Feature

Second Chinese Language Teacher's Training at NSU

Mahboob Rasheed

Recipients of Certificates of the Second Chinese Language Teacher Training program at Yunnan University

CHINESE language is being taught in many universities and institutions in Bangladesh but the Confucius Institute at North South University (NSU) makes a real difference. A month-long Chinese Language Teacher's Training Programme, the second of its kind, started on 9 May, 2010 with 15 students from different institutions. Students from University of Dhaka and Confucius Institute of NSU as well as teachers from BIT, Oxford International School and the Confucius classroom attended the programme. Out of them, ten were selected for the two weeks training in Yunnan University, Kunming, China. I accompanied them from North South University, Dhaka. On 30 May, we caught the early morning flight on China Eastern Airlines.

We were received at the Kunming Airport by Mr. Liu Han Yin, who is the Director of admission office of the College of International Studies of Yunnan University, Kunming along with two scholarship students of Confucius Institute - Mr. Humayun and Mr. Rubyat. After the formalities we got on the microbus and finally began to enjoy the beautiful Kunming city filled with highrise buildings, sprawling flyovers, and wide roads winding beside green mountains. Soon, we reached the Yunda Hotel of Yunnan University. From the very next day our classes began in the College of International Studies, Yunnan University, Kunming. We started with Taiji Quan, a form of exercise, followed by two consecutive Chinese language classes and another class after lunch.

During those two weeks, we learnt Chinese Language, methods in Chinese Teaching, Chinese culture, Chinese Paper cutting, a Yunnan musical instrument called hu lu si, the preparation of dumplings and Chinese Tea ceremony. All the teachers were highly qualified and taught us in a friendly manner. On Saturday and Sunday, the weekend, we had a cultural research subject. We visited the famous Stone Forest, which the United Nations has declared as the world natural heritage site. We also made a visit to the Ethnic Minority Village where almost 55 ethnic communities were living in one place. The next day was a free activity day. We visited various shopping malls in and around Kunming. The Kunming people are very friendly and helpful. Very few of the Chinese understand English, which, on the bright side, opened the door for real practice of the Chinese language.

On the evening of June 11, the Dean of College of International Studies of Yunnan University, Ms. Yuan Yan, distributed certificates among us and gave us a grand farewell dinner. The programme was a delightful one. We look forward to implementing our experience in teaching Chinese to Bangladeshi speakers. Mr. Liu, a very helpful and pleasant person, along with all Bangladeshis studying in Kunming were always ready to help us throughout the course of the programme. Though the duration of the programme was very short, our knowledge on Chinese language, culture and tradition was surely enhanced. On 12 June, we came back from Kunming, carrying unforgettable memories and a priceless experience.