Reluctant to spend another summer in steamy St. Louis? Consider taking a month to learn about China in China while helping Chinese students learn English.
Frank Yin, PhD, ambassador to Tsinghua University, a partner institution in the McDonnell International Scholars Academy, invites Washington University in St. Louis faculty and students to participate in Tsinghua’s annual English summer camp, which will be held from June 26 to July 13.
Last summer, WUSTL sent seven teachers and eight volunteers to Tsinghua. The same number will attend this year, says Yin, the Stephen F. and Camilla T. Brauer Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering and chair of the department of biomedical engineering in WUSTL’s School of Engineering & Applied Science.
Tsinghua, one of China’s premier universities, is located in northwest Beijing, on the former site of Qing Dynasty royal gardens. The campus retains Chinese-style landscaping as well as traditional buildings.
The English summer camp is an intensive English language experience for Tsinghua students. Each day is devoted to lessons, lectures, and various activities, including seminars, song and dance competitions, and other games.
The camp is for students who have just completed their freshmen year at Tsinghua. The university anticipates about 3,300 students to take part this summer.
The camp’s goal is to increase the students’ interest and enthusiasm in learning English as well as to improve their basic English skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
WUSTL native or near-native English speakers are invited to join the camp as visiting teachers and volunteers.
Visiting teachers will teach English classes, give lectures on topics of interest, and help out with group activities. Volunteers will facilitate lecture discussion seminars and lead group activities, such as competitions involving music, speech and drama.
Teachers should hold at least a master’s degree or be a currently enrolled graduate student, and; volunteers should be currently enrolled undergraduate students.
During the camp’s three weeks, teachers and volunteers will be provided free meals and on-campus accommodations. Teachers will receive a stipend of approximately $2,000 in U.S. dollars and volunteers a stipend of approximately $470 in U.S. dollars.
There will be two days of orientation and team coordination prior to the camp (June 23-24), and both teachers and volunteers arrive in Beijing on June 21 or 22. Transportation between the Beijing airport and the Tsinghua campus will be provided.
To view the camp’s website, visit flc.tsinghua.edu.cn. For more information or to apply, email Yin at yin@biomed.wustl.edu.
The application deadline for teachers is Feb.22. The deadline for volunteers is March 15.
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