What We Do

Phase 1 (Jan – Dec 2009)

Piloting a Sichuan English Teachers Professional Development Programme in St. Paul’s Convent School (SPCS)

  • Aroused awareness on the needs of the teachers in Beichuan
  • Solicited initial support for the project
  • Placement of a total of twenty teachers (10 groups of 2 each) from Beichuan High School in SPCS for professional training in English language teaching
  • SPCS teachers and students visited Beichuan High School in mid-April to explore further collaboration (self-financed)

Phase 2 (Summer 2009)

Setting up a Multi-media Mobile Learning Centre in Beichuan High School

  • We sponsored the school to set up a wireless and mobile multi-media learning centre for English learning through two excellent e-learning platforms, namely English4US and English Builder
  • The Centre was inaugurated in July 2009. The principal and teachers of Beichuan High School expressed their warmest gratitude to various parties that supported the setting up of this multi-media mobile learning centre

Phase 3 (Winter 2009)

Providing on-site professional support at Beichuan High School

Three volunteer teachers from Canada provided a 2-week on-site professional support to the English language teachers in Beichuan High School in December 2009

Phase 4 (Summer 2010)

Extending Professional Training to Teachers other than Beichuan High School

  • Over ninety teachers from Beichuan and Mianyang city visited Hong Kong this summer and received professional training jointly organized by Canada-China Culture and Education Association and St. Paul”s Innovation Centre for Exchange (SPICE)
  • Eight hundred English language teachers who wish to join this professional training have already registered with the Mianyang Ministry of Education
  • In Hong Kong, forty local schools have already registered their support for this Programme

Phase 5 (Sep 2010 & Beyond)

Moving Forward & Making it Sustainable

  • The mainland government’s plan is to enhance the Beichuan High School”s standing from a village school to a central school in the district, while the English curriculum of schools in mainland China would be reformed from September 2010 onwards
  • Our Programme was launched at the most opportune timing, extending instrumental support to the teachers so that they can effectively implement the new English curriculum
  • Our long-term objective is to extend the reach and impact of the Programme beyond Beichuan High School, whose role is to become a centre of excellence for English language teaching and teacher professional development in mainland China
  • Establishing an approximately 1000-square-metre Professional Development Centre for teachers training on the new campus of Beichuan High School with accomodation provided for the trainers
  • Providing an enriching English learning environment for students by setting up English Corners on each floor of the teaching blocks of Beichuan High School
  • Placement of two to three resident-teachers in Beichuan High School to give continuous support to the mainland English teachers to implement the new English curriculum effectively, and to give advice to students on the running of the English Corners
  • Extending professional training to the English teachers of the ten middle schools affiliated to Beichuan High School as feeder-schools
  • Providing professional training to the eight hundred teachers in Mianyang using Beichuan High School Professional Development Centre as the base
  • Sponsoring the outstanding mainland teachers to Hong Kong for further professional training in English language teaching
  • Providing extra support to the village schools English teachers to enhance their capacity in English Language teaching