Introduction

I would like to introduce this book with some reflections on the importance of real-world relationships in Chinese Language Teaching, based on my own path of learning Chinese and my observation of students and teachers of Chinese whom I personally am fortunate to know. As the coordinator of the Chinese Flagship Program at the University of Oregon, I work closely with four colleagues who are full-time teachers of Chinese, covering absolute beginner to advanced levels of instruction, as well as teachers of Chinese literature, culture, and linguistics. I also get to know the students in the Chinese Flagship Program and some of the students taking Chinese classes who are not in Flagship. From this perspective I would like to emphasize the foundational and motivational importance of personal relationships in Chinese language learning. I would also like to use this space to draw attention to the fact that most of the students learning Chinese at the college level are not studying in order to become professional scholars of Chinese, which has implications for the role and status of Chinese language teachers within the institution. The chapters of this volume provide the most up-to-date research on teaching and learning. Beyond providing specific methods, strategies, and contextual wisdom, I hope that these chapters will also inspire teachers to engage on an empathetic personal level and to help their students build significant relationships with other people through communication in Chinese. I also hope that the high quality of the research collected here will bring greater recognition to the scholarly significance of Chinese Language Teaching (CLT) and advocate for greater investment in Chinese language teachers’ professional development, compensation, job security, and institutional status.