The programme of the SSAT Chinese Conference 3rd 4th July 2009

Join teachers and school leaders for the Chinese education event of the year. This two day conference is held at the British Museum (day 1) and Lambeth Academy, London (day 2), and includes keynote speeches, interactive sessions and hands-on workshops delivered by experienced Chinese teaching practitioners, practical sessions aimed at schools new to China, and an exhibition of educational resources.

Research on Learning Chinese in Australian Schools reveals more expert knowledge needed

See both the full report and the summary on www.learnosity.com

Mandarin Chinese does need good oral and aural practice. Unlike for French, German and Spanish, pronunciation is key. Without good pronunciation you cannot be understood; it is not just a matter of having a bad accent. Curricula, teacher training and resources for children learning Chinese must take this into account. Contact us for suggestions, we know how to tackle the problems detailed in this report.

The CiLT primary languages show concludes that primary languages really have arrived.

See http://www.cilt.org.uk/news/latest/2009/11_03_pls.htm for more information on a very successful conference for primary teachers leading the way in language learning

Everyone should have access to Mandarin at a local school says the schools Minister

"I want to develop Confucius classrooms and further develop Mandarin in comprehensives. There should be an opportunity for everyone to access Mandarin at a local school," he said. Chinese pupils have the best results of all ethnic groups in national curriculum tests at 11, with 86% reaching the required standard compared with 80% of white British children. The figures include recent immigrants who do not have English as a first language.

Mandarin Chinese grows in Primary schools

Mandarin lessons

PUPILS at a Caversham school are learning Mandarin after school.

Teacher Anna Zhenping Yu Hurst was invited to teach the classes at Micklands Primary School after returning from a family trip to her home province of Quzhou in October.

Mrs Zhenping Yu Hurst, whose son Oliver, eight, attends Micklands, took photographs to show pupils.

Her classes cover basic language and expressions, Mandarin characters and traditional Chinese songs and stories.

Mrs Zhenping Yu Hurst, who lives in Reading, said: “The children are very keen to learn about Chinese culture. I am teaching eight classes to start with and this may be extended if the level of interest continues.”

Pioneering school starts Mandarin Chinese in KS1

St Paul's in Manchester has hired a full time teacher.

Headteacher Don Berry said: “We are very excited by the work that Zhang Zie has begun with our pupils. We are delighted to have her at the school.

“Miss Zhang is teaching our Key Stage One pupils and we are using a method by which she gives them short bursts of Chinese lessons throughout the day, so that we maintain the children’s attention and interest and don’t overwhelm them. We think that learning Chinese will put our children in a very strong position for their future education and careers.”

The point is, whether we like it or not, China is incredibly important to the future of mankind.

I think you'll find that in 10 years, a lot of children will learn Mandarin in school.

It's a very difference place China - the sun rises on a different day, and the culture is extremely old. In a way we're very unaware of it in the West, even though we're very aware of it.

We felt connected to it (ed China), and how it revealed itself to me was sort of up in the mountains; the semi-automonous regions to the south where the Dong and the Mao people live; in teh traffic, in teh gree tea, in the extraordinary landscapes, the foold, the insane neon, the industry - the crazy crazy industry.

... the pentatonic scale, and that in a way is why it (Journey to the West) works....

29 January 2009 Pitchfork - interview by Scott Plagenhoef

Praise for pre-school Chinese programme one year on, but the non-interactive approach is questioned.

Animation Insider worries about the pedagogy of Ni Hao Kai Lan. January 26 2009

Although Ni Hao, Kai-lan still has a tendency to feature characters who speak fluently in Chinese yet whose dialogue remains entirely untranslated, but only on occasion, the terminology that is translated ties well into the episode's central story. At first I thought this balance was a breakthrough in preschool television, refusing to baby its viewers and allowing them connect the dots on their own; but I'm starting to wonder if there's a limit to what you can offer a viewer to take in on his own, before he simply shuts out any information he deems as partially incomprehensible. Ni Hao, Kai-lan does a good job in blending the everyday with the multicultural, but the series frequently puts itself at risk of being too good for itself. The risk isn't always necessary, but when it is, children's television is usually better off for it.

Read the programme. Come to learn more about teaching Chinese in primary and secondary schools.

How to introduce Chinese?
How to teach Chinese at primary and secondary level.
Curriculum development.
What is different about Chinese and does it matter.
The importance of correcting pronunicaiton early.
Oracy and literacy - gaining a balance.

http://www.brightoncollege.org.uk/documents/National%20Chinese%20Teachin...

The importance of cultural connections and learning to learn ....

This article writes about bi-lingual preschools. It emphasises the advantages of learning a second language young including Mandarin Chinese. It talks about making cultural connections between languages and how learning a second language improves general literacy and awareness of how communication works.

January 3 2009