Flagship- Language Acquisition Network) is a new and innovative partnership that has been formed with various Chinese Flagship centers, state offices of education, and districts across the country. These entities have joined efforts to create model Chinese education programs, including curriculum, teacher training, and assessment. It is hoped that best practices can be researched, identified, and disseminated in order to improve the quality of Chinese language education in the United States.
Joining the BYU Chinese Flagship Center and the USOE in the F-LAN is a national consortium consisting of five Chinese Flagship Centers, six State Departments of Education, and several school districts across 18 states that will work collaboratively to implement the F-LAN program. An executive committee and national advisory board oversee the effort.
Members of the consortium meet annually to facilitate collaborative planning and information sharing about the early and secondary program models. Experience with implementing various Chinese language programs will guide plans for national replication and members of the consortium who represent diverse learning environments will contribute to the development of the national model.
The program and its developed Chinese K-12 curriculum seek to stand as a national model of a well-articulated and replicable K-16 pathway for Chinese language study. Successfully implemented, the F-LAN program is expected to result in high school students achieving advanced level proficiency (ACTFL) by graduation and professional level (ACTFL Superior) proficiency by college graduation. Implementation of the F-LAN program has already begun in Utah in Chinese dual language immersion and secondary pathways.
Secondary Chinese programs are expanding in the US, and two secondary pathways have been created: the early entry pathway begins in 7th grade with students continuing to study Chinese up through high school. The late entry pathway begins in 9-10th grade. Although high school students do not have 50% of their instruction in Chinese, as is the case in early immersion, it is expected that teachers use immersion pedagogy and speak in the target language during Chinese class time. Students are also encouraged to attend intensive summer programs and study abroad in order to accelerate their language learning.
Both the elementary and secondary programs are developing model curriculum and teaching materials based on proficiency outcomes. Professional development is a focus of the grant as is assessment and research. These developments will be shared among consortium members and beyond. For more information, go to F-LAN.org.
Offices of Education
Utah State Office of Education (Co-Principal), South Carolina Department of Education, Oklahoma Department of Education, Delaware Department of Education, Georgia Department of Education Kentucky Department of Education
Local Education Agencies (LEAs)
Arizona, California, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas Utah, and Wyoming.
