5th Chinese Teaching Championship for English-Speaking Countries in Europe - 2025
9 December 2025
Two CI Teachers from Newcastle University Advance to the Final Round
On 29–30 November, the 5th Chinese Teaching Skills Championship for English-Speaking Countries in Europe-2025 was successfully held in London. The competition gathered Chinese Language teachers and teaching teams from across England and Northern Ireland, aiming to showcase achievements in Chinese language education while promoting innovation and exchange in classroom pedagogy.
The contest consisted of two tracks — University & Adult Education Category and Secondary & Primary Schools Category. After multiple rounds, outstanding teachers emerged, including two Chinese Government-dispatched teachers from the Confucius Institute at Newcastle University (NUCI) — Ms. Wang Miao and Ms. Chen Shijia — who each advanced to the finals in their respective categories, demonstrating both professional excellence and the dynamic appeal of Chinese language and culture on the international stage.
University & Adult Group — Wang Miao Advances with Innovative Local-Culture Integration
On 29 November, the University/Adult category took place. NUCI teacher Wang Miao presented a demonstration lesson entitled “Using ‘左右’ to Express Approximation.”
She skillfully incorporated Newcastle’s rich football culture into her lesson, introducing the grammar point through references to Newcastle United. Through real-life situational interaction and communicative tasks, she guided students to understand and master how “左右” is used to express approximate numbers. Her design was closely aligned with students’ interests, the structure was coherent, explanations were clear, and classroom interaction was lively — ultimately securing her place in the finals.
Primary & Secondary School Group — Chen Shijia Impresses with Creative ‘Milk Tea Culture’ Lesson
The competition on the following day for primary and secondary teachers was equally engaging.
NUCI teacher Chen Shijia competed with a lesson titled “Milk Tea Culture.” Drawing from a topic loved by young learners, she connected traditional culture with contemporary trends.
She creatively linked ancient beverages depicted as xiangyinzi (“fragrant drinks”) in one of most celebrated paintings from Song Dynasty, Along the River During the Qingming Festival with modern milk tea culture. Her session even included a hands-on activity — students designing their own milk tea — enabling learners to experience a cross-temporal cultural connection in a fun and engaging way. Her unique cultural perspective and innovative pedagogy made a strong impression on the judges, earning her a place in the final round.
Behind the Scenes — Dedicated Coaching from NUCI’s Professional Mentor
Worth noting is the strong professional support given by Dr. Su Fang from Newcastle University’s School of Modern Languages, whom NUCI Director Professor Su introduced to the two contestants as their coaching mentor.
Serving as coach to both teachers, she devoted time amidst a busy schedule to guide every stage — from lesson conception to teaching demonstration — refining details and strengthening presentation quality. The two teachers’ advancement would not have been possible without Dr. Su’s expertise and wholehearted commitment.
A Reflection of NUCI’s Localised Innovation and Growing Influence
The outstanding performance of NUCI’s teachers reflects the Institute’s active exploration of localised Chinese language teaching. It also showcases the growing vitality and appeal of Chinese education and culture across the English-speaking region of Europe.
By connecting deeply with local culture and student interests, this year’s competition presented professional and creative examples of Chinese instruction — injecting fresh momentum into the development of international Chinese language education.