Mandarin learners boom in U.S. schools  

美指定普通話為“特需”語言 學生熱衷學中文

隨著中國經濟影響力與日俱增，美國次世代年輕人正越來越視學習中文為未來就業的“敲門磚”。達拉斯新聞晨報21日報道稱，專家指出熟練掌握漢語將幫助美國學生在全球經濟中立足，學習中文普通話正在成為全美、特別是得克薩斯州達拉斯-沃斯堡地區學生們最熱衷的外語選修課。

Houston (CNS) -- As China grows, so does the number of Mandarin learners in U.S. schools, especially in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the Dallas Morning News reported on Wednesday.

The U.S. government has designated Mandarin as a "critical need" language and provides professional development programs for teachers to improve citizens' language abilities, said Marty Abbott, executive director of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

She estimated that as many as 100,000 students are now studying Mandarin in public and private schools throughout the whole nation.

More and more English-speaking people realize the necessity of learning Chinese, said Gu Mingdong, director of the Confucius Institute at UT Dallas.

According to the newest survey by the ACTFL, the number of Mandarin learners in grades seven to twelve in all U.S. public schools has grown to 60,000 from 20,000 in the past three years.

The Confucius Institute at UT Dallas has already opened Confucius lectures in 11 local public schools, attracting more than 700 students to learn Mandarin, Gu said.