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2024 London Mandarin Teaching Seminars

7 January 2025

On 29 November 2024, the five teaching staff members of the Newcastle University Confucius Institute (NUCI) travelled to London to participate in the 2024 Seminar on Mandarin Teaching in UK Secondary and Primary Schools and the 4th Chinese Teaching Championship for English-Speaking Countries in Europe – Secondary and Primary Schools Category. These events were held on 30 November and 1 December at the UCL Institute of Education (IOE) and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) of the University of London, respectively.

During the seminar on 30 November, two NUCI Mandarin teachers, Ms. Chen Wanxiu and Ms. Tan Xiaolu, delivered well-received presentations as part of the panel discussions. Their respective topics were:

  • Chen Wanxiu: "From GCSE Chinese to the New HSK Exams: Using Edexcel GCSE Chinese 9-1 as an Example"
  • Tan Xiaolu: "Using the 'Theory of Multiple Intelligences' to Design Games and Activities for Chinese Language Classes in UK Primary and Secondary Schools"

NUCI was the only Confucius Institute to contribute two presenters to the panel discussions. Earlier in November, both teachers had also been invited to present at the UK CI Teachers’ Online Training Seminar, organized by the Centre for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC). Their topics were:

  • Chen Wanxiu: "Application of AI Tools in the Practice of Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages"
  • Tan Xiaolu: "Localized Teaching Model: Thematic Teaching Case Studies Sharing"

These contributions by NUCI team members highlight the team's active engagement and expertise in Mandarin teaching, as well as their significant role in the practice and research of international Chinese language education.

On 1 December, in the semi-final of the Chinese Teaching Championship, Ms. Tan Xiaolu and Mr. James Renwick from Oakfield School—NUCI’s partner school for over a decade— represented NUCI, and stood out among 21 contestants, securing places among the top 11 finalists. Both have been shortlisted for the final round of the competition, which will take place in March 2025.

Dr. Andrew Law, the British Director of NUCI, and Prof. Yuxiao Su, the Chinese Director, provided strong support to the NUCI team throughout this two-day event in London.