汉语怎么教？上海国际学校里的中国文化传播

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How is Chinese language taught at international schools in Shanghai? Is there a unified teaching material? Are there special cultural activities besides regular classroom education? What qualifications are required for Chinese-language teachers? How to choose suitable schools and teachers? It is sure that these questions are interesting and appealing to both expats who want to learn Chinese and Chinese who want to teach the language. An exchange meeting on Chinese-language teaching in international schools was held on April 25, 2015 in Shanghai.

The meeting was hosted by Lion Han Institute which is committed to the training of Chinese-language teachers and participated by teachers who are working at famed international schools in Shanghai, such as Wellington Shanghai, Shanghai United International School, Dulwich College Shanghai, Ngil Kindergarten, China Europe International, French school and British school.

Q1: About Chinese-language teaching material and curriculum

According to the introductions by the teachers, currently the teaching materials are mainly complied by themselves or made on the basis of the topics given by foreign teachers. French school, a bit stricter, uses designated materials, "What do you say" and "Easy to learn Chinese".

Each school has its own feature on curriculum. For example, Wellinton arranges four classes in one week and each for one hour. Both Dulwich and Ngil have five 30-minute lessons in one week. British kindergarten has one 40-minute course every day. And five one-hour lessons are taught in United Int'l.

Besides, eastday.com reporter was told by Shanghai Municipal Education Commission that at present the commission has not set standard formalities and evaluation system to Chinese-language teaching, neither the certificate examination to Chinese-language teachers. There are no official exchange events between the commission and the international schools in Shanghai.

Q2: About special cultural activities

In addition to regular Chinese-language teaching in class, teachers also undertake the task of spreading Chinese culture in international schools. All kinds of interesting events take place in schools. For example, Dulwich College Shanghai holds not only UN Week, Easter Day Masquerade, Christmas performances, Book Week and concerts, but also the Year of China events at the end of the year. At British schools, besides UK festivals and international days, the Year of China is also celebrated and at that time teachers and students make Dumpling or Jiaozi and watch dragon-lion dance. Also, interest-oriented classes like calligraphy are taught on ordinary days. China Europe International School has Chinese reading class every week, and food-making and shows on traditional Chinese holidays.

Q3: About the recruitment requirements for Chinese-language teachers in international schools

Chinese teacher qualification certificate is necessary for the teacher applicants at both Dulwich and British schools. China Europe International School requires teachers with overseas study experience and master degree major in TCFL (Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language) as well as teacher certificate. At French school, teacher applicants need to have overseas experiences, better major in Education or Psychology, know French and understand French educational system. Besides, TCFL certificate is a plus.

On another hand, the teachers who work at domestic and international schools revealed that there is big difference in pay and degree of hard work between Chinese-language teachers and foreign teachers, especially in South Korean school. However, teachers have considerable days off at international schools. For example, 180 days paid vacations are provided at British school, including spring holidays, Labor Day holidays, summer vacation, and both Chinese and UK holidays.

Extended discussion

Currently, more and more foreign enterprises and foreigners enter China and Shanghai, and Chinese-language teaching market is getting more popular. Borrowing the words of an American trainee's father, "China is the future". Not only students and business people, wives of expats have more interests in learning Chinese, thus more teachers and more reasonable teaching system are necessary.

Therefore, a lot of interesting and meaningful questions are asked, answered and discussed on the meeting, such as, is there scientific evaluation system to the teaching quality at international schools? Is there any focus on the preparation of the Chinese cultural lessons? What is the difference in training concept between domestic and international school? Is there any difference on teaching plan design between those for international schools and foreign students in domestic universities?

About Lion Han Institute

In 2008, Lion Han Institute joined hands with East China Normal University (the only designated "International Chinese-language teachers training base" in East China by the Office of Chinese Language Council "Hanban") to foster Chinese-language teachers. Since 2006, the institute has trained thousands of teachers who are working across the world. And in Shanghai, the trainees are employed in colleges, international schools and training organizations.

Meanwhile, Lion Han Institute persists in public activities of spreading Chinese culture. The institute has given lessons on Chinese and Chinese culture for foreign wives in Lujiazui International Community since 2009, winning a lot of praises.

Starting from the beginning of 2014, Lion Han Institute became the designated organization for civic-minded Chinese-language training to foreign-aid people by Ministry of Commerce of China.

Moreover, the institute holds different kinds of events for the graduate trainees who are engaged in Chinese-language teaching from time to time.

By Wang Jiaye