Dear All,
We are delighted to announce the launch of the HSBC/BC Mandarin Speaking Competition 2013-2014.
Enter your students into the
HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese speaking competition
for a chance to visit the Chinese capital. There are four categories: beginner, intermediate, advanced and group performance. Students can enter regardless of their level of proficiency in Mandarin.
The closing date for entries is 11 October 2013. Read below for information on eligibility
and how to apply.
The winners from each category will spend a week in Beijing. They will experience the culture by visiting historical sites and interacting with local students and British Council staff from China.
The British Council, with over 20 years' experience of running cultural exchanges with China, is responsible for accompanying the group.
Who is eligible?
Secondary schools, sixth form colleges and further education colleges in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
Students must be non-native speakers of Chinese.
Why should my school take part?
Participating in the competition:
·
increases students’ motivation for learning the language
·
develops vocabulary and improves pronunciation
·
raises confidence for oral examinations
·
encourages students to interact with their classmates
·
inspires students to discover more about Chinese culture.
The winner's story
‘I definitely recommend taking part,’ says Joseph Bensley, Mandarin teacher at Kingsford Community School, winner
of the group performance category this year. 'Participating in the competition has benefited students across the entire school, sparking huge interest in learning the language. Students have been waiting for the new competition round for months. They hope
to take part in the auditions and follow in the footsteps of this year's winners’.
Read the
full interview
with Joseph Bensley to find out more about his school's experience.
Next steps
Visit the
competition website
to enter by 11 October 2013. The website includes top tips on how to prepare a winning entry.
For enquiries please call our Customer Services team on 0161 957 7755 or email [log in to unmask].