Utah high school students usually learn to say hello as hola, bonjour, guten tag, or konichiwa. But ni hao or Al Salaam a’ alaykum might serve them better.
In 2006, the U.S. Department of State launched the National Security Language initiative to strengthen the nation’s ability to communicate with other countries. One key component is to teach languages such as Chinese and Arabic in high school.
A new summer camp at Brigham Young University aims to help educate students in these languages. BYU is hosting Chinese and Arabic camps for high school students in July and August.
The state Office of Education also has been putting an emphasis on teaching students Chinese and Arabic since the State Department adopted the initiative. Some Utah County high schools already offer courses in Chinese. Provo High is planning to start offering Arabic courses soon.
Merit College Preparatory Academy, a new charter school opening next year in Springville, will offer classes in Chinese and Arabic as well.
“We just feel that it was something that we needed in today’s age,” said Jenni Theobald of Merit College Preparatory Academy.
Gregg Roberts, world language consultant for the state Office of Education, said the state picked Chinese and Arabic from the State Department list that also includes Hindi, Farsi and Russian because the state has the resources and the community asking for students trained in Arabic and Chinese. Speakers are needed not just at the State Department but in business as well.
“If a student can speak Arabic, they can just name their own job,” Roberts said.
Robert Holcombe, program administrator at BYU, said students enrolled in the camps will spend a lot of time in class, but they also will go on field trips and participate in activities that will allow them to practice using their skills “so that they get a real feel for using the language.”
Holcombe said students will get credit for the three-week camps because the instruction will be intense. This camp is less of a social camp than BYU’s other camps.
“A lot of these kids are really into this because they want to learn the language better,” Holcombe said.
Spots are still available for the camp. Students must have experience in Chinese and Arabic and be able to document it.
The Chinese Language camp runs July 17 to Aug. 10. Activities include a Dayaojin long march, dragon boat races and Chinese movie nights.
The Arabic language camp runs from July 23 to Aug. 17. Activities include a Bedouin tent dinner and a Ramadan meal.
The cost of both camps is $500. The fee includes materials, food and housing.
More information is available at ce.byu.edu/cw/startalk.
