Hundreds of UK students participated in a week of online immersion delivered by TEP to discover China’s rich and exciting culture.
Last week 450 primary and secondary students in the UK began their virtual trip to Chengdu in China’s Sichuan province, as part of the China Online Immersion programme.
The week-long programme ran from Monday 24th May to Sunday 30th May 2021 and each school followed their chosen itinerary.
Leo Academy Trust, Birklands Primary and Mayfair Grammar were amongst some of the schools participating in the online immersion.
5,127 mi Virtual Trip to Chendgu
After much anticipation, our UK students were welcomed by our Chinese hosts to embark on their ‘five-thousand mile’ virtual trip to Chengdu.
Equipped with their resource packs, worksheets, and authentic materials, students enjoyed putting their findings to practice during an afternoon of traditional Chinese craft sessions. Each student learned how to sketch, paint and print Chinese architecture using traditional techniques and produced beautiful rubber paintings.
Leo Academy Trust already offers Mandarin across the trust as part of their Y5 and Y6 Mandarin Club. Philip Hedger, CEO of Leo Academy Trust said ‘A fantastic day with some wonderful Y5 & 6 children from our Trust, as they explored the culture, history, art & language of China on Day 1 of their virtual trip to Chengdu. Superbly organised.’
Project-Based Learning
Students were left feeling inspired after a virtual visit to the Sanxingdui Museum in Chengdu. Discovering the ‘Divine Tree’, ‘Standing Bronze Figure’, Gold Sceptre’, ‘Jade Zhang’ and ‘Stone Tiger’, were some of the many highlights that influenced the children to create their own projects.
These skills are a part of how the programme is designed to incorporate global thinking and independent learning.
”Once again thanks for organising such an informative and engaging trip. The children now have a far wider and richer knowledge and appreciation of China and in particular the Sichuan province.
Chris AnsellTeacher at Cheam Fields Primary Academy
Immersed in the Culture
The students were amazed by China’s many cultural customs and traditions and were excited to have a go for themselves. Each child worked with our Chinese teachers to master the art of Chinese calligraphy – an important part of the country’s artistic heritage.
Throughout the week the children learned about China and Chengdu’s exciting history and in particular the famous 3 Kingdoms Period.
To demonstrate their knowledge of Chinese culture, the pupils designed their very own Chinese dragons, made Bronze masks and Chinese knots and lanterns, and even tasted some traditional cuisine. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed learning about the famous Chengdu local street food and what makes it so unique.
Meeting Chinese Peers
A definite highlight of the week was the live interaction with 100 students in China. Our British students were fascinated by the size and scale of the Chinese schools as they tuned into their very own virtual tour of the school. They learned about the many differences between going to school in China and asked lots of questions.
Students in the UK were made to feel very welcome with special performances from their Chinese peers dedicated to their arrival.
During the ‘live’ sessions, our UK and Chinese students introduced themselves to one another as they got to know their favourite hobbies, aspirations, and daily life.
A Visit to the Chengdu Panda Centre
What better way to learn about China’s famous giant panda than a visit to Chengdu’s Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding! The children were amazed to see the giant pandas up-close and enjoyed learning about the species and its habitat.
Following an exciting morning, the students were busy making origami giant pandas – a technique that originated in medieval China.
Mastering the Art of Chinese Kong Fu
Chinese Kong Fu is an important part of traditional Chinese culture. The students listened to its historic influences and were taught the traditional techniques by our native hosts. Very quickly, the students had mastered the form of martial arts and showed off the moves they had learnt.
