Practising teaching in a different culture
School attachment is undoubtedly the highlight and most challenging part of the immersion semester for both English and Chinese major students. For 15 days, our students assumed their temporary responsibilities as teaching assistants in kindergartens and primary and secondary schools in the vicinity, engaging in education activities both inside and outside of the classroom. Through practical classroom teaching, class observation, school assemblies, staff meetings and both formal and informal interaction with various school personnel, our students were able to explore and analyse a different education system in action, collecting ideas, approaches and strategies they will be able to use in their own classes in future.

For the majority of student teachers from Hong Kong where the medium of instruction for the teaching of Chinese has long been the Cantonese dialect, nothing could be more demanding than teaching the subject in Putonghua in Suzhou secondary schools. Being observed by University lecturers, subject experts and local teachers during openly conducted classes, our students managed to overcome the language barrier and deliver their teaching with a competence which won the recognition of local educators.