2016-05-28

 

Over 150 experts, scholars and educators gathered at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) today (28 May) for the Second International Conference on Teaching Chinese as a Second Language – The IB Philosophy and Chinese Language Teaching, organised by the Department of Chinese Language Studies (CHL) and the Master of Arts in Teaching Chinese as an International Language programme at EdUHK, and co-organised by the School of Chinese at the University of Hong Kong.

The conference provided an exchange platform on which experts and scholars of teaching Chinese as a second language from countries around the world could discuss the current situation, innovations in and development of the subject area. The theme of the conference also covered the International Baccalaureate (IB) concept, which initiated numerous discussions.

Professor Si Chung-mou, Head of CHL and conference chairperson, said that the conference had brought together internationally renowned scholars to explore the latest developments in teaching Chinese as a second language. He went on comment that “EdUHK will strive for excellence in areas related to Chinese linguistics, language education, teaching Chinese as a second language and related research, achieving a world-leading standard and becoming a teaching and research hub with international influence”.

Keynote speakers at the conference included Professor Yuan Bo-ping from the University of Cambridge and Dr Wang Xiao-ping, the Chief Chinese Adviser of the English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong.  Participants came from mainland China, Hong Kong, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Korea, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Apart from the experts and scholars in attendance, frontline teachers from international schools also participated, and 66 papers were presented.

Professor Si Chung-mou, Head of CHL at EdUHK and conference chairperson

Professor Yuan Bo-ping from the University of Cambridge

Over 150 experts, scholars and educators gathered at EdUHK for the Second International Conference on Teaching Chinese as a Second Language – The IB Philosophy and Chinese Language Teaching.