1. Ruth Mabanglo, University of Hawaii Marmo Soemarmo, Ohio University Chhany Sak Humphrey, University of Hawaii Thomas W. Gething, University of Washington Bac Hoai Tran, University of California, Berkeley U.S. Department of EducationTitle VI 50 th Anniversary Conference March 2009 Group Projects Abroad in Southeast Asia

2. The Vietnamese Advanced Summer Institute The Vietnamese Language Studies Saigon Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam U.S. Department of EducationTitle VI 50 th Anniversary Conference March 2009 Bac Hoai Tran University of California at Berkeley bact@berkeley.edu

3. Program began in 1996 under the umbrella of GUAVA Average number of participants: 12 Most recent annual grant amount: $74,899 U.S. Department of EducationTitle VI 50 th Anniversary Conference March 2009

4. Relations with the U.S. Title VI Centers Universities that support the program: Hawaii, Washington, Berkeley, Wisconsin, Michigan, Cornell (6 NRCs) Type of support: Each contributing $1,500 U.S. Department of EducationTitle VI 50 th Anniversary Conference March 2009

5. U.S.–based Organizational Matters U.S. host university facilities and personnel: CSEAS, staff of 4 Grant processing: IAS & SPO Transfer of money to students: Airfare, tuition, lodging, some meals, subvention Transfer of money to in-country host: Invoice, wiring Responsibility for annual reporting to USED: PI, Field Director(s), students Triennial/quadrennial grant application U.S. Department of EducationTitle VI 50 th Anniversary Conference March 2009

6. Relations with the in-country host site Type of in-country host: VLSS Selection of instructors: By VLSS from a pool of 30 instructors Annual cost and change in cost in recent years: No figures from previous years Exchange rates: 16,500 -17,000 Vietnamese dong per US dollar Social events and home stay: Reception, closing ceremony, conversation partners, short home stays Field trips: fewer from now on U.S. Department of EducationTitle VI 50 th Anniversary Conference March 2009

7. Recruitment of students and related matters Advertising: Website, flyers Application procedures: 0nline form Screening of applicants: Selection Committee (GUAVA members) Visa arrangements: By students Travel Booking: Travel agency in Oakland Student Fees: Application fee ($25), program fee ($1,000) Student Stipends: Subvention U.S. Department of EducationTitle VI 50 th Anniversary Conference March 2009

8. Experience of heritage vs. non- heritage students Linguistic issues: According to some teachers, heritage students better at _____ and non-heritage at _____; 3 levels & tutorials as solution Cultural issues: Again, according to some instructors, heritage students more into _____ & _____ and non- heritage into _____ & _____ Challenges in host country: Climate & culture shock? U.S. Department of EducationTitle VI 50 th Anniversary Conference March 2009

9. Materials U.S. Department of EducationTitle VI 50 th Anniversary Conference March 2009 Text, audio, film materials: Handouts of authentic materials, mini-lecture series Role of host-site in materials preparation and selection:. Course reader, handouts with exercises added, natural/idiomatic Vietnamese. Autonomy as an issue

10. Testing U.S. Department of EducationTitle VI 50 th Anniversary Conference March 2009 Placement testing: ESP & VLSS Achievement testing: Individual projects/presentations COTSEAL’s assessment workshop by Carl Falsgraf at NCOLCTL in April? Workshop Description: From Assessment of Learning to Assessment for Learning The purpose of assessment is not just to assign grades, but to improve teaching and learning. This workshop will show how to create a balanced assessment system that includes project work, performance tasks, multimedia evidence, and, yes, tests. Participants will learn how to make better assessments and how to use the results of those assessments to become better teachers and to motivate students to become confident, self-directed lifelong learners. Participants will develop a set of expectations for a class they are teaching or supervising, outline a system for demonstrating that those expectations have been met, create specific assessments, and develop a plan for using data to improve teaching and learning.

11. Follow-up presentation by students after return to the U.S.: Feasibility as an issue Alumni tracking: New requirement; submission of lists U.S. Department of EducationTitle VI 50 th Anniversary Conference March 2009

12. VASI / SEASSI In general, we have been seeing a closer relationship between VASI and the Vietnamese program at SEASSI in terms of methodology and participation. VASI is moving toward a modular approach, and more and more students of Vietnamese have become participants of both programs. Some students do one or two SEASSIs before taking part in VASI; others do VASI and then go to SEASSI for the next level(s). In this way, many American students of Vietnamese, among whom doctoral candidates in the humanities covering SEA have always formed a key constituency, are enjoying the best learning experience ever provided that will enable them to go far in their own fields where a high level of fluency makes all the difference. U.S. Department of EducationTitle VI 50 th Anniversary Conference March 2009

13. Conclusion In other words, we cannot stress enough how important the federal government support is to the continuation of these language programs, both at home and abroad.