John Prescott and the China Policy Institute

The Rt Hon John Prescott MP, who as Deputy Prime Minister played a major role in the forging of closer relations between the UK and China, is to become the new Honorary Patron of the China Policy Institute at The University of Nottingham.

Mr Prescott will be officially inaugurated into his new role when he visits Nottingham on Tuesday March 30 to talk on China and Climate Change as part of the University’s Energy and Climate Change Special Lecture Series.

Richard Pascoe, Director of the China Policy Institute in the University’s School of Contemporary Chinese Studies, said: “We are delighted that John has agreed to become our new Honorary Patron.

How does Mandarin Chinese link to the new Primary Area of Learning Understanding English communication and languages?

Learning Mandarin Chinese fits into 'Breadth of Learning' point 4.

d. By engaging with other languages (i), including, where appropriate, those used in their communities, children should:

1.look at the patterns, structures and origins of languages (i) in order to understand how language works

Mandarin Chinese is so very different from English, French, German and Spanish because of its origins and so lends itself to this outcome of understanding how language works. Ask us more to understand how to achieve this understanding of both English and Chinese when teaching Chinese.

2.listen to and join in with conversation in other languages and communicate about simple, everyday matters

Learning to speak Chinese especially working with a partner school in China fulfils this goal in a way that children engage so easily with. How can children start having conversations through understanding differences between the way the two languages work

3.understand how learning other languages can help them appreciate and understand other cultures as well as their own.

The potential for cultural work that spans the curriculum and which can be led by a non-native class teacher is huge. This is not 'educational tourism' but serious engagement with modern and ancient China. It is a very powerful way of making Mandarin Chinese belong to the whole school

Understanding English, Communication and Languages is the new area of learning relevant to Mandarin Chinese

http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/new-primary-curriculum/areas-of-learning/u...

Following the review of the Primary curriculum in the UK here is the new area into which Mandarin fits - go have a look!

Politicians Ed Balls and David Laws debate introduction of compulsory language lessons for 7-11 (KS2)....

Ministers have already announced the introduction of compulsory language lessons for seven- to 11-year-olds in 2011 to stimulate interest in the subject from a young age.

A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said: "Introducing compulsory languages teaching in primary schools will instil a love of language learning in young children and help to encourage them to continue studying it as they move up through school and beyond.

I want not just hundreds but thousands of Chinese companies in Britain, and British companies in China.

In his speech to the CBI Gordon Brown highlighted the global economy as a route for the UK - 'To succeed in that future, we also need an outward-facing Britain, attracting inward investment and sustaining high value added jobs.

Over a very short time, more than 400 Chinese companies have come to Britain. In our new growth strategy, I want not just hundreds but thousands of Chinese companies in Britain, and British companies in China.'

Understanding English, communication and languages - the new primary curriculum is approved.

What will this mean for teaching foreign languages. Can we make more connections between different languages? Will children understand more how languages share a common goal?

MYLO is the new UK government backed online resource for KS3 children wanting to improve their languages.

http://mylo.dcsf.gov.uk/Home/About

Read more about this DCSF project here.

As a start, we’ve included some of the most popular languages – the ones most commonly taught at school or spoken on holiday. We’ve also included Mandarin as it is already offered in many secondary schools and is predicted to become a popular choice!

Join MYLO on twitter too http://twitter.com/HelloMYLO

Heartlands High school and nearby primary schools Chinese workshops are a great idea

Workshops for children learning Mandarin Chinese can be highly innovative. Taking children out of the classroom to a local Chinese restaurant to learn about fresh ingredients, what makes a balanced Chinese diet and to get some hand-on experience works.

Dorian Chan lead the initiative and is looking to go national with the concept.

The Languages Company briefing in association with Links into Languages was interesting....

This briefing in languages in Primary and Secondary School detailed how far languages have come and how far they still need to go. Key themes included:
- transitioning between the Key Stages and onto languages for life
-How language learning is becoming part of Languages and Communication as part of the new primary review
- How language teaching in KS2 will follow the same Listening and Speaking, Writing, Intercultural Understanding, Knowledge about Language and Language Learning Strategies structure
- How performance indicators assess take up and progress, monitoring both between schools and within schools versus other subjects
- How research into language teaching and investing in CPD for language teachers is vital
- How a NFER survey has revealed great progress in primary even before the statutory requirement for languages in primary comes into force in 2011
- How the new diploma will work
- Some news on the new Open School for Languages

How are perfect pitch and learning Chinese associated?

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America has published a study showing fluency in a tonal language such as Chinese helps develop perfect pitch.

"In my experience, musicians in China don't regard perfect pitch as anything remarkable because it's very common," says Deutsch the pyschologist author of the research.