Author: Sam Dillon for The New York Times
Photo: Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times
Published: January 20, 2010
Although thousands of American public schools have stopped offering foreign language instruction, one language is becoming more popular in schools across the country: Chinese. At the Yu Ying charter school in Washington, all classes for 200 students in prekindergarten through second grade are taught in Chinese and English on alternate days.
在美國，縱使已經有上千所美國公立學校陸續停止提供外語課程，但唯有中文這個語言例外，它變得越來越受歡迎。在華盛頓育英特許學校裡，從學前班到二年級的200位學生，都是輪流使用中文和英文兩種語言上課。
Rough calculations based on a government survey suggest that perhaps 1,600 American public and private schools are teaching Chinese, up from 300 or so a decade ago. And the numbers are growing fast.
根據美國政府的調查，大約有1600間美國公立和私立學校教授中文。在十年前，只有300間學校教授中文。而且這個數字正在迅速成長中。
Elizabeth Hardage, an assistant principal, filled in for an absent teacher in a second-grade classroom at Yu Ying charter school.
育英特許學校的副校長Elizabeth Hardage正在幫二年級的老師代課。
Some schools are paying for Chinese classes on their own, but hundreds are getting help. The Chinese government is sending teachers from China to schools all over the world -- and paying part of their salaries. At a time of tight budgets, many schools are finding that offer too good to refuse.
部分學校可以自行負擔中文課程，但是仍有數百間學校需向外尋求協助。中國政府向世界各地派出中國教師，並支付教師的部分薪資。在經費拮据的時候，許多學校都為這種機會好到讓人無法拒絕。
Students in a pre-kindergarten class sang in Chinese. Their teacher, Wang Jue, said that after four months of instruction, her pre-kindergartners can say phrases like "I want lunch" and "I'm angry" in Chinese.
學前班小朋友學唱中文歌。老師Wang Jue表示，上了四個月的課程，班上的孩子已經可以說出像是「我想吃午餐」、「我餓了」的中文句子。
Student drawings of China's iconic terra cotta army hung in the hallway.
走廊裡掛著學生著色的兵馬俑圖畫。
A decade ago, most schools with Chinese programs were on the East and West Coasts, like the Yu Ying school. But in recent years, many schools have started Chinese programs in other states, including Ohio, Texas and Utah.
十年前，大部分教授中文的學校都在東岸和西岸，例如育英特許學校。但是近幾年，許多其他州的學校也開始提供中文課程，包括俄亥俄州、德克薩斯州和猶他州等。
The number of students taking the Advanced Placement test in Chinese, introduced in 2007, has grown so fast that it will likely pass German this year as the third most-tested A.P. language, after Spanish and French, according to Trevor Packer, a vice president at the College Board.
根據美國大學理事會副會長Trevor Packer表示，以中文參加「高級課程測試」的學生人數，已超越德語名列第三，僅次於西班牙語和法語。
Experts said parents, students and educators recognize China's emergence as an important country and believe that fluency in its language can open opportunities.
專家們認為，家長、學生和教育工作者們已經認知到中國的崛起，已成為一個重要的國家，並且相信，流利地使用該國語言可以開啟更多契機。
Related Links:
-
New York Times: Foreign Languages Fade in Class — Except Chinese by Sam Dillon
- Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School
http://www.washingtonyuying.org/
