The American Tamil Academy (ATA) was established to coordinate Tamil language education efforts across various Tamil schools in the United States. It has prepared common syllabi, textbooks, and exercises for different grade levels. ATA has registered several schools, published textbooks for the 2011-2012 academic year, and created a website and eLearning portal. It aims to provide online lessons, tests, student records, and accreditation for Tamil education at higher levels. ATA collaborates with various Tamil organizations and academics to further its mission of standardizing and advancing Tamil language instruction in the US.

1. www.AmericanTamilAcademy.org
www.AmTaAc.org

2. ¾t …t ƒ Žt { }
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Prepare a common syllabus, text books and exercise books
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Take efforts to have state level accreditation for Tamil to be taught in schools and
arrange for competent students to get college credits
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Make use of IT facilities and softwares for Tamil education

3. ¾t …t ƒ Žt { }
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Preparing Tamil lessons appropriate for United States and evolve a common syllabus,
lessons and practice exercises
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Coordination of the efforts of all Tamil Schools in United States
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Create an infrastructure so that Tamil School organizers and teachers can share their
efforts, experiences and successes.

4. How these efforts were initiated?
• Initial team of volunteers, teachers and organizers from Tamil schools in Maryland,
Philadelphia, Minnesota, Georgia, North Carolina, Missouri, New Jersey, Delaware
• First meeting : April 3rd, 2010 in Maryland
• Meeting with new teachers: FeTNA convention
- July 3, 2010 in Stamford, Connecticut
• Incorporated as a Non-profit educational organization.

5. Organizers / Office bearers
Officers
Dr. Arasu Chellaiah (Maryland) - President
Dr. Sivakumar (Pennsylvania) - Secretary
Dr. Ravi Palaniappan (Georgia) – Treasurer
Board of directors
Thiru. Sivanandam (Minnesota)
Thiru. Porchezhian (Missouri)
Thiru. Ravi Shanmugam (North Carolina)

6. What was accomplished so far?
• Syllabus meeting: July 17, 2010 in Philadelphia
• ATA books printed and distributed in September 2010
• ATA books are presently taught in participating Tamil schools.
• Review and planning meeting: March 26, 2011 in Cary, North Carolina
• Conducted more than 30 web conference calls and Prepared the lessons for text
books for various levels of classes – 2011
• Obtained feedback from teachers using ATA books – 2011

7. What was accomplished so far?
• Prepared suitable exercises for all the lessons – 2011
• Publication of Tamil text books and practice books
for 2011-2012 academic year
• Created web presence - www.americantamilacademy.org / www.amtaac.org
• Prepared a baseline web based e-Learning Portal

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Coordination of syllabus and lessons for all levels:
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Review committee for lessons at all levels
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12. Preparation of ATA text books
• University of Pennsylvania (Dr. Vasu Ranganathan)
• Tamil Virtual Academy (Tamil Nadu, India)
• Singapore Tamil text books
• European Tamil text books
• Dr. Senthil Cheran’s lessons
• Thiru. Pollachi Nasan http://www.thamizham.net/
• Text books from Tamil schools of Minnesota, TAGDV,
Maryland, Missouri

13. ATA – What is being done now?
• Registration with more schools
• Books release during FETNA 2011 convention
• Adding more content in Website
• Creating CBT/WBT based content in eLearning portal

15. Academy Portal
All about ATA
• About us, Contact us
• Introduction, Vision, Mission
• Course details
• School Registration, USA Tamil Schools listing and information
• ATA events, photos, videos, newsletter, useful website links for
teachers/students/parents

16. eLearning Portal
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Efforts are underway to provide web based learning.
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Record of attendance, completion and filing of home work, record of grade points
for each of the three exams to be held in an academic year can be accomplished
using these softwares.

17. eLearning Portal
What teachers can do
• Teach Lessons online with visual content
• Discuss with students in forums
• Conduct online tests and examinations
• Evaluation and Grading
• Maintain student attendance record online

18. eLearning Portal
What students can do
• follow the lessons after attending classroom
• Upload homework and assignment
• Get additional materials
• Collaborate with other students and teachers

19. Future Plans
• Prepare lessons for upper level – 6,7, 8, 9 and 10
• Efforts to get state level accreditation at high school level
• Efforts to get college level credits for senior students studying Tamil for
several years

20. Organizations and Academicians helping ATA
• Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA)
• Tamil Sangams
• Tamil schools in USA and Thaai Thamizh palligaL in INDIA
• University of Pennsylvania – Professor Vasu Renganathan
• Tamil Virtual Academy – Professors Ponnaivaikko and Nakkeeran
• Thiru. Pollachi Nasan http://www.thamizham.net/
• Dr. Sendhil Cheran

21. THANK YOU!