The Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Houston, together with the Chinese Language Teachers Association of Texas (CLTA-TEXAS) and the Mandarin Center of the Universities of St. Thomas and Wenzao Ursulin, hosted the 2025 CLTA-TEXAS Annual Conference in Houston, drawing more than 30 Mandarin teachers from across Texas.
Building on the success of last year’s first post-pandemic in-person gathering, this year’s conference once again provided a lively platform for Mandarin educators to exchange ideas, share best practices, and strengthen professional ties.
Keynote speakers included Dr. Meng Yeh of Rice University, who presented on student-centered approaches in Mandarin pedagogy, and Ms. Annick Chen of the Kent Denver School, who highlighted the connection between neuroscience and language acquisition while demonstrating innovative interactive teaching strategies.
Outstanding local educators from the Southern United States, including Director Annie Lee of Institute of Chinese Culture, Ms. Yi Zhang of the Houston Mandarin Immersion Magnet School, Director Lorin Lee of St. Thomas High School, Ms. Rose Wang of the Westchester Academy for International Studies, and Ms. Vivian Chen of St. John’s School, also shared their classroom experiences, offering practical insights into engaging students and promoting interest in Mandarin and Taiwanese culture.
The two-day event concluded with a roundtable discussion, giving attendees a chance to voice their final thoughts and further connect with their peers. CLTA-TEXAS expressed appreciation to Chairman Don Wang of the E&M Foundation for his generous sponsorship as well as to Director Andrea Yang of Education Division (TECO in Houston) for her forward-thinking vision and tireless efforts towards advancing Mandarin education in Texas.