Source: fltrp.com
11-05-2007 14:28
侯艳老师是06年“CCTV杯”全国英语演讲大赛冠军的指导教师，她也参加了8月份的ESU Cultural Seminar，同在伦敦，只是在不同的活动项目。
Chen Dong’s success in winning the championship of 2006 National CCTV Cup English Speaking Contest cosponsored by FLTRP and CCTV brings me, his teacher,the greatest happiness and a surprising journey to London during 10-20 August, 2007 to attend the 2007 ESU Globe Education Cultural Seminar for Teachers at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. The theme of the seminar is “Shakespeare and His Stage”.
I had been fascinated by Shakespeare while doing my master’s degree many years ago and my master’s degree graduation paper was just about four comedies by Shakespeare. Since then, I had a dream buried deep down that I wished I could know more about Shakespeare in his home country. As luck would have it, this early dream would eventually come true. Call it luck or call it fate, either way it is too good to me. Thanks to the magic power of Harry Potter and the golden opportunity sponsored by FLTRP!
The Cultural Seminar was held at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre during 11-19 August. It is sponsored by the English Speaking Union (ESU), a well-known organization founded in 1918 (by a writer and journalist, Sir Evelyn Wrench) with the general purpose of maintaining friendship and good relationships between the people of English-speaking nations. As a registered charity patronized by Her Majesty the Queen, its commitment is to create international understanding and to promote human achievement through the world-wide use of the English language. Currently active in 52 countries, ESU has its branch office in China with Prof. Hu Wenzhong as President and Mr. Li Pengyi as its Secretary-General.
There are 18 delegates from 17 countries, and most of them are English teachers of literature, drama, theatre and language. I’m greatly honored to represent China to attend the seminar.
Here are some of our activities on the schedule of the seminar:
Review Discussion: What is Shakespeare? (with Patrick Spottiswoode)
Performance: The Merchant of Venice
Workshop: Globe Education Practice (Par t I) (with Yolanda Vazquez, Globe Education Practitioner)
Workshop Demonstration: Dressing Shakespeare’s Actors (with Jenny Ti ramani, Theatre Designer and Dress Historian)
Lecture: Who is the Globe? (with Patrick Spottiswoode)
Setting the Scene: Othello (with a learned professor)
Performance: Othello
Review Discussion: The Merchant of Venice and Othello (with Heather Neill, Theatre Critic and Journalist)
Workshop: In Form and Moving (1) (with Glynn MacDonald)
Workshop Demonstration: Period Music and Globe Productions (with James Bisgood, Globe Musician)
Discussion: Shakespeare in Several Classrooms (with Patrick Spottiswoode)
Workshop: Globe Education Practice (Part II) (with Yolanda Vazquez)
Workshop: Globe Movement and Emotion (2) (with Glynn MacDonald)
Workshop: Globe Education Practice (Part III) (with Yolanda Vazquez)
Performance: Love’s Labor’s Lost
Q&A (with Company Members, chaired by Heather Neill)
Review Discussion: Love’s Labor’s Lost (with Heather Neill)
Seminar: Shakespeare in Several Tongues—Romeo and Juliet and Course Reflection (with Patrick Spottiswoode)
Although I had a very short time of studying and staying with the other 17 teachers from different countries along with the professionals, teachers and actors at the Globe, I’ve had the most valuable experiences that I could have within such a short time. Many of the things I learned there can be imparted to and shared with my students in China. New ideas spring out of my mind now and then and I’d like to share them with my colleagues and students.
From all the teachers in the Globe Theatre and the teachers from the other countries, I learned a lot about teaching and I’m sure I can be more innovative in my teaching methodology. I’ll use different ways to inspire the students in their language and literature study.
I’ve been helping my students take part in all kinds of English speech and debating competitions in China, and I’ll tell them about the competitions held by the ESU and help them have a more global perspective. I’m sure I can contribute more to the promotion of the speaking of the English language.
I feel that the real difficulties for Chinese students to master the English language in life situations do not lie in the language itself but in the culture. There are so many gaps between the two cultures that we need to understand and narrow them and even to fill them up!
I see that Chinese students’ English pronunciation is always perfect but their lack of practical training and opportunities to use the language in real context makes them embarrassed and uncomfortable in international communication.
There are so many “Englishes” legally coexisting in London, so why do we emphasize so much on the small things in language itself but not on the meaning and fluency of the expressions?
There are many points in language teaching that we need to reflect and ponder on if we want to have more rewarding and worthwhile results in our teaching.
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Dinner in Dartmouth House with Mrs. Valerie and Robert Lloyd George |
London Tower |
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At Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre |
The last dinner at Globe Café |
Editor:Liu Fang
