Fun and pleasure in summer school
By Lily
Photos by Zheng Xiaodong

7月7日至16日, 英国大卫歌姆学院与厦门第一中学举办"互动式英语训练夏令营", 并就双方年内在一中开办大学预科班事宜达成一致意向. 据悉, 届时学生将在一中完成3至8个月由外教授课的大学预科课程后赴英就读, 3个月后可升入英国大学深造.

Donna



Hi, my name is Donna, an English teacher who comes from Canada, that large pink land bit on the map above the United States that no one notices or studies too much. I come from a large family, consisting of two parents (of course), seven brothers and one sister-which may explain a little of my "nuttiness" and silly and different approach to teaching English. I've come to Xiamen with David Game College as an English teacher to Yingcai School in Xinglin, in December 2003. I've found China very interesting, charming and friendly, very much like its inhabitants and the students I teach. I was also an English teacher in Semarang, Indonesia for 2 years-and the Director of Studies for one year in Jakarta, Indonesia. I love working with students in China as they are all very kind and willing to help, whenever necessary.

Although at times I do miss my friends and family immensely-my stay here in China has been comforted overwhelmingly by the great food, fantastic people and beautiful country I've encountered all along the way. Thank you China!

With ball passing games for practicing English, DIY as the "chef" in a kitchen by presenting your menu to your "customers and self-composed improvisation(即兴) of small skits(小品), hearty laughter is drifting out of the windows in Xiamen No. 1 Middle School.

Students in a ten-day English summer camp are now enjoying their time with the guidance of two experienced English teachers from the David Game College Group, a reputable professional Education Group from England. This summer camp, which started July 7th, is one of a series in cooperation with Xiamen No. 1 Middle School.

Differing from our traditional teaching method, maximizing STT (Student Talk Time) rather than TTT (Teacher Talk Time) is greatly emphasized in this two-way communication camp. Every student here is encouraged to produce a high standard of written and oral work, attention being given to correct grammar, spelling and pronunciation, including idiomatic speech and useful phraseology(措词) in daily English. Topics cover travel, western culture, communication, the environment and the Beijing Olympics. Apart from this, colorful movies and outdoor activities weave throughout the whole course.

"It's simply a great joy for me and we really like it", said Lin Shan and Chen Wenjuan from No. 1 Middle School. "The teachers here don't correct our grammatical mistakes while we are talking and praise us all the time. We don't feel frustrated or embarrassed at all."

As two experienced teachers from England and Canada, Jacquiline (who has been working as teacher for more than 20 years) and Donna (a vigorous Canadian teacher) frequently use the words "excellent" and "intelligent" to describe their students inside the camp. "Keep practicing, increase confidence, don't be afraid of making mistakes " and a relaxed classroom atmosphere are some of their suggestions to improve students' spoken English.

It's known that David Game, after a previous visit to the new department of No. 1 Middle School, is planning to open a one-year Oxford senior middle school course in the near future. With this project, students will split half of their learning time at home and another half in England, which will aid them in adapting easily to study in foreign universities.

Jacquiline



After many years teaching in Botswana, Kenya, the Middle East and Indonesia, I got the opportunity to teach English in China.

I remember my learning French at Grammar School for a whole five years-the sum total being that I could (and still can) recite French verbs in a perfect French accent-in my head! I would avoid, at all costs the eagle eye of the French Mistress should any words be required to come out of my mouth. Hence on long lazy French holidays I neither chatted up nor got chatted up by, any of those French boys hanging around the town square. No confidence whatsoever. I believe that there is a better way to learn a language-one that allows transference of the knowledge gained in the classroom into the ability to use the language in a real situation.

I love teaching English, I love the fun of the classroom and I especially love watching my students gain enough confidence to be able to laugh at themselves.

In coming to Xiamen I definitely drew the long straw-a beautiful city, an abundance of my favorite seafood, receptive students wanting to learn, and many new friends.

I wasn't born lucky but I truly am now.

 

 

My Xiamen



1. How long have you been in Xiamen?
I have been here for almost one year.

2. What do you like best about life here?
The friendly people and the great climate. (It is much hotter in Florida than in Xiamen.)

3. What's your job here? How do you like your job?
I am teaching MBA class, and I love my job very much.

4. How do you spend your spare time in Xiamen?
I spend time exercising, relaxing and looking for business opportunity.

5. If there was one thing that you could change about Xiamen, what would that be?
I'm quite satisfied with it. I don't think there is anything I would like to change.

6. What's your favorite restaurant?
Taoranju (Sichuan food陶然居) near Xiamen University (see Page 8 for location).

7. Compared with other big cities in China, what do you think are the differences between Xiamen and them?
Big cities are more crowded. And it is more expensive to buy things in big cities.

8. What's the last great book you read?
Sun Tzu's Art of War.(<孙子兵法>)

9. What's your favorite quotation or piece of advice?
Try to turn all the negatives you are faced with in life into positives.
I am David Linehan, from Florida. I am teaching MBA class in Xiamen University.