Instructors & Staff

Instructors & Staff

 

Program Director and Instructor 

Dr. An Chung Cheng (Ph. D. of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) is specialized in second language acquisition and teacher education. She is a professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and the Director of Asian Studies Program at the University of Toledo.  As a native speaker of Chinese and fluent speaker of English and Spanish, she has ample experiences of teaching foreign languages and she has taught foreign language teacher education courses since 1995. She has been actively involved in community-based Chinese heritage schools as a parent, a teacher, a member of board of directors, and the head of a weekend Chinese school in Toledo, Ohio. Her research areas are in second language acquisition, multilingualism, heritage language education, input processing, and corpus linguistics. She was the principal investigator of a research project on Chinese heritage programs in the US funded by the International Research and Studies Grant of the US Department of Education. She has been the PI and program director of the STARTALK-CHELER Chinese Leadership Program since 2013. She has actively served in professional organizations and is the chair of ACTFL Less Commonly Taught Languages Special Interest Group and the vice president of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Language. 

 

Lead Instructor - Tier 1 Group

Ms. Piling Chiu is a certified Chinese instructor currently teaching at the Naperville North High Schools in Chicago. She has taught Chinese in various weekend heritage schools, public high schools and college for some 20 years at all levels. She received her master degree from the University of Urbana-Champaign and has done numerous presentations and workshops for Chinese teacher professional development at regional and national professional conferences. Ms. Chiu has been an active member of CLASS (Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools), Midwest Chinese Teachers Alliance, Midwest Taiwanese Mandarin Teacher Association, and Chicago Suburban Chinese Teachers Alliance. She was the president of Midwest Chinese Teachers Alliance in 2008-2010. She has attended several STARTALK programs and was the lead Instructor of STARTALK Teacher Program at the DePaul University in 2012 and the STARTALK-CHELER Chinese Leadership Program at the University of Toledo each year since 2013. Ms. Chiu was awarded “Excellence in Education: The Most Influential Educator” in 2017 in her Chicago school district. 

 

Instructor - Tier 2 Group

Ms. Chiachyi Chiu currently teaches Chinese at St. Andrew’s School (SAS) in Middletown, Delaware.  She also serves as International House chair at SAS. Ms. Chiu received her first master degrees in Higher Education Consulting from the Eastern Michigan University and her second master’s degree in Education Counseling from the San Jose State University. Prior to her current teaching position, she taught at CACC Montessori School from 2003 to 2005.  She also initiated a talent development program at Redding Middle School, DE in 2005. Ms. Chiu’s experience with Chinese heritage schools started at the Chinese School of Delaware, where she taught from 2000 to 2006, during which she received the Teacher of the Year Award from the Association of Chinese Schools in 2002 and again in 2004. Ms. Chiu is one of the authors of Flying With Chinese, a series of textbook for K-6.  She has given numerous presentations with her co-authors at ACTFL, NECTFL, CLASS, NCLC, Asia Society and STARTALK conferences since 2010.  She was the master teacher and curriculum developer of the STARTALK Sea Dragon King summer camp for the Cape Henlopen School District in Delaware from 2010 to 2013. She has also conducted teachers training workshops for STARTALK programs each year since 2010.

 

Guest Speaker

Michael E. Everson is an Independent Consultant and Emeritus Associate Professor of Foreign Language Education at the University of Iowa. During his 18 years in Iowa, he coordinated one of the few K-12 Chinese language teacher certification programs in the United States. His research interests include how American students learn to read in Chinese, as well as issues surrounding Chinese language learning in the United States. His scholarship has appeared in a variety of journals and book collections, with his most recently co-edited publications being “Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language: Theories and Applications” published by Cheng & Tsui, and “Research among Learners of Chinese as a Foreign Language” published by the National Foreign Language Resource Center at The University of Hawaii.  He is also one of the lead designers of “Read Chinese!” an online reading project designed for high school learners of Chinese through the National Foreign Language Center in College Park, MD.  Professor Everson has served on a number of boards having to do with strategic planning initiatives for Chinese language education and conducts workshops for Chinese language teachers that deal with the theoretical and practical aspects of Chinese literacy education. As well, he has also served two terms on the Board of Directors of the Chinese Language Teachers Association and was on the executive board of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages where he served as its president. Professor Everson was honored by the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages in 2009 when he received their prestigious A. Ronald Walton Award for lifetime service dedicated to the furthering of less commonly taught language initiatives, and by The Chinese Language Teachers Association in 2011 when he was awarded their Cheng & Tsui Walton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

 

Technology Instructor

Ms. Jia-Fang Eubanks received her master degree in Education at the Metropolitan State University of Denver.  She has 14 years of professional experience in teaching Chinese in all levels ranging from elementary to college, this also includes heritage school. She was the principal of Colorado Chinese Language School. Jia-Fang has been using technology in various field for more than 25 years including publishing, web design, and education. She worked for CTB McGraw-Hill for States Standardized Tests and Evan-Moor Publishing company that publishing educational books and materials for K-6 as desktop designer and artist for more than 10 years. She is currently teaching Chinese at Denver Public School, Colorado. During her professional teaching career, she has developed her own curricula including publishing a Chinese Hanyu Pinyin Workbook for beginning Chinese learners and has conducted award-winning educational research on integrating 21st-century writing workshop into a Chinese language immersion school. She has been presenting at various workshops for educational technologies, including StarTalk_Cheler Chinese Teacher Leadership Program at University of Toledo Ohio, Colorado Chinese Language Teachers Consortium, and CCLS.

 

Ms. Jia-Fang Eubanks believes that technology is transforming the way students learn in the 21st Century. She has worked with teachers to design technology enhanced lesson plans to motivate and keep track on student’s learning growth including online assessments and e-protfolios. She also designed an online AP prep course for Chinese heritage students based on the Google educational platform and apps. In addition to her native Mandarin and Taiwanese, Jia-Fang speaks fluent Japanese and English.

 

Program Coordinator and Master Teacher in Technology

Lan-Chi (Ivy) Gauler is currently teaching at Maumee Valley Country Day school and a Chinese teacher at Toledo Chinese School. She also has run several after-school programs for PK-3rd grade and summer camps. She participates in continuing education and professional development workshops every year and has accumulated a wealth of resources to enhance the learning of her students. She earned her master degree in Education at the University of Findlay and had taught English for six years in Taiwan. This experience has given her a unique perspective of the challenges students and teachers face when teaching a language. She uses differentiated instruction to reach diverse learners and technologies to enhance students’ learning in the target language through a variety of activities and tasks. She was awarded the Chinese teacher of the year by the Chinese Association of Greater Toledo in 2014.

 

Master Teacher and Online Session Facilitator

Ms. Yue Gu received her Ed. D. in Curriculum and Instructions from the University of Toledo. She taught English in China for two years and has taught Chinese at a local Chinese heritage school, a public and a private high school and at the University of Toledo for several years. She is specialized in contextualized instruction in Chinese and teacher cognition in professional development.  She was awarded the Chinese teacher of the year by the Chinese Association of Greater Toledo in 2010 and 2011. She is currently the teacher of Chinese at the St. John’s Jesuit High School and Academy and at the Chinese heritage school in Toledo, Ohio.

 

Master Teacher and Online Session Facilitator

Ms. Shih-Hua Fu is an experienced teacher and academic director at a Chinese heritage school in Miami, Florida for twenty some years. Ms. Fu has involved in numerous professional development workshop in teaching Chinese and attended STARTALK Chinese Teacher Programs since 2009 each year and has served as the master teacher for the STARRTALK-CHELER Chinese Leadership Program since 2016. She has a master degree in Biomedical Engineering and is a research data manager at the University of Miami. 

 

Program Assistants

Ms. Shujuan Wang is a doctoral student in Educational Technology at the University of Toledo.  She was Instructional Designer after received her master degree in Instructional design at the Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.  She had ample experience in integrating technology into teaching and learning.

 

Ms. Qian Wang Qian (Fiona) holds her M.A. in TESOL and Bilingual Education. She is currently in her Ph.D. program majoring Curriculum and Instruction. She taught Chinese courses in a Chinese heritage school in Columbus from 2014-2016 and is currently teaching at a Chinese School in Toledo. She has designed Chinese curricula for Findlay Public School as well as a university-level Chinese language curriculum. She served as the Co-director of an ELL Support Center at the University of Findlay. She is interested in using communicative language teaching methods in second language classrooms.

 

Volunteers

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

STARTALK-CHELER Chinese Leadership Program 2018-FAQs

 

Here are answers to frequently asked questions

 

If you have a question that is not addressed here, please email us at

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1. What is STARTALK?

 

2. What are the goals of this 2018 STARTALK-CHELER Program?

 

3. What makes 2018 STARTALK-CHELER different with other Summer STARTALK Institute?

 

4. What are the key dates for 2018 STARTALK-CHELER, in particular, the start and end dates?

 

5. Can I get credits by attending 2018 STARTALK-CHELER Program?

 

6. Can I receive graduate credits as well?

 

7. What are the on-campus residential expectations?

 

8. What is the cost of the 2018 STARTALK-CHELER Program?

 

9. Where is the funding coming from for 2018 STARTALK-CHELER Program?

 

10. If I am accepted into 2018 STARTALK-CHELER Program but live in Toledo or close by, do I have the accommodation for the 1-week residential portion – from July 15-July 22, 2018?

 

11. How do I make changes to the personal information saved on the application form?

 

12. Do I need to create a community-based program plan BEFORE coming to Toledo for the residential portion?

 

13. Are there other STARTALK programs that are available as references for preparing myself to participate in 2018 STARTALK-CHELER program at UT as a Chinese heritage school teacher?

 

14. What if I am flying or driving to Toledo, Ohio?

 

15. Where will the residential portion be located? And what about transportation in Toledo?

 

16. Where can I find basic information about the program?

 

17. Who should I contact with questions about 2018 STARTALK-CHELER?

 

18. What is the format of the online course?  Are we watching recorded videos or meeting live? How often do we meet?

 

19. Who are the trainers this year?  Do the instructors use Chinese or English during training?  

 

20. What is the main content of the four-week online session and one-week workshop?

 

 

 

About The Program

 

What is STARTALK? Top

STARTALK’s mission is to increase the number of Americans learning, speaking, and teaching critical need foreign languages by offering students (K–16) and teachers of these languages creative and engaging summer experiences that strive to exemplify best practices in language education and in language teacher development, forming an extensive community of practice that seeks continuous improvement in such criteria as outcomes-driven program design, standards-based curriculum planning, learner-centered approaches, excellence in selection and development of materials, and meaningful assessment of outcomes.

Resources can be retrieved from the website of https://startalk.umd.edu/about

 

What are the goals of this 2018 STARTALK-CHELER Program? Top

The STARTALK/CHELER Chinese Leadership Program is designed to help experienced teachers who teach heritage learners and/or leaders of community-based Chinese heritage schools/programs (CHS) improve the learning of students from preK-12 with diverse linguistic backgrounds. Heritage speakers have the highest potential to reach advanced and professionally functional levels of proficiency. Therefore, strengthening heritage language education and the untapped language and culture resources in community is a shortcut to building the critical language capacity for a competitive force of the U.S. The 2018 program will provide participants with differentiated learning with two-tier curricula to better meet the needs of new and returning STARTALK participants and to provide opportunities of stimulating exchanges of success stories and lessons learned.  Participants this year will also learn about integrating technology into teaching and learning for Chinese heritage learners.The goals of the STARTALK-CHELER Leadership Program are to prepare participants in the development of innovative curricula and teaching practice to meet the needs of diverse Chinese heritage learners for a language program that advances high levels of communicative and cultural competence. The participants will be able to: (1) design standards-based thematically organized unit/lesson plans that address learner needs with backward design planning, differentiated instruction, and technology support; (2) develop the literacy skills of Chinese heritage learners and to meet their diverse needs; and (3) understand and develop assessment practices that reflect student learning experiences.

 

The goals for returning STARTALK participants are to further their understanding of the STARTALK-endorsed principles by created model curriculum with emphasis on self-reflection and with the mentoring from master teachers.  Returning participants will work with mentors throughout the fall semester in implementing their lesson plans.

 

What makes 2018 STARTALK-CHELER different with other Summer STARTALK Institute? Top

STARTALK-CHELER Program differs from other STARTALK Teacher Programs in that STARTALK-CHELER Program targets at teachers and/or academic directors of Chinese heritage schools to address the needs of learners at the Chinese heritage schools in the United States. While the STARTALK-CHELER Program emphasizes the importance of Standard-based and STARTALK-principled curriculum, the Program also takes into account special situations in Chinese heritage schools/programs. Unlike the traditional STARTALK teacher programs, STARTALK-CHELER Chinese Leadership Program aims at fostering sustainability of a vital critical language community and building the capacity of advanced the American speakers of Mandarin Chinese for the global community.

 

What are the key dates for 2018 STARTALK-CHELER, in particular, the start and end dates? Top

The program starts on Wednesday, June 13, with an online preparation that concludes on July 11, 2018, and then continues with a face-to-face workshop (a one-week residency program at the University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio) from July 15, through July 22, 2018. A follow up online forum will provide the continuous support and mentoring during summer and fall semester of 2018.

 

Can I get credits by attending 2018 STARTALK-CHELER Program? Top

Six Continuing Education Units (CEU) will be granted to the participants who successfully complete the requirements of 2018 STARTALK-CHELER Program. The University charges Continuing Education Units (CEU) fee but the grant will cover the cost while participants receive the certification of completion of the program. The CEUs usually are necessary for teachers with a teaching certificate or license for K-12 in-service teachers to meet their continuing education requirements.

 

Can I receive graduate credits as well? Top

It is possible to earn graduate credits of a course offered in the College of Education, with additional tuition payments to the University of Toledo. A limited scholarship is available. For details, please send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

What are the on-campus residential expectations? Top

The on-campus residential portion, July 15 12:00 p.m.-July 22, 1:00 p.m., requires participants to attend class activities, program requirements, and actively participate in the discussions of all planning sessions—and arrive on time at the appointed meeting places.

 

What is the cost of the 2018 STARTALK-CHELER Program? Top

Tuition, housing, meals, program materials are provided to all accepted applicants out of town. Tuition, lunch, program materials are provided to all local accepted applicants.  Limited travel support will be provided to some participants as well.

 

Where is the funding coming from for 2018 STARTALK-CHELER Program? Top

2018 STARTALK-CHELER Program is one of the 33 STARTALK Chinese Teacher Programs grants given in the year of 2018 across the US. It is funded by NSA and managed by the National Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland.

 

If I am accepted into 2018 STARTALK-CHELER Program but live in Toledo or close by, do I have the accommodation for the one-week residential portion – from July 15 to July 22, 2018? Top

If you live in or close to Toledo, Ohio, you do not need to stay in the UT Housing. You still are required to attend class activities, program requirements, and all planned sessions—and arrive on time at the appointed meeting places. Tuition, lunch, program materials are provided for you during the on-site portion. Limited travel support will be available to those live out of Toledo.

Application

 

How do I make changes to the personal information saved on the application form? Top

You should be able to return to your application form within two weeks since the creation of the application form.  Any problem, please send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

 

CURRICULUM

 

Do I need to create a community-based program plan BEFORE coming to Toledo for the residential portion? Top

You will be asked to create a plan for a language and cultural program in your own community. Therefore, before the program begins, you are asked to make inquiries to (a) identify potential problems(improvement) you want to solve(make) in your class, school or program, (b) bring this information about those programs/community settings to 2018 STARTALK-CHELER program, (c) bring your own lesson plans and teaching materials used in the past to UT campus.

 

Are there other STARTALK programs that are available as references for preparing myself to participate in 2018 STARTALK-CHELER program at UT as a Chinese heritage school teacher? Top

Each STARTALK program has a special focus to make it unique. 2018 STARTALK-CHELER Chinese Leadership Program for Chinese heritage school teachers is focusing on improving the planning and teaching practice of the teachers who teach in a community setting with a diverse group of PreK-12 language learners. 2018 STARTALK-CHELER program focuses solely on this specific group of teachers—Chinese heritage language teachers, who teach in this specific context—community-based Chinese schools/programs. The technology portion of the program will address strategies and tools that meet the needs of learners from the community-based Chinese heritage schools.

 

The following link provides the information about the key elements respectively about teaching heritage learners are helpful resources to use.

http://startalk.nhlrc.ucla.edu/startalk/lessons.aspx

 

 

TRAVEL/ACCOMMODATION

 

What if I am flying or driving to Toledo, Ohio? Top

If you fly to Toledo airport (TOL), there are a rental car and taxi services from TOL to University of Toledo main campus to choose.  We might be able to get volunteer drivers from the local area but we cannot be sure about the schedule and person at the point.  The two airports near Toledo is the following:

 TOL           Toledo Express Airport

 DTW          Detroit Metro Airport

 The transportation from the Toledo Express Airport and from the Detroit Metro Airport (MI) can be found here:

 https://www.utoledo.edu/cisp/international/pdfs/arrivaloptions.pdf

 If you drive to Toledo, here is the address to the University of Toledo

The University of Toledo- Main Campus

2801 W. Bancroft

Toledo, Ohio 43606-3390

 

If you take a bus or arrive Toledo by car, the following link can help you find the right information to University of Toledo main campus.

http://www.utoledo.edu/facilities/transit/TransportationOptions.html

 

Where will the residential portion be located? And what about transportation in Toledo? Top

The Residential portion is located at the main campus at the University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio: Presidents Hall, (3045 Residence Dr. Toledo, OH 43606, Front Desk: 419.530.1700, http://www.utoledo.edu/studentaffairs/reslife/ResidenceHalls/PresidentsHall.html). Presidents Hall is conveniently located near Rocket Hall and 5-10 minutes’ walk to our class site. Complimentary parking is available for camp and conference participants in lot Area 27B (in between Ottawa East and the Transportation Center).  Wi-Fi is also complimentary and access information is provided at check in.The University walking, jogging and bike path is nearby. If you want to explore the town, you may use TARTA, which is the transit system that services Toledo and many surrounding communities. TARTA can be used to go to anywhere in Toledo and has a dedicated stop at the Transportation Center on the main campus. You can also use TARTA to get to surrounding communities such as Perrysburg, Maumee, Rossford, Ottawa Hills and Spencer Township. Of course, taxi or rental car is an option as well.

Others

 

Where can I find basic information about the program? Top

Visit http://startalk.cheler.org to learn more about program details and the instructors.

 

Who should I contact with questions about 2018 STARTALK-CHELER? Top

Please email  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

What is the format of the online course?  Are we watching recorded videos or meeting live?  How often do we meet? Top

We designed a blended online session and onsite workshop to meet the needs and schedule of Chinese school teacher's work hours. When you take the online session, you can expect to read articles, watch videos, discussion forum, and write a brief reflection weekly. There will be hour modules and you need to complete the work by the end of each week but you can read or do assignments during the time of your convenience.  In addition, there will be at least synchronic online sessions during which you can join a live virtual meetings, video recordings will be available.  Individual teachers should expect to work on the assignment 5-7 hours a week.

 

Who are the trainers this year?  Do the instructors use Chinese or English during training?  Top

If the instructor speaks Mandarin Chinese, Chinese will be used during discussion or lecture as much   as possible.  The guest speaker can lecture in Chinese, but he would be able to engage in more in-depth discussion if English is used.  For a list of instructors, please refer to http://startalk.cheler.org/index.php/instructors-staff

 

What is the main content of the four-week online session and one-week workshop? Top

The online content is for concept orientation and topics include recent trends in teaching and learning of world languages in the United States, such as differences between heritage learners and foreign language learners, differentiated instruction.  World-Readiness for the Learning of Languages, ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, Six Startalk Endorsed Principles, Backward Design planning, literacy development for Chinese heritage learners, performance-based assessment, and integration of technology into teaching and learning within the context of community-based Chinese heritage schools.  The online portion of the course will require a dedicated person with strong self-discipline.  Onsite training is only one week, and the focus will be an in-depth discussion of topics addressed during the online session and many hands-on planning and teaching practice in small groups.

 

 

For general questions, please contact the Program Coordinator:

Lan-Chi (Ivy) Gauler (林蘭琪)

STARTALK-CHELER Program Coordinator

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For additional questions related to the course and program, please contact:

An Chung Cheng, Ph.D. (鄭安中)

Associate Professor

Department of Foreign Languages

The University of Toledo

Memorial Field House 2400L,

2801 W. Bancroft St.

Toledo, Ohio 43606

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419-530-2146

Program application

The 2018 STARTALK-CHELER program application starts on May 1, 2018.  

Registration Weblink - 

Follow this link to the application: 
https://acsurvey.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6eU7F6mJ4gJrGXX

If you have any questions regarding this year's workshop, please send us an e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

See also: http://www.cheler.org