Motivation:
As an ESL learner, how would you feel if you were learning English without having any English-speaking environment? I was working as an English teacher at public middle schools in western China, and quite often, when my students desperately wanted to express their ideas in English, they struggled to communicate. That’s why I would love to create a space for Chinese students to talk freely in English and be inspired to learn with enthusiasm.
Project Description:
Beyond Words: English & Beyond Camp is an Interdisciplinary English Learning Camp tailored for approximately 20 Chinese students aged 12-15 years old. Through teamwork, exploration across disciplines, and a flipped classroom model, this interdisciplinary summer English camp imparts language proficiency with a holistic learning environment among Chinese middle school students. Beyond Words: English & Beyond Camp represents an interdisciplinary learning of English which bridges the gap between theoretical classroom concepts and hands-on experiences of students, thus allowing the learners to experience the beauty of various subjects in a completely English-immersed atmosphere.
Key Highlights:
Design Journey:
This is very important for the design of this summer camp because, through it, I learned that truly multidisciplinary learning can be a real booster for students in developing complex thinking. The Camp does not focus on teaching just pure English; rather, the integration of other subjects allows students to explore content through different academic aspects, thus enriching their insights and making learning practical and fun.
This summer camp of five days each deals with five different themes, respectively. Every day, about 20 students are divided into small groups and form collaborative spaces. Students are continuously encouraged to share their thoughts, discuss various perspectives, and solve problems in interaction with peers and teachers while strengthening language.
Imagine 12- to 15-year-old students tackling these real-life topics in English, a language they are still learning, with the teachers present to guide discussions and help each of their students with his or her role within the team. For example, on Environmental Science Day, the students will think in groups about their ideas for an eco-friendly community. They will brainstorm and develop mini-models of the solution to the sustainability of the community or detailed drawings, practicing how to voice the environmental concept in the real world. This dynamic learning environment turns language learning into an interdisciplinary exploration where students themselves actively create knowledge. It makes the whole camp truly unique and impactful because students are learning to connect concepts across disciplines and communicate those meanings.
Future Scope:
In the future, Beyond Words: English & Beyond Camp can go further than supporting Chinese middle school students aged 12-15 years to go further and support the development of English listening and speaking for students of different ages. Besides, it could introduce themed days in line with students’ interests and extend from 5 to 7 days in order to satisfy diversified needs. This would be to say that, as the students go on, so will they build up their self-efficacy through daily learning, motivation will be fed, and they will be aware of the real value of what they study in a professional way.
