Associate professor helps change how IU teaches Chinese language

Jennifer Liu, an associate professor of the East Asian Language Department, is transforming how Chinese is taught at IU and throughout the nation.

The Taiwan native develops better methodologies for teaching Chinese at IU and spreads her findings to teachers throughout the world.

The teaching of the Chinese language was never designed under one philosophy with a clear and articulate structure, Liu said. Because of the lack of well-developed ways of teaching, she set out to develop her own curriculum.

As the director of the Chinese Pedagogy Institute, she began formulating methods for teachers to educate students with thorough language skills so they could become the top “global professionals,” bringing people from around the world to Bloomington to learn how to teach Chinese.

“It’s rewarding to see how I was able to change those teachers when they had different perceptions after the teaching training programs,” Liu said.

Through the Center for Chinese Language Pedagogy, Liu also received a $1 million federal grant for her IU Chinese Flagship Program, giving students the opportunity to develop a superior skill level in Mandarin Chinese. After reaching advanced proficiency with an equivalent of three years of intensive study, including summers, students are directly enrolled in Nanjing University, where they will study Chinese alongside native speakers.

“She’s completely transformed our Chinese program,” said Robert Eno, chair of the East Asian Language department. “It’s been a great success.”

Eno said the enrollment in Chinese courses has “undoubtedly increased” with about 165 students enrolled, compared to three years ago when the enrollment was between 70 and 80 students.

“We work a step ahead of this national trend,” Liu said, explaining how students will be able to obtain teaching jobs at major universities. “It’s very, very touching to see how things have changed.”

Liu’s goal is to try to make time for everyone who needs her help because she thinks every project is important, said Janet Donley, the administrator of Liu’s Center for Chinese Language Pedagogy.

“She sees the interest of everybody’s project,” Donley said.

Liu didn’t always know her future would lead her to formulating a Chinese teaching curriculum. She started off in a foreign languages and literature program, when she placed into one of the world’s top programs at the National Taiwan University through national entrance level exams.

Always fascinated by languages and writing, Liu said she knew she would do something with words, as she was reading Chinese classics by fifth grade.

At that time, everyone in her city spoke Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese, while English was left for the classroom, where it was studied and never spoken.

“I rarely ran into anyone who spoke English,” Liu said.

Liu said if she is able to receive a federal grant, she would like to develop a summer language program for high school students.

“If I have the capacity to really make a difference or have an impact on students or teachers,” Liu said. “That’s where my heart will go.”