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Farragut will teach Chinese

By RITA FARLOW
Published August 6, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG - Michael and Karen Hajek's two oldest sons are already learning Spanish at Admiral Farragut Academy. It makes sense, considering Florida has nearly 2.5-million Spanish-speakers, Hajek said.

If given the choice, which other language would Hajek like his children to learn? "Definitely Chinese," he said.

Michael will get his wish this fall, when all three of his boys, ages 4 through 9, will be exposed to Mandarin Chinese as the school introduces a new program to teach the rapidly-growing Asian language to all of its 400 students.

"I believe that what Spanish was in the 1970s to international business, Chinese will be in the 21st century," Hajek said. "It's really exciting for us as parents, because they're starting it in the lower division."

The primary language of more than 800-million people, Mandarin Chinese is spoken by more people than any other language besides English. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Chinese jumped from the fifth to second most spoken non-English language in the United States between 1990 and 2000. Spanish is the first. Considering China's increasing role in global politics and its fast growing economy, offering Mandarin Chinese will give students a marketable language skill, as well as a greater understanding of Chinese culture, said Capt. Robert Fine, the academy's headmaster.

In June, Fine traveled to China as part of an inaugural delegation created by the National Association of Independent Schools. Delegates visited schools in three provinces and hired 20 teachers for private schools from Florida to Spokane, Wash. Teachers are hired for one-year renewable contracts through the program, which is cosponsored by the Chinese government, Fine said.

Admiral Farragut's new teacher, Xue Zhongyou, 32, is a native of Anhui province, where he graduated from Anqing Teachers College. Zhongyou, who also goes by the English name Victor, has a wife and 4-year-old daughter who will remain in China, Fine said.

Lower and middle division students will have weekly or twice-weekly exposure to the language, and upper division students will be able to take Mandarin Chinese classes to fulfill foreign language requirements. The academy will continue to offer Spanish and French, but will drop German from course lists, partly due to lack of interest.

Like at Farragut, Spanish is the most popular choice for students in Pinellas County public schools.

"It is overwhelmingly the most requested language. But it is important, too, that the kids understand that any language study will prepare them for a future career that may require language skills. And once you acquire one secondary language, then the third and the fourth can come much easier," said Jan Kucerik, world languages supervisor for Pinellas County schools.

Pinellas County schools currently do not offer Mandarin Chinese, Kucerik said. "We are looking at that for the future because it is a trend and one that the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages is really trying to align some resources for the state and make it available," Kucerik said.

Several schools across the state now offer Mandarin Chinese, including Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa and Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando. During Fine's visit to China, the delegation also hired teachers for the Cushman School in Miami and the Pine Crest School, with campuses in Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale.

Fine said he expects the program to be successful. "My hope is that this is the beginning of a language that we're going to teach at Farragut for a long time. It's something that could be very beneficial for (our students)."

[Last modified August 5, 2006, 20:01:38]