Guest Trainee FAQs
- What is the purpose of this Program?
- Who sponsors the Chinese Guest Trainees?
- What is the timetable of the Program?
- What are the benefits of hosting a guest trainee?
- What are the guest trainees' qualifications?
- Are the guest trainees certified to teach in the U.S.?
- What roles can guest trainees assume in a host institution?
- What institutions are eligible to apply to host a Chinese guest trainee?
- Can colleges and universities apply to the Program?
- If host institutions partner with local colleges or universities, can the guest trainee teach there as well?
- What criteria are used to evaluate host institution applications?
- What are the host institution responsibilities?
- What are the complimentary housing and transportation requirements for the guest trainee?
- Do host institutions need to cover health benefits for the guest trainee?
- What is the total cost of this Program to host institutions?
- Can host institutions apply for more than one trainee?
- What are the responsibilities of the designated program contact?
- What are the responsibilities of the assigned mentors?
- What support is provided during the Program?
- Do guest trainees bring teaching materials? Does the College Board recommend curriculum and resources?
- How long can the guest trainee stay?
- I am a Chinese teacher. How can I apply to become a guest trainee?
What is the purpose of this Program?
The Program aims to further international exchange between the United States and China. It is intended as a cultural enrichment opportunity for U.S. K-12 schools and districts with existing Chinese programs. It benefits both host institutions, who by participating gain a native speaker and cultural resource, and the trainees, who will enhance their skills and expertise in the field of teaching Chinese as a foreign language through structured work-based training and mentoring.
Who sponsors the Chinese Guest trainees?
This Program is made possible through a partnership between the College Board and Hanban (Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters) in China. In addition, the College Board collaborates with NCSSFL (National Council of State Supervisors for Languages) to review applications, select and prepare the trainees. The Institute of International Education serves as the J-1 visa sponsor for trainees in the Program.
What is the timetable of the Program?
| February 1, 2012 | Application deadline |
| January-February 2012 | The College Board and NCSSFL representatives review applications and the College Board notifies selected host schools/districts. |
| March-April 2012 | Approved schools/districts review and sign program contracts with the College Board. Guest trainees are selected and assigned to schools/districts and sign a program agreement. |
| April 12-14, 2012 | Host institution representatives attend Program Orientation at the National Chinese Language Conference. |
| April 25, 2012 | Deadline for schools to submit program contracts to the College Board. |
| Summer 2012 | Guest trainees apply for J-1 exchange visitor visas, and take part in pre-service training in China and in the U.S. |
| Early August 2012 | Guest trainees arrive in the United States. |
| August 2012-July 2013 | Guest trainees support Chinese language and culture learning in their assigned school/district. |
| July 2013 | Guest trainees return to China. |
What are the benefits of hosting a guest trainee?
Benefits of hosting include:
- Schools enhance their Chinese language programs with assistance from a native Chinese speaker, who can support Chinese classes, expand after-school and extracurricular Chinese offerings, and conduct cultural activities to foster interest among students and the larger community.
- Students gain a valuable opportunity to practice their language skills with a native Chinese speaker.
- The guest trainee can serve as a cultural resource in Chinese classes and in other subjects.
- Participating schools have the opportunity to be part of an international exchange program and bring more global perspectives to their community.
- The guest trainees receive a stipend from Hanban to support their expenses; host institutions are responsible for providing complimentary housing and transportation.
What are the guest trainees' qualifications?
Trainees participating in the Program for the 2012-13 school year possess the following qualifications:
- Post-graduate training in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language from a Chinese university
- At least one year of international teaching experience as a Hanban Volunteer Teacher
- Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) certificate
- Proficiency in English
Are the guest trainees certified to teach in the U.S.?
Though the guest trainees have specialized training in foreign language education, they are not certified in the United States. The trainee position is not intended to fill the role of a certified teacher and a trainee should not be assigned as the teacher for any course.
What roles can guest trainees assume in a host institution?
The Chinese guest trainees' strength and expertise is in serving as a Chinese language and culture resource.
Examples of appropriate roles for trainees:
- Assist after-school and extracurricular Chinese programs
- Collect resources and materials for Chinese language programs, and assist in Chinese classes with special activities
- Provide interdisciplinary enrichment to courses in other subjects, e.g. Social Studies
- Serve as conversation exchange partners with students learning Chinese
- Support cultural and extracurricular activities in the school and community
Trainees should support the work of the multiple classes, and not be permanently assigned as a teacher or co-teacher of any specific class or course. Trainees should not be responsible for developing the curriculum of a Chinese program, be assigned to primarily clerical work at the institution, or work in early childhood or child care programs. Trainees may be assigned up to 32 hours per week of work-based training. If a guest teacher and a trainee are placed at the same host institution, their work should be fully independent of each other.
What institutions are eligible to apply to host a Chinese guest trainee?
Accredited, full-time, public K-12 school districts or independent schools are eligible to apply. Individual public schools interested to host teachers should obtain district-level approval for their application. School sites with existing Chinese programs are given preference in the application process. If your school site does not have an existing program, the application must specify in detail how the school will offer work-based training and support in teaching Chinese as a foreign language.
Can colleges and universities apply to the Program?
No. This Program is designed to help K-12 schools and districts enrich a Chinese language program. Colleges or universities may assist host schools or districts by providing professional development opportunities.
If host institutions partner with local colleges or universities, can the guest trainee teach there as well?
No. Participating schools and districts, under contract with the College Board, serve as host sites. Guest trainees can only be assigned to support the learning of K-12 students in accredited primary or secondary schools.
What criteria are used to evaluate host institution applications?
Host institutions are evaluated on the quality and growth of their current program, as well as their three-year program plan. The host institutions are expected to implement proficiency-oriented Chinese programs. "Exposure" programs in which students learn Chinese once a week or less are not encouraged. Host institutions are expected to provide evidence of commitment to building a sustainable Chinese language program, in which a guest trainee is a supplement to programming and staffing.
Host institutions must provide detailed, appropriate schedules for all planned trainee positions, as well as a plan for mentoring and support to the teacher. Assignments must have clear learning outcomes for the trainee.
What are the host institution responsibilities?
- Sign a contract with the College Board by April 25, 2012, agreeing to the terms and conditions for the Chinese Guest Teacher and Trainee Program.
- Pay an administrative fee for visa processing and health insurance during the contract period.
- Design a work-based training plan for the guest trainee. Responsibilities may include: after school programming, resource gathering, cultural enrichment activities, Chinese club, assisting in Chinese classes, interdisciplinary work, etc.
- Issue a training plan to the guest trainee, outlining his/her work-based training (using program templates).
- Provide the guest trainee with complimentary housing and transportation throughout the duration of the trainee's stay.
- Ensure adequate professional development and job-related training is available, enabling the trainee to fulfill his/her training plan.
- Designate a program coordinator who serves as the primary contact and liaison to the College Board.
- Assign professional and cultural mentor(s) to work closely with the guest trainee.
- Submit semi-annual guest trainee observation and progress reports to the College Board.
- Attend the Host Institution Orientation for an overview of hosting Chinese guest trainees.
- Ensure that the institution does not recruit or train guest trainees for permanent employment in the U.S.
- Confirm the institution's intent to continue offering the Chinese program beyond the appointment term of the guest trainee.
What are the complimentary housing and transportation requirements for the guest trainee?
Host institutions are required to provide complimentary housing and transportation for length of the trainee's stay. Housing must meet minimum program requirements, be furnished and have basic utilities; trainees must have their own bedrooms, access to a bathroom and kitchen facilities. Apartments, houses, campus dormitories, and host family arrangements are acceptable forms of housing.
Transportation should cover home to school transportation, as well as regular trips to grocery stores and occasional leisure transportation. Public transportation, carpooling, bicycles and taxis are acceptable forms of transportation as long as it is safe and appropriate per local conditions.
Although some trainees are licensed drivers in China, all trainees must be issued licenses from the host state before they are legally able to operate a vehicle unaccompanied in the U.S. This typically requires that they pass the local driver's road test. License requirements vary; we recommend host institutions assist the trainee in the process and with interim transportation.
Trainees receive a stipend of approximately $13,000 for their year of service directly from Hanban. The stipend amount is expected to cover their basic living expenses, such as meals, personal goods, and incidental expenses
Do host institutions need to cover health benefits for the guest trainee?
The administrative fee paid by host institutions is used to cover the guest trainee's visa processing and medical insurance costs. The program insurance provided to guest trainees meets J-1 visa requirements.
What is the total cost of this Program to host institutions?
During the contract period host institutions are required to:
- Pay an administrative fee of approximately $2,000 per trainee for visa processing and J-1 visa required health insurance.
- Provide the guest trainee with adequate, complimentary housing and transportation for the duration of his/her stay.
- Prepare a reasonable budget to cover the cost of materials relevant to the trainee's assignment, and allow for attendance at professional development events.
Can host institutions apply for more than one trainee?
Yes. Such applications will be reviewed and evaluated by the College Board and if accepted, more than one trainee can be assigned to the host institution. School districts are encouraged to consider hosting more than one trainee to work in different schools in the district; this approach enables the district to expand its program quickly and gain greater cultural resources.
What are the responsibilities of the designated program contact?
The designated program contact is primary person at the host institution responsible for the coordinating arrangements for the guest trainee. On behalf of the host institution, he/she serves as the first point of contact for the College Board. This person is most familiar with the policies and procedures of the Program and coordinates its administration among supervisors and mentors at each school site and among host families and others in the community.
What are the responsibilities of the assigned mentors?
Host institutions are required to assign both cultural and academic mentors to the trainee. The purpose of the cultural mentor is to help the trainee get oriented and settled into the community, and to check in regularly with the trainee. The cultural mentor can be a local (non-guest) teacher, a Chinese member of the community or an American with interest in Chinese culture. Cultural mentors will help the trainee get settled, show them important and useful locations, arrange social and cultural outings, and help explain local culture. The cultural mentor should be in frequent contact in the beginning, and at least once a month the remainder of the trainee's stay.
The academic mentor, who can be another world language teacher or teacher in the building (non-guest teacher), should introduce school rules and practices and involve the trainee in school activities. Throughout the year, the academic mentor should expose the trainee to new, American teaching strategies and guide the trainee in reflecting on his/her work. The mentor and guest trainee should have regular, guaranteed time to meet over the course of the school year.
What support is provided during the Program?
- The College Board organizes a pre-departure orientation for the guest trainees. It introduces them to living and working in the United States, the U.S. education system, and cross-cultural communication.
- Hanban and the College Board provide ongoing support to the guest trainees by offering professional guidance, resources, and professional development workshops.
- The College Board maintains on-going communication with all the guest trainees through email and by phone, and also conducts site visits in order to provide both guest trainees and host institution support and assistance.
How long can the guest trainee stay?
The guest trainee will be hosted at the host institution from August 2012 until the end of the contract period (no later than July 2013). The maximum length of stay in the U.S. for any guest trainee in the Program is one year.
I am a teacher of Chinese. How can I apply to become a guest trainee?
The College Board does not accept individual applications from interested candidates. Hanban collects the applications from trainees in China. All the Chinese guest trainees participating in this Program need to be approved by their provincial government, selected, and then approved by Hanban, the College Board and NCSSFL. The College Board only collects applications from U.S. schools and districts to host trainees.