The Confucius Institute at the University of Helsinki Holds a Public Seminar on Chinese Language Teaching and Research

Between June 18th and 20th, A public seminar on Chinese teaching and research sponsored by the Confucius Institute at the University of Helsinki convened in Finland—a gorgeous country of a thousand lakes. About 50 representatives from Confucius Institutes in 5 northern european countries, the UK, France, Hungary, Malta as well as Chinese teachers from some primary schools, secondary schools and universities atteneded the seminar. In addition, Ma Qiang, Political Counselor and Zong Gang, Head of Education Division of Chinese Embassy in Finland also participated in the seminar and made speeches.

The seminar opened in the conference hall of the main building of the University of Helsinki on June 18th and Gao Ge, Director of the Confucius Institute chaired the seminar. Ms. Anna Mauranen Dean of the faculty of Arts of the University of Helsinki and Mr. Ma Qiang, Political Counselor of Chinese Embassy in Finland then delivered congratulatory words, delegates firstly shared their experience in the teaching of Chinese, Delegates from Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Finland, France and Hungary explained the teaching patterns and fundamental circumstances of Chinese teaching in their Countries. Afterwards, Prof. Luo Qingsong from China’s Renmin University, prof. Luo Xuanmin from China’s Tsinghua University and Prof. Wang Ying from Chinese Xiamen University made speeches on the Learning of Chinese, Strategies of Chinese Teaching and Chinese Teaching Material Compilation. Their speeches were welcomed by delegates.

Anna Mauranen, Director of Faculty of Arts of the University of Helsinki making a welcome speech

Ma Qiang, Political Counselor from Chinese Embassy in Finland making a speech

After the seminar, Ms. Ulla-Maija Forsberg, Vice President of the University of Helsinki treated participants to dinner and had a group photo taken.

On June 19th, the seminar site was transfered to Tuusula, a graceful historical and cultural district. A group discussion was held in the morning, topics were selected according to delegates’ areas of expertise including: language teaching, the organizational art and strategy of langauge teaching and language acquisition and Chinese culture. Delegates exchanged their ideas on phonetics, intonation, speech flow, grammar, vocabulary, syntax, structure of Chinese characters, organization of class teaching, langauge environment layout, teaching preparation, class activity design, homework assignment and introductions to Chinese culture. The abundant and in-depth topic resources were teachers’ accumulated wealth from their own teaching practice.

The seminar site

During the afternoon, delegates held another discussion focusing on the topic of ”Similar Teaching Subjects”, teachers were divided into a preschool, primary and secondary Chinese teaching groups, a university Chinese teaching group and a Confuicus Institute Chinese teaching group in order to share their experiences in the teaching of Chinese with their own teaching subjects.

Group discussion

On June 20th, the Seminar concluded in the Onnela Inn in Tuusula, the closing ceremony was chaired by Li Yuanzheng, the Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute. To begin with group leaders of the group discussions made reports on their discussion outcomes, then Zong Gang, head of the division of eduction of Chinese Embassy in Finland made a speech on the current climate of, reform and future development of Chinese education. Prof. Gao Ge, the Finnish Director of the Confucius Institute finally made a closing speech.

Following the seminar participating teachers expressed their sincere appreciation for the rigorous and detailed seminar’s organization; they said that they had benefited much from the seminar, updated their teaching concepts and shared their teaching experiences through the seminar. They praised the seminar for being of great assistance in building teaching abilities and confidence. Simultaneously, the seminar has made them realize that they are shouldering a sacred and glorious mission and that there is still a long way for them to go.

Participants posing for a group photo in the corridor of the main building of the University of Helsinki

(Reported by Li Yuanzheng, Cen Yuzhen, the Confucius Institute at the University of Helsinki)