Working with China
We
work directly with the British Council to create formal links with
China.
Although some teachers from China register individually on the
Global Gateway, it is much more appropriate to have a link with a
school that has been sanctioned by the education authority in the
region.
Schools are keen to promote Mandarin, but even more keen for
their students to improve their written (and sometimes spoken)
English. Expect grammar queries, text-based communication and a
need for curriculum planning.
If your school is in a linked area, you can contact the named
representative to see about availability of an allocated link
school within your area link.
More>>> (list opens in a
new window)
Chinese New Year Videoconference
The London Grid for Learning, working in partnership with
Redbridge LA, will be hosting a videoconference for both primary
and secondary schools to celebrate the
Chinese New Year (Year
of the Tiger) on 8th February 2010 live from the Redbridge
Teachers’ Centre.
More>>>
Enter the dragon
This wonderful website was produced by primary school students
in Taiwan. They worked with a partner school in the USA. It is a
great resource to use in class and also with a partner
school.
North Lincs and Dalian
The link shown on BBC Breakfast is featured brilliantly on the
school's website. Be sure to look at the video of the Morning
Exercises!
More>>>
London - Beijing
LGFL is a partner of the Global Gateway, promoting virtual
linking and coordinating links in Beijing, along with funding for
visits and projects. You will find the project pages and contact
details for all these borough links on the
Learning Together LGFL London -Beijing linking portal.
Any school within the LGFL serving region of London is welcome
to contact the team that runs the London - Beijing portal; the
boroughs named above already have their own linking coordinator and
some access to funding so it is worth checking the website for
this.
Contact is Julian Vennis: jvennis@worldcitylinks.net
Resources
Funding
Funding is available for teacher visits - very eye-opening for
teachers from the UK! Schools can opt for a group preparatory visit
to set up links, and then build further visits into project plans.
Funded immersion courses are available for accompanied students
over 12. Funding is from DfE and HSBC, managed by the British
Council. In some cases the area link rep will support and organise
funding applications.
Once you have a Chinese partner school you can apply for funding of
up to £5000 pa to support projects and teacher visits. Funding for
England, Wales and Scotland is available (HSBC).
Informal links
We work with ePals and other organisations to offer more
informal email-based links which are offered with a free emailing
and auto-translation service. This means that as well as practising
some simple phrases you can also engage in more complex dialogue
with ease. Email is teacher-moderated and safe and seems to work
well in the Chinese school system. Please note that it takes some
persistence to track down a link school, and even more to get a
letter exchange going, but we will help - we are always
checking for available schools on ePals so let us know if you are
keen! Bear in mind the school's requirements from you!
We would recommend starting with a Chinese student
penfriend to email throughout next year. You will need to be kind
and supportive to these young people, most of whom would like some
tips on improving their English. We are finding that this can be a
simpler idea than having a Chinese partner school, and that the
students are great correspondents.