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Mandarin Chinese immersion leads to examination success
'Over one hundred young people and twenty staff from each school have now visited each other’s cities in a programme which is recognised by the British Council as the best in the country for its continuity, robustness, variety and quality of learning experience. There are of course many differences between the two cultures, but is always amazing how much common ground and areas of interest are quickly identified by the participants.' Phil Scully – Assistant Headteacher
'This is our most important overseas link.' Liu Min, Director of International Department, Hebei Tangshan Foreign Language School
'We are delighted to have such a worthwhile partnership. Good communication and cultural understanding are key elements for making a better world.' Andy Wright - Headteacher
Context
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Sixth form class and LCHS facade |
Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School has had strong international links since its predecessor was founded by the Normans in 1090. The present genuinely comprehensive school was formed in 1974. Today there are over 1350 pupils on roll, including about 80 for whom English is a second language. The new arrivals are mostly from eastern Europe and Asia. The school has received the International School Award three times and has partnerships with schools in more than a dozen countries. Specialist Language College status was gained in 2001, when the teaching of French, German and Spanish was enhanced by the addition of Mandarin Chinese, then Russian and, most recently, Polish.
Key Objectives
To enrich the curriculum by offering Mandarin Chinese to gifted language learners and extend the international dimension of the school.
How the programme is organised
Initially Chinese was taught through taster classes taken by a Chinese teacher on a British Council one year placement in 2001-2002. This followed participation in the first Mandarin Immersion Course in Beijing that summer and the development of the school’s own partnership with a school in Lincoln's long-standing twin city of Tangshan. In the last eight years the two schools have arranged nearly twenty joint activities. The link has also enabled the Tangshan school to send some of their teachers to Lincoln on half-year placements to support Mandarin teaching and work in other areas such as DT and Art.
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Visit of Chinese group coincides with Polish National Day... and 'dumpling day'. Chinese visitor and British, German and Polish LCHS students do the taste test. |
Since Chinese teaching was introduced in 2001, the student group at LCHS has been small but generally very committed. After starting with ‘ab initio’ courses from Year 10, the pattern has evolved, with taster and then examination classes available from Year 8 to Year 13. In the last two years the school has been collaborating closely with Cherry Willingham Community School, an 11-16 neighbour, in providing extension opportunities for pupils in KS4. A small group of pupils and staff travels regularly to Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School for lessons in the weekly 3.30pm to 5.30pm slot.
'I wanted to find something challenging. That’s why I chose to learn Chinese'. A learner.
The school believes that this approach is very suitable for total beginners who are good, self-motivated language learners. This is not a subject to be taken lightly, partly because the majority of pupils only start full courses in Year 10. Initially Chinese characters are the hardest element to learn, most effectively studied when the teacher analyses the components and the original meaning. Boys appear to welcome the almost mathematical logic of character formation.
'I love learning the script, you draw the words'. A learner
An important element has been continuity in teaching. Chen Qiumei has been working at the school since 2002.
Results/ effect
'These students are motivated. As well as achieving satisfactory, good or superb results at GCSE and AS/A2, some students have taken their studies to a higher level. This year one girl is following a Joint Honours course in Chinese Studies at the University of Manchester, another is spending an excellent gap year on an HSBC placement in China.' Nick Brown, Head of Modern Languages.
'The classes are small – indeed we can only afford to run such small classes due to Language College status. Chinese creates another curriculum opportunity, but with this comes possible conflict with other subject areas. Decisions have to be made by staff and families on how much is advisable for individual pupils, who are often the ones who are also busiest in sports or music, art and drama extension activities.' Chris Williams, Special Projects Consultant
Teaching Chinese has been enriching for the international dimension across the school as a whole. The staff work closely with the British Council and the City of Lincoln, the former for advice and some funding for Joint Curriculum Projects, the latter for the initial link with Hebei Tangshan Foreign Language School. Activities have included pupil exchanges, summer schools in both countries, self-determined visits on the ‘SSAT’s Teachers’ International Professional Development scheme, and Chinese FLAs in Lincoln. Performances in primary schools and most recently the Lincoln Drill Hall have been excellent for community involvement.
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Character recognition in Earthquake Memorial Park Tangshan |
The School has participated in the British Council's annual three week Mandarin Immersion Course in China and UK-based competitions on a number of occasions. Exchange visits have featured gymnasts, musicians and other performers or have emphasized language, arts, geography and mathematics. In 2008 the exchange will focus on a series of drama workshops. It seems that increasing numbers of students from China hope to come to Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School to study.
The Tangshan link has provided considerable enrichment experiences for teachers who enjoyed opportunities to meet Chinese students and teachers in the UK. Many have also been able to visit China, either with LCHS groups or to teach at an annual summer school in Tangshan since 2005.
'British Council support, the city twinning activity and the school partnership are the three pillars on which these exciting developments to which we are heavily committed are built.' Chris Williams, Special Projects Consultant
Future developments
The school anticipates that activities will continue at roughly the same level in curriculum terms. In the next six months, the following are also anticipated:
- consultancy visit to the Chinese partner school in Tangshan in April 2008;
- ‘China Now’ project with eight local primary schools to paint playground games squares and then do Chinese number games. Funded by HSBC through the British Council to tie in with the Olympics
- Chinese group of about 47 spending two weeks in Lincoln on the third summer school in July 2008. Accommodation is on the University of Lincoln’s Riseholme campus
- Chinese exchange leg 1 – Tangshan group in Lincoln at start of October 2008;
- Chinese exchange leg 2 – Lincoln group in Tangshan at end of October 2008
As a Specialist Language College and increasingly multicultural school, teaching a non-European language has become more and more important. However, for the foreseeable future French, German and Spanish are likely to remain the main languages at the school because it is far easier and affordable for staff, pupils and families to visit these countries e.g. for holidays, for work, to follow football teams etc.
Author: Chris Williams, former Senior Deputy Head and Acting Head at the school, currently Special Projects Consultant and British Council Learning Together Ambassador.
