SCEN June 2023 Update

SCEN is happy to report a very active few weeks leading up to the summer break, reflecting the excellent work being done in schools in learning and teaching Mandarin language and about China.

9th SCEN YOUTH SUMMIT: “MANDARIN STORIES” & SCOTTISH SCHOOLS MANDARIN READING COMPETITION

This was held in the John McIntyre Conference Centre, University of Edinburgh on Friday, 9 June 2023.

SCEN hosted the first national Youth Summit since the start of the pandemic, with young people from sixteen schools from all parts of Scotland taking part in either presentations to the Summit or in the Reading Competition, and in some cases both.

The Summit included presentations from Boroughmuir High School, Lasswade High School, James Gillespie’s High School, Danestone Primary (Aberdeen), Robert Gordon’s College, High School of Dundee, St Ninian's High School (East Dunbartonshire), Fairview International, St Ninian's High (East Renfrewshire), Stirling High School, The Glasgow Academy, George Heriot’s School, Grove Academy (Dundee), and Edinburgh Chinese Education Centre. With attendees also from Ellon Academy and Grantown Grammar School.

Students from Boroughmuir High School and Lasswade High School hosted the event throughout the day.

The Summit was pleased to welcome the new Consul General from China, Mr Zhang Biao, on one of his first public engagements in Scotland. Owen Griffiths spoke of Scottish Government commitment to languages in general and Mandarin in particular. John MacMillan from the Eric Liddell Community spoke of the major project underway to celebrate the life of Eric Liddell in 2024. Megan Robertson, a PHD student and SCEN Ambassador spoke from China about her own experiences learning Mandarin in Scotland and of working and studying in China. Peter Kwok, Chinese Young Professionals, and his colleagues Joseph Zhao and Leo Guo, spoke of employment opportunities in China. Karen Liddle from the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS) introduced 4 Chinese Exchange Teachers, Jiaming Fu, Rongyi Liao, Dong Hanshu, and Yue Yuan, who have spent a year working in schools in Scotland.

At the conclusion of the event Consul General Zhang Biao presented certificates to winners and participants in the Reading Competition and to all schools who had taken part in the day’s activities.

The Competition winners for the various categories are as follows:

B1: 1st. Honor Macardie from Glasgow Academy.
       2nd. Lucia Conetta from Glasgow Academy.
       3rd. Andrew Vella & Kim Mehnen from Glasgow Academy.

B2: 1st. Maria Jankowska from St Ninians's High School, East Renfrewshire.
     2nd. Mathew Kane from Stirling High School.
       3rd. Ronan, Hanna, Lily ,Thea, and Hezekiah from Fairview International School.

B3/4: 1st. Leo, Zmogen, Ayyan from Dundee High School.
          2nd. Kirstin, Devine, and Orla from Stirling High School.
          3rd. Oscar and Amos from Stirling High School.

Special Award to:
Ruby & Ash from Dundee High School.

P, C, M: 1st. Keyu Chen from Edinburgh Chinese Education Centre.
              2nd. Tianen Liu from St Ninians's High School, East Renfrewshire.
              3rd. Jason, Glynn, Eva, Lingyun, Qingyang, Muyuan, & Samantha from George's Herriot's School.

Dragon Awards were presented to the student presenters and young volunteers at the event.

After four very challenging years it was heartening to be part of such a positive event where young people provided a showcase of their skills in speaking Mandarin and in exploring Chinese culture in its diverse forms. The level of Mandarin spoken by young people of all ages at the event was quite exceptional.

The Speaking competition added a further element at this Summit with students showing real talent for performing and speaking in front of a live audience.

SCEN YOUTH EVENT IN GRANTOWN GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Along with colleagues from Grantown Grammar School (the Confucius hub school in Highland Region), SCEN hosted a Youth Event in the school on the afternoon of Wednesday, 31 May 2023. This was along the lines of similar events we have hosted in other secondary schools along with associated primaries in the period since the pandemic-imposed lockdowns. As well as students from Grantown, we welcomed students from other schools in the area, Grantown and Carrbridge primaries.

Head teacher Claire McGonigal and principal teacher Ann MacKintosh welcomed the visitors to the school. Speakers included Susan Lawson from the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS), and Jessica Guo and James Brodie from SCEN. In the course of a lovely sunny afternoon young people were able to experience a Beyond the Panda presentation by Sandie Robb from RZSS, as well as stalls on calligraphy, paper cutting, and language learning.

The enthusiasm of the young people, primary and secondary in exploring aspects of Chinese culture, was very heartening indeed.

If your school would like to host a similar showcase type event in session 2023-24 on the learning and teaching of Chinese, please let us know by contacting admin@scen.info.

RESEARCH PROJECT ON THE TEACHING OF MANDARIN ACROSS SCOTLAND

SCEN is involved in a major research project on the learning and teaching of Mandarin across schools in Scotland. The project is now underway and aims to identify where and how Mandarin is being taught, and the added value to learners of embarking on the study of Chinese language. The project is supported by the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS), SCEN and is led by Professor Antonella Sorace of Bilingualism Matters. Three students with PhD qualifications, Yajun Liu, Maggie Mroczkowski, and Zhang Hao, have started to visit participating schools. Once the project is complete, we hope to organise a major conference event on the future of Mandarin learning in schools in Scotland.

SCEN CHINESE TEACHING CLUB

The Club met on 2 June and Lynnette Doherty, teacher of Mandarin in Aberdeen schools led an interesting discussion. The Club is an increasingly valuable forum for teachers across Scotland to exchange information and views and we would encourage teachers of Mandarin, wherever you are based, to join us. If you are new to the Club, or seek further information, please contact admin@scen.info.

SCEN TRUSTEES AND ADVISORY COUNCIL

SCEN Advisory Council met on 26 May.
The next AC meeting is scheduled for 6 October.

SCEN Trustees are next scheduled to meet on 21 September.  

FAREWELL AND MANY THANKS FROM SCEN

Colin and Rosemary Mitchell, founder members of SCEN and actively involved through the years both through their school, Lasswade High, and later through their involvement as Trustees and through Youth Voice, are now retiring from SCEN activity. Most recently Colin was principal organiser of the SCEN Youth Summit in June. We owe Colin and Rosemary an enormous debt of gratitude and wish them well on their retirement. 

The Youth voice email contact for SCEN remains the same, youthvoice@scen.info. The main contact is Juliet Presly, SCEN Trustee and Depute Head at Boroughmuir High School. 

Megan Hammell, Online Communications and Administrative Officer of SCEN for three years is moving to a full-time permanent job at the University of Edinburgh. Megan has been involved in SCEN since the very beginning, as student in St George’s School for girls, as a SCEN Ambassador, as the Website Manager, and ultimately combining website and IT work with administration of SCEN. We wish her all the best in her new work, but are equally certain that SCEN has not heard the last of Megan.

Please have a great summer and return refreshed for a new session of activities related to Chinese learning in session 2023- 24.

For regular updates on community news and events, check the SCEN website.

Best wishes to you all,
Simon Macaulay
Chair
SCEN