WHAT DOES THE PROJECT DO?
China is the fastest growing economy in the world and the goverment is eager to enhance the cultural awareness of it's next generation. Key to this are the summer camps which run between July and August where school groups travel from the surrounding region to participate on weekly sightseeing and cultural immersion activities. As China's economy grows and changes from centrally-planned to market-oriented, its people are eager to learn the skills necessary to be successful in a country of ever-expanding opportunities, a key part of which is developing conversational English ability.
The children are eager to learn and are a pleasure to work with. You will help the Camp Counsellor develop and deliver fun and engaging activities for the children as well as guide them on local sightseeing tours, whilst continually improving their English skills. You'll quickly make friends for life and you'll have ample opportunities to learn Chinese as you attend local festivals and explore this fascinating country with your local hosts.
Your help can give children a sense of confidence, encourage their enthusiasm and ambition, and improve their opportunities for the future.
WHAT WILL I BE DOING?
You will be working alongside the camp coordinators helping to prepare and coordinate the arrival of school groups. Each school group will join the summer camp for one week, with consecutive weeks following the same standard itinerary. A basic itinerary can be as follows:
Day 1
Arrival day and orientation of the students followed by a welcome dinner and party.
day 2
Day two will be down to you to create and plan. We are looking for you to engage the students in cultural exchange, encouraging them to speak in English and supporting them where necessary. You may wish to do this through a presentation about yourself and where you come from or through fun and interactive games and activities.
day 3
On day three you will head out with the group to explore the local area.
day 4
Back in Xia'men you will guide the students on a visit exploring various museums, the city and the sights.
day 5
Today can start bright and early with fun and games, followed by a crafty afternoon learning the art of cloisonne, which is the ancient Chinese art of decorating metalwork. This will give you a chance to work with the children on a one-to-one basis as you help them with their individual projects.
day 6
It's back to base camp and another opportunity for you to lead todays activites. You will have the freedom to create fun and interactive sessions and games for the children to develop their learning. Refer to your Frontier TEFL Handbook for some innovative ideas!
The day will finish with a farewell bonfire party for the children.
day 7
On the final day it's time to say goodbye to your group and prepare for the new arrivals.
As well as this you may have the opportunity to help with extracurricular activities which will vary extensively depending on your personal skills, interests and initiative! Whatever you decide, you are sure to gain huge satisfaction from inspiring these children, whilst enhancing your own skills, qualifications and experience significantly.