Ning, Cynthia Y. 任友梅

Associate Director, Center for Chinese Studies
Moore 418: 956-2692
Fax: 956-2682
Email: cyndy@hawaii.edu

BA 1973, Kalamazoo College
MA 1976, University of Michigan
PhD 1986, University of Michigan

Since 1991, Dr. Ning’s administrative duties have included general oversight of the Center, assistance with long-term fundraising for endowments in Chinese Studies, Center-wide initiatives including international links and study abroad programs, town-grown projects such as Legacy: History of the Chinese in Hawai’i, and grant-writing/project management for projects such as the ABC (Alphabetically-based Computerized) Chinese-English Dictionary. Her research interests include Chinese language pedagogy and materials development, Chinese comic literature, and Chinese film. She regularly conducts teacher training classes for secondary and post-secondary levels on performance-based language testing and training, and gives a wide range of lectures on Chinese culture to both academic and non-academic audiences. In 1998, she was president of the US-based international Chinese Language Teachers Association, in 1999 its immediate-past president, and from 2000-2009 served as its executive director. She is also the author of several Chinese language textbooks published by Yale University Press. For example, see http://www.encounterschinese.com. She is in the process of creating a website for Chinese language education, at manoa.hawaii.edu/learnchinese.

China-Related Courses

  • ASAN 330 Chinese Film: Art & History

Publications

  • Encounters: Chinese Language and Culture (a multi-media suite of language learning materials including feature film, text, and website) Books 1, 2, 3 and 4.  Yale University Press and the China International Publishing Group, 2013ff.
  • Read Chinese (150 online lessons; with Michael Everson). U of Maryland National Foreign Language Center, 2008.
  • Exploring in Chinese: A Second Year Curriculum. DVD, student text and teacher’s guide (Yale University Press, 2008).
  • Communicating in Chinese: A First-year Curriculum. Yale University: Yale University Press.
    • Student’s Book 1: Listening & Speaking, 1993.
    • Teacher’s Book 1: Listening & Speaking, 1993.
    • Student’s Book 2: Reading & Writing, 1994.
    • Teacher’s Book 2: Reading & Writing, 2000.
    • Picture Cards to Accompany Student’s Book 1, 1994.
    • Audiotapes to Accompany Student’s Book 1, 1995.
    • Workbook for Audiotapes (Co-authored w/Meng Yeh), 1999.
  • Mandarin for Kids (Video Programs for grades 3-5). Hawaii Department of Education, 2006.
  • Say It in Chinese (Video Programs based on Communicating in Chinese). Hawaii Department of Education, 2002.
  • Chinese Language Video Lessons for Classroom Use (w/Stephen Fleming and David Hiple). University of Hawaii Second Language Teaching & Curriculum Center (SLTCC), 1997.
  • Chinese Sentence Book: A Copy-Ready Workbook. Honolulu: Bess Press, 1996.
  • Chinese Language Video Clips for Classroom Use (w/Stephen Fleming and David Hiple). University of Hawai’i SLTCC, 1996.
  • Readings in Authentic Chinese Texts (w/Stephen Fleming & David Hiple). 3 Vols. University of Hawai’i SLTCC, 1994.
  • Authentic Chinese Video (w/Madeline Spring, David Hiple, & Stephen Fleming). University of Hawai’i SLTCC, 1994.
  • Encyclopedia entries on Chinese film, including “Qingchunji,” “Zhang Nuanxin,” “Zhang Yimou,” “Zhang Yuan,” and “Sun Zhou” for various compilations.