Articulation with K-12 Curriculum and K-12 Outreach and Enhancement: WKU will work with key partners such as the Center for Gifted Studies at WKU, the Kentucky Department of Education, and the Kentucky World Languages Association to support the growing number of K-12 Chinese language programs in Kentucky and coordinate an articulated curriculum that allows for a continuous flow of students from high schools to collegiate level Chinese programs. K-12 language teachers will be offered in-service training on assessment and teaching methodologies, teachers of social studies, history, science, and geography will be given the opportunity to learn about Asia and receive support in internationalizing their curriculum. Students who are already learning Chinese in high school are enriched by the offerings such as Super Saturdays, a co-curricular program for elementary and middle school students, College in High School dual credit classes for high school students, support of state language competitions, and will benefit more generally from the establishment of a robust Asian studies program along with a Chinese Language Program at WKU. This in turn will create a larger cohort of university students in Kentucky with higher levels of Chinese proficiency and awareness and knowledge about Asia, which will help meet the need for linguistically and culturally competent graduates in Kentucky and nationally.

Community and Business Outreach: WKU seeks to promote interest and awareness in China and Chinese beyond the university and to serve as a resource for the state, for businesses, and for government. We plan to develop and offer Language for Professionals and Community Language classes designed for business professionals and members of the community. Additionally, we will offer training and enrichment about Chinese culture, society. We will also run a public lecture series offered by WKU faculty with Asian studies expertise. One goal of these lecture series and culture and arts programming is to explicitly connect Kentuckians with China, to engage them personally and professionally to bring the two countries closer together. By highlighting what we have in common and what different, we can help bring China to Kentucky through topics such as architecture and historic planning, agricultural practices, or karst systems in Kentucky and China.

News & Events:
Super Saturday Art Classes
Fall and Spring Semester

The Super Saturday Art Classes are an integral part of ART 311: Foundations of Art Education and Methods I. The art education program collaborates with The Center for Gifted Studies at Western Kentucky University to offer various art classes where beginning art education majors learn to plan and teach a thematic unit of art lessons for elementary and middle grade children in a supervised setting in the Fall semester. Art education majors continue teaching the Super Saturday Art Classes in the Spring semester. Unlike the Fall semester, students independently teach various art classes with a minimum guidance of the art education faculty.

Winter Super Saturday Art Classes
January 31, February 7, 14, 21, and 28, 2004 Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center
Colorful cultures around the world, Part II, Grade 2-3, FAC 454
Instructor: Kendall Tarret, 12 students

Take an artistic journey through distant lands and discover traditions and colorful cultures of China, Japan, Australia, Turkey, Poland, and more! Your passport will be filled with memorable souvenirs that you have created from your exciting journey!