Chinese Curriculum Development in Overseas K-12 Education: Current Status, Challenges, and Strategic Responses#br#

Zhou Xiaobing, Jiang Chenhao, Zhang Danni and Yuan Li

Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning ›› 2025, Vol. 10 ›› Issue (5) : 27-36.

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Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning ›› 2025, Vol. 10 ›› Issue (5) : 27-36. DOI: 10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20250502

Chinese Curriculum Development in Overseas K-12 Education: Current Status, Challenges, and Strategic Responses#br#

  • Zhou Xiaobing, Jiang Chenhao, Zhang Danni and Yuan Li
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Abstract

The development of the Chinese language curriculum for K-12 education represents a critical step for countries seeking to integrate Chinese into their national education systems. To date, 85 countries have formally incorporated Chinese as a foreign language within their basic education frameworks. Curriculum guidelines across these contexts vary in structure: some are issued centrally at the national level, others are developed by regional authorities, and in some cases, national and regional guidelines coexist. A notable trend in recent years has been a shift from list-based syllabi centered on discrete linguistic elements to task-oriented frameworks that prioritize communicative competence. In countries with advanced education systems, Chinese language curricula are increasingly shaped by localization and context-specific needs. Based on an analysis of two representative cases—the New Zealand NCEA Chinese Examination Vocabulary List and the Chinese Language Curriculum Framework for Excellence (2022 Edition) from the United Arab Emirates—this study identifies key challenges in the current development of overseas Chinese language curricula. These include insufficient alignment between content and structure, limited responsiveness to evolving educational paradigms, and the narrow perspectives of curriculum developers. Addressing these issues requires a multifaceted approach: optimizing and integrating curriculum structures, contextualizing implementation and pedagogical application, conducting comparative analysis of second language curriculum models across multiple languages, and establishing collaborative development mechanisms while promoting standardization. These efforts are essential to fostering innovation and enhancing the global design and implementation of Chinese language curricula in K-12 education.

Key words

international Chinese language education / K-12 education / curriculum / contemporary development / innovative strategies

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Zhou Xiaobing, Jiang Chenhao, Zhang Danni and Yuan Li. Chinese Curriculum Development in Overseas K-12 Education: Current Status, Challenges, and Strategic Responses#br#[J]. Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2025, 10(5): 27-36 https://doi.org/10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20250502

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