Welcome to Andy Barker
The Sheffield Confucius Institute (SCI) is delighted to welcome its new Director, Andy Barker, who started with us in August. Andy has vast international experience in education management from Vietnam to Malaysia and New Zealand, with his most recent role as Deputy Head of the International College at the University of Lincoln. The SCI team is excited to learn from Andy’s unique experience and insight and grow as a platform and as a force for good in Sheffield. Welcome to the SCI family, Andy!
SCI Teacher Training Seminar Success
SCI staff delivered a very successful staff training morning for the Star Mandarin School on Saturday 9th September. It was attended by 36 teachers both face to face and online. The training covered a range of topics including, lesson planning, classroom management and classroom activities.
Adult Learning Platform Autumn Semester Start
We’re excited to begin the Autumn Semester of our acclaimed adult learning courses. All HSK levels (1-6) and Chinese language levels from Beginners to Intermediate and Advanced are catered for. For more information on our adult learning courses, please visit our website or contact us at confucius@sheffield.ac.uk
Star Mandarin School Start
Language is a window to another world. Every child, everyone, should learn a second language, to open their minds and broaden their horizons.
The benefits of language learning
Dr Xinqun Hu - Coordinator of Sheffield Confucius Institute
Our Star Mandarin School opened its doors to a cohort of new and returning students for a fresh new year of learning. The Star Mandarin School operates over the weekends and provides Mandarin Chinese learning to school children, in addition to Mathematics and Arts tuition, consolidating their learning at school and reinforcing their study skills. While most schools do not have the capacity to provide Mandarin Chinese learning, the Star Mandarin School at the University of Sheffield readily provides these learning opportunities, from beginner levels through to GCSE Chinese and A-Level Chinese, to all school students, adding a unique language subject for school education.
Read an interview taken last December with the coordinator of the Star Mandarin School, Dr Xinqun Hu about the launch of our Beginners Classes for English Speakers.
Sino-English Club Restarts
Our weekly Sino-English Club is back! This event is a great opportunity for Mandarin Chinese and English speakers to get together, make friends and improve their speaking abilities. Our club takes place at ALS Gongcha - 10 Eyre St, Sheffield City Centre every Tuesday during the main university semesters from 6:30pm - 8:30pm. and is free to attend, so just come along! If you have any questions about the Sino-English club, please get in touch at confucius@sheffield.ac.uk.
New Tai Chi Class
Our new Tai Chi class got off to a great start!. Our teacher, Debbie McCall, delivered a lesson to a full class of Tai Chi enthusiasts in the Hicks Building on the University campus. There’s no better way to destress and learn about one’s self and body away from the busyness and stress of city life. The class takes place every Thursday from 7pm to 8:30pm in the Hicks Building, room K14 (54). If you’re interested in finding out more about our Tai Chi classes please visit our website to find out more.
30 Visiting Scholars from China Explore the UK
The Sheffield Confucius Institute has been buzzing with activity with the visit of 30 scholars from China. This initiative encourages scholars from China to partake in learning and teaching seminars across the UK, facilitated by the Sheffield Confucius Institute. This is a longstanding project between the SCI and partners in China, and this year’s seminars consist of contributions from fellows of the British Academy, fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering, professors from Cambridge, UCL, Sheffield University and more, with more than 30 speakers from 14 UK and European universities. Courses cover cutting edge content exploring language acquisition, inheritance language, etc but also exploring Computer Science with Speech and Language Processing, also known as computational linguistics. Scholars will also enjoy two fieldwork trips, two local school visits, and 3 study trips to Chatsworth, London and Cambridge.
Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration Success
The Confucius Institute staged its annual Mid-Autumn Festival celebration in September. The event, ‘The Moon Shines On Us All’, sought to express and discover the meaning of the Mid-Autumn Festival through dance, music and poetry. The audience turnout was staggering with over 300 attendees. Such a great turnout and atmosphere was testament to the strength and desire of Sheffield's Chinese and local community.
Mandarin Teaching in UK Schools Seminar
Our Director, Andy Barker, and Deputy Director, Daojian Zhang attended a seminar covering transitions in key stages within both primary and secondary school teaching of Mandarin. The sessions were extremely informative and covered a range of information around curriculum interpretation to support teaching staff. The day also included an award ceremony for the winners of the 2023 Chinese Bridge Mandarin Speaking competition. The standards were, as always, extremely high and the winners came from a range of cities across the UK. The evening also included the first post pandemic celebration held in the Chinese embassy creating a great opportunity for UK Confucius Institute staff to meet, share ideas and build community.
Thank you for reading!
Take a look at the links below to read more about the SCI's recent activities and events!