Young Overseas Chinese Language Teacher Conveys China's Voice

Embracing Challenges and Pursuing Dreams

Among many countries for overseas assignments, Yang Di resolutely chose Belgium instead of the more familiar Spain as her next destination in life. This is the first step she took to embrace a brand-new challenge. As the headquarters of the European Union, Brussels is an international city. When asked about the reason, she said, "It's a whole new experience, and a whole new challenge!" The first challenge is the language barrier. Faced with a French-speaking environment, her knowledge of Portuguese and Spanish became useless, which caused a psychological gap at that time. The second challenge is the transition of work identity, from a volunteer to a formal teacher, with different job responsibilities. Facing the challenges brought by the new environment, she quickly integrated into the new environment and embraced her new life with her optimistic and cheerful personality, and the help of the dean and colleagues.

In the teaching process, Yang Di also encountered many challenges. In the zero-based children's class, facing children with different mother tongues, how to achieve effective communication was one of her challenges. In addition, there was a large age difference in the children's class, ranging from five to fourteen years old, with obvious cognitive differences. How to take into account the interests and learning styles of different students was another challenge she faced. However, where there is a will, there is a way. To overcome teaching difficulties, she actively explored solutions, made many attempts, and alternated the use of media such as pictures, videos, and games to help students understand and remember, bringing great improvement in teaching effectiveness.

Continuing Learning and Realizing Dreams

As an excellent international Chinese language teacher, maintaining a learning attitude is essential. On the one hand, good learning abilities can help teachers internalize professional knowledge and flexibly apply it to the teaching process, conveying complex knowledge to students in a simple and effective manner. Faced with different teaching groups, Yang Di used different teaching methods. In the children's class, she changed teaching modes rhythmically in the form of games, with the main purpose of cultivating interest. In the adult class, with the teaching goal of learning language and understanding culture, she combined social news, online videos, TV programs, etc., to create a relaxed and interesting atmosphere for teaching, actively practicing the teaching concept of "teaching according to one's aptitude".

On the other hand, outstanding teachers also need to continuously pay attention to the latest research trends in the field, actively learn from the teaching philosophy of senior scholars after class, keep pace with the times, and learn to apply new teaching theories with an inclusive and open attitude, mastering more effective teaching methods, and improving their own teaching level through self-learning and self-improvement. In short, as a teacher, Yang Di is constantly learning and exploring, always adhering to the concept of lifelong learning.

Staying True to the Original Aspiration

Her passion for international Chinese language education is the driving force for her progress and courage to persist. She said, "When I initially decided to embark on this path, I faced many doubts." Similarly, embarking on this path also presented various challenges, but she never forgot her original intention to become an international Chinese language teacher. She has always been passionate about the cause of education and once thought of leveraging her undergraduate major advantage to become a Portuguese teacher. However, a study exchange trip to Portugal changed her life. When communicating with locals and answering questions like "What is the capital of China? Is it Shanghai?", she deeply felt that many foreigners had very limited knowledge about China. She said, "I want to use my language advantage to teach foreigners Chinese language and introduce Chinese culture, hoping to let them see the new era of China, the real China."

For Yang Di, the greatest significance of international Chinese language education is to bring China's excellent traditional culture and contemporary popular culture to the world stage, allowing more foreigners to have a clear and correct understanding of China. "I love this path and I want to take it, so I will persist and leave no regrets for myself." Only with faith in mind can one have strength forward.

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She hopes that younger students can cherish their time as students more, and she said, "If I could go back to my school days, I hope I could work harder, learn more professional knowledge, and cherish the opportunities to ask teachers for advice." In addition to learning professional knowledge, one can also consciously exercise oneself in dealing with life problems. Furthermore, one should actively participate in social activities to improve communication, expression and social skills.

When working overseas, it is needed to endure loneliness. One shall cultivate some hobbies and learn to discover the joys of life. In this process, we will also broaden our horizons and constantly enrich our perspectives on things. In future further studies and career choices, one can prepare in advance with targeted efforts, giving oneself enough time for accumulation and precipitation while gaining experience.

Finally, she hopes that everyone can seize the opportunities around them and prepare themselves with a relaxed attitude. We lead our own lives, and there are great possibilities in the future. Please have confidence in yourself!

(Text & Photo: Ding Junfeng, Zhang Yu)