Successful Efforts Made to Advance Chinese Language Education in Zanzibar University

Chen Xibin teaches Chinese at the Confucius Classroom, State University of Zanzibar in Tanzania. For many years, he has opened doors to the world of Chinese language for local students, writing vivid stories of international Chinese language education out of love and responsibility.

From a Spark of Interest to the Pursuit of a Dream

Chen Xibin's connection with international Chinese language education began with an exchange program during his undergraduate years. In 2014, he went to study in South Korea as an exchange student. During his communication with Korean students, he learned about the Chinese language teaching at the Confucius Institute there, thus generating a strong interest in international Chinese education. Shortly before graduation in 2016, his university released a volunteer Chinese language teachers program. Without hesitation, he applied for a volunteer teacher position in Thailand, hence starting his career in international Chinese language education. 

Although he majored in financial management, Chen Xibin grew rapidly as a volunteer Chinese language teacher thanks to his enthusiasm and dedication to Chinese teaching. Through continuous teaching practice and reflection, his teaching skills have been continuously improved, and his cross-cultural communication ability has been significantly enhanced as well. On the podium in a foreign country, he not only helped students master the Chinese language, but also gained a full sense of achievement and happiness in doing so.

From a volunteer to a professional Chinese language teacher, Chen Xibin has been working hard at the forefront of Chinese language education in multiple countries, including Thailand, the UK, Spain, and Tanzania. Over the years, his dedication to Chinese language education has allowed him to gain rich overseas teaching experience and witnessed the unique charm of Chinese as an international language all over the world. This teaching journey across Asia, Europe, and Africa is not only a testament to his personal career development, but also a vivid epitome of the thriving international Chinese language education. 

Lighting up Classroom Teaching with Innovative Methods

Chen Xibin has always believed that stimulating students' interest in learning is the key to Chinese teaching. "Interest is the best teacher – only when students are really curious and passionate about Chinese will they actively explore and continue learning." Following this idea, he keeps innovating teaching methods, infusing vitality and interest into his classroom. 

During his tenure at the Confucius Classroom, State University of Zanzibar, Chen Xibin designed various interesting classroom games, such as Chinese character jigsaw puzzles and situational dialogue contests, to help students learn Chinese in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. In his culture class, Chen Xibin skillfully compared local culture with Chinese culture and guided students to share their perspectives on both. This not only deepened students' understanding of different cultures, but also stimulated their enthusiasm for the Chinese language.

Given the fact that Zanzibar students were quite restrained in class, Chen Xibin designed and encouraged students to actively participate in different types of group activities, and to communicate and learn from each other through multi-person cooperation. Under his guidance, his class became increasingly active, and his students gradually turned more cheerful and confident, capable of boldly expressing and sharing their learnings. According to Chen Xibin, "group activities make students more relaxed and more willing to show themselves in class, and therefore effectively improve their Chinese proficiency." 

In 2024, his students won the first, second or third prizes in the final of the 4th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Show for Foreign Primary School Students in Tanzania. More, three students in his training class successfully passed the HSK Level 3 and HSK Speaking (primary) tests and won scholarships to study in China. Undoubtedly, these achievements stemmed from his continuous innovation in teaching methods.

Communicating with Heart to Convey the Charm of Chinese Language

In the course of teaching, Chen Xibin not only paid attention to imparting knowledge, but also attached importance to making good communication with students. In daily communication, he found that many students were enthusiastic about learning Chinese, but worried that they could not learn it well. Therefore, he often took the initiative to talk with his students, patiently understood their difficulties, and put forward solutions, with a view to gradually eliminating their fear of difficulties. Also, he would develop personalized learning plans for his students according to their current situations, help them define their learning goals and directions, and encourage them to learn independently after class. 

In the process of teaching, many students led Chen Xibin to be keenly aware of the importance of Chinese language education to the growth and development of locals. "My student Mary did very well, but was unable to get family support for some reason. She didn't give up, though. Instead, she continued to study hard and work part-time jobs to make money and take part in the Chinese language examination. She told me that even without support, she would still work hard to learn Chinese and try to become a local Chinese teacher after graduation and create a better future."

Chen Xibin believes that whether to study in China or to find a better job in the local market, the Chinese language truly gives local students more opportunities." Students no longer find Chinese difficult to learn and no longer have the feeling that China is far away. Instead, they have clearly felt the change and growth brought to them by learning Chinese. Many students also have more clear plans for their future." 

As the number of students learning Chinese continues to rise in Zanzibar, there has been a growing emphasis on Chinese language education, and students' attitudes towards the Chinese language have changed positively. "Many students majoring in foreign language teaching hope to become Chinese language teachers in local schools in the future after learning Chinese language and understanding Chinese culture. Inspired by such a goal, students are working harder to learn Chinese and improve their skills, and I have seen their Chinese proficiency improve all the while." 

Today, Chen Xibin is still committed to international Chinese language education, making a contribution to Chinese teaching in Zanzibar at the forefront. He is convinced that the prospect of Chinese language education in Zanzibar is bright and the number of people learning Chinese will continue to grow in the future. He also hopes to teach in more countries in the future and help more Chinese learners learn the language well and experience a rich and colorful life.