Textbooks for Elementary and High Schools in North America
The textbooks for elementary and high schools in North America must be in accordance with local learning needs. Second, they are multimedia materials, such as cultural, historic or other thematic sections that introduce habits and customs. They must be mainly in Chinese language with optional subtitles in English and Chinese. Currently the related products are mostly made in Mainland China whether their main focus is in Chinese or English, and they are not suitable for teaching needs and habits of both language learning materials and to improve cultural understanding at the same time. Due to issues of themes, scripts and inability to change between optional pronunciations of Chinese and English and so on, related multi-media materials developed by the Bright Ideas, Taiwan, can only be used in the advanced classes in many Chinese schools.

More and more teachers are looking for supplementary teaching materials with clear classification. Because a real “smart” publisher will not intend to produce a unique textbook, but rather, no matter which textbook the teacher chooses, the aims are to practice listening, speaking, reading, writing and strengthen the support of learning materials. So far, no specific and systematic Chinese learning and supportive teaching materials exist that include the practice of listening, speaking, reading and writing. If you are lucky enough to visit any of the major English Language Centers at a university in the United States, you will find that many English language centers, with many years of promoting English, have set up dozens of shelving spaces equipped with books, cassettes, and programs. All materials are accompanied with listening, speaking, reading and writing practices for different levels of students. Computer records of different learning programs, students’ progress and tests are also included.  Taiwan’s collective production ability in multimedia and digital teaching materials has been far advanced over Mainland China. According to observations, due to the lack of talents and experiences of learning in North America language centers, Mainland Chinese official organizations have their goals set to produce and publish various teaching materials. Besides teaching materials, there must also be many educational products that are worth developing. As long as we can start from the learning and thinking habits of the Americans, we definitely can embrace full sunshine and establish a path in the retailer channel to “publish” without worry about being mimicked in a short time. The following is an explanation of the main retailers of Chinese teaching materials in North America. 

Table 1-2-1.5         Current situation of major retailers in Chinese teaching materials in North America 

 Source: Cyber Wisdom Company

 a. The Bess Press

The Bess Press is an independent publisher founded in Honolulu, Hawai’i in 1979. Its main selling method is through the Internet. With its sales covering various types of books, such as children’s literature, cooking receipts, travel, and languages, they also provide history, language, culture, literature and science textbooks for schools and libraries located or focused in the pacific region and Hawai’i, USA. (www.besspress.com)   

Table 1-2-1.4~1-2-1.8          Lists of Main Teaching Materials Besides IQ Chinese in Mainstream Schools

Table 1-2-1.7  Mainstream Upper/High School

Source: Cyber Wisdom Company

Table 1-2-1.8 Main Stream Middle/Jr. High School

Source: Cyber Wisdom Company

Table 1-2-1.9  Elementary School

 Source: Cyber Wisdom Company

 
 Table 1-2-1.10   Popular Chinese language textbooks for heritage students in North America

Source: Cyber Wisdom Company

Table 1-2-1.11       List of New Product Found in ACTFL

Source: Cyber Wisdom Company