Federal Grants for Teaching Turkish
The United States Department of Education operates a grants program called F.L.A.P. (Foreign Language Assistant Program) to promote K-12 foriegn language education.
In 2009, F.L.A.P. grants were given to the Cosmos Foundation (amount: $300,000) for their chain of charter schools in Texas, and to Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania Charter School (amount: $192,355). Source:
FLAP2009LEAGrantees.pdf
Here are the abstracts for these grants
COSMOS FOUNDATION, TEXAS $300,000
Mahal May
T293B090092
Harris, Houston TX
Mark K. Namver
713 343-3333; mnamver@harmonytx.org
The project plans to develop its existing small scale Turkish language pilot program into an intensive and high level Turkish language proficiency program. The FLAP funds will help Cosmos improve its Turkish language program and replicate it at 10 other campuses located over vast geographic areas of Texas such as Houston, Austin, Bryan/College Station, Beaumont, Lubbock and Dallas. Students will receive intensive language courses during regular school hours with research based educational practices. Students will participate in local and national science events and interact with community based Turkish organizations and people from all strata of life.
Turkish 4-12
This abstract raises two interesting questions:
(1) How would a school that does not have an extended school day incorporate intensive language courses during regular school hours? Specifically, how would such courses be more intensive than normal foreign language classes which most public schools already have?
(2) Why is there a reference to "local and national science events," and how does this connect to teaching Turkish?
YOUNG SCHOLARS OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA, $192,355
Mahal May
T293B090073
Centre, State College PA
Bulent Tarman
814 237-9727; tarman@yscp.org
Young Scholars of Central PA Charter School (YSCP) currently offers Mandarin instruction to all of its 160 students in K-7. Through FLAP, YSCP plans to expand FLES instruction to 100 additional students in grades 8-12, as well as add Turkish FLES instruction for all students in K-12, through their proposed program, (CLIP) – Mandarin and Turkish. Additionally, YSCP plans to broaden the Mandarin and Turkish language exposure in Centre County by opening its after-school language instruction to all schools in the county, by adding a summer program in Mandarin and Turkish language instruction for all students K-8, and by providing professional development opportunities to Centre county teachers through a partnership with Penn State University.
Chinese and Turkish K-12
HOW ARE THESE GRANTS ACTUALLY BEING IMPLEMENTED?
Here is some information from the YSCP website regarding their language program:
"Second change, again for 6th , 7th and 8th grade students, is the delivery of Spanish and Chinese instruction. ......We are planning to expand this to other grade levels in the future.
"We have removed Turkish classes in the middle school and replaced that one hour a week with Health classes.
"Turkish classes are going to be offered at the end of the regular school day to all students. Attendance and participation to Turkish classes are optional but encouraged. You will receive further instruction regarding Turkish Classes soon."
