A Rewarding Career as an International Chinese Language Teacher in Thailand

Time flies by quickly. It has been over three years since I worked as an international Chinese language teacher at the Confucius Institute at Mae Fah Luang University in Thailand. Looking back on that journey of sunshine, smile, and challenge now, I am filled with emotions and gratitude. That was not only a work experience, but also a journey of cultural exchange and self-transformation. 

Challenges and Breakthroughs

When I first arrived at Mae Fah Luang University, I was greeted not only by the warm people and hot tropical climate there, but also by the all-new challenge of teaching Chinese. Compared with my past teaching experience focused on the Chinese language itself, I had to teach much more diversified courses there, ranging from reading and HSK tutoring at the School of Integrative Medicine to the compulsory course Chinese II open to all students on the campus, and from the Advanced Chinese for the Chinese language and research major and the Ancient Chinese for the Chinese language education major at the School of Chinese Studies to the tourism and hospitality courses for the business Chinese major. Of them, many "Chinese for Specific Purposes (CSP)" courses were all new to me. 

Teaching "CSP" means not only to impart language knowledge, but also to help students master specialized knowledge of a particular industry in Chinese. This is a huge challenge for me who lacks relevant professional background, because to teach students anything, a teacher must possess much more knowledge in the first place. To fill a cup, you must first have a full pitcher, after all. To that end, I would always learn about the background information, development history, current situation and trend, policies and regulations of relevant industries, and explain them to my students in combination with the teaching contents. However, given the varying degrees of Chinese proficiency on the part of my students, how to "translate" complicated specialized knowledge into a language comprehensible to students was the key. Therefore, I consulted with and learned from experienced teachers and course leaders who had taught those courses for many years. Inspired by them, I tried the flipped classroom model: Before class, I assigned students exploratory questions to guide them to autonomous learning, using multimedia and AI tools to collect information on relevant industries in Thailand and China; in class, I focused on discussion, Q&A, and case studies. This model arouses students' enthusiasm, so that they are no longer passive receivers of knowledge, but active researchers and sharers of ideas. It is really a great pleasure to see them discuss industry trends, compare differences between China and Thailand, and conduct individualized case studies in class.

Outreach and Growth

At the Confucius Institute at Mae Fah Luang University, my role goes beyond teaching in the classroom. I was honored to be in charge of the publicity work of the Confucius Institute. This was a new experience for me, too. I needed to coordinate my colleagues and write newsletters, shoot wonderful moments, and carry out graphic typesetting for various activities of the Confucius Institute, including cultural experiences, Chinese language competitions, important receptions, seminars, HSK tests, etc. This job not only made me deeply aware of the strength of "unity", but also improved my media competences, honed my writing skills, and sharpened my communication and coordination abilities. Now I know that every successful push of news is the fruit of teamwork. 

Large-scale activities held by the Confucius Institute, such as the Spring Festival celebration, the Mid-Autumn Festival gala, the Confucius Institute Day, and the finals of various competitions, are all important windows to show Chinese culture and promote the exchanges between China and Thailand. I am greatly honored to be able to participate in all of them, be it preparing students for the "Chinese Bridge" and "Friendship Cup" Chinese proficiency competitions, rehearsing and staging shows with colleagues, or undertaking the timing, scoring and other work behind the scenes. Every time I see an event perfectly staged thanks to excellent teamwork or the wonderful performance of my students applauded by the audience, I will have a strong sense of pride as a member of the Confucius Institute. These experiences made me understand that education takes place not only in class, but also in the careful preparation and presentation of every cultural event. 

Warmth and Strength

Cultural shock is inevitable when working in a foreign country. But the large family of the Confucius Institute at Mae Fah Luang University, as well as my lovely students, gave me invaluable warmth and support. The friendliness, politeness, and optimism unique to Thai students are the warmest sunshine at work. The way they study hard, the enthusiasm they show in interaction, the full commitment they make to activities, and the "Thank you" message they send after class are all sources of strength for me to dispel the fatigue and strengthen my faith in teaching. I feel extremely proud and gratified seeing students’ progress and growth. 

My colleagues at the Confucius Institute are a group of educators who are passionate, professional, and willing to help each other. In discussing teaching, preparing for activities, and living every moment, we will support each other, share experience, and face challenges together. I have learned something valuable from each of my colleagues, which has helped to keep my passion for international Chinese language education. 

For me, the more than three years at the Confucius Institute, Mae Fah Luang University have been a journey of growth with both challenges and opportunities, and sweat and laughter. From a teacher who focuses on classroom teaching, I have transformed into a versatile teacher who not only can deal with diversified teaching, but also participate in managing general affairs, and freely conduct cross-cultural communication. This has not only improved my professional competences, but also fueled my love for international Chinese language education. Here, I would like to thank the Confucius Institute and its leadership for their support, my colleagues for their cooperation, and my students for their trust. In the future, building on my heartwarming experience at the Confucius Institute, Mae Fah Luang University, I will stay committed to international Chinese language education and work hard to promote cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, with a view to writing new chapters in my overseas teaching career.

About the author: Qin Xiaoxian, an international Chinese language at the Confucius Institute at Mae Fah Luang University.