Mandarin learning taking off in Bristol
At the end of November, students from the St. Mary Redcliffe and Temple School Sixth Form Mandarin class attended a Language and Culture Workshop at the offices of Constellation Group, on Berkeley Square. They spent the morning learning how to talk about food in Mandarin, as well as finding out about customs, taboos and etiquette related to eating and drinking in China. The session culminated in a delicious Chinese meal, provided by Su Yuan, a Southern Chinese vegetarian restaurant on Queen’s Square.
During the course of the workshop, students also had the opportunity to chat with Andrew Dudley and Douglas Cheung, Chairman and Managing Director of the 101 Mandarin Language Centre. They inspired students with examples of exciting possible career paths that are open to speakers of Mandarin in this age of China’s global dominance, and were able to explain how speaking Mandarin has aided them in their own careers.
The students spoke enthusiastically about the workshop:
“We got to explore Chinese culture from a first-hand perspective.”
“We got to meet people who’ve benefited from the experience of learning Chinese first-hand, and it inspired me.”
“I got to exchange details with people who have experience of working in Chinese, which has allowed me to see other future job prospects, which I am now open to, as a result of learning Chinese”
“The games helped us consolidate what we learnt, so we could remember it.”
Students at SMRT began studying Mandarin in September and are working towards passing HSK Level 1, with the option of continuing on to Level 2 next year. HSK is an international Mandarin qualification, recognised by both businesses and educational institutions. Students have chosen to study Mandarin for a number of reasons. Zoe, whose Mum is from Taiwan, but who was not able to read or write Chinese until beginning the course, said, “I’m on the family group chat now. I feel like I am able to connect with my family more.”
We are indebted to the kind sponsorship and support of Constellation Group, who allowed the workshop to take place at their offices, and also subsidised the event.
Increasing numbers of schools in Bristol are beginning to realise the potential of learning Chinese, not only because it unlocks the rich cultural and literary history of a magnificent civilisation, but because of the doors it opens when building future relationships with the world’s fastest-growing economy. In addition to St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, Trinity Academy and Redland Green School have recently begun offering extra-curricular Mandarin lessons to students.
However, in this age of economic austerity, encouraging Bristol schools to commit financially to launching Mandarin as part of their mainstream curriculum remains a challenge.
If you would be interested in finding out more about opportunities to learn Mandarin in schools in Bristol, or if your company would be willing to sponsor students who would otherwise be unable to afford to learn Mandarin in schools, please do get in touch.