Leeds

Teaching at the Business Confucius Institute at the University of Leeds

From August 2016 to August 2017, I worked as a Chinese language tutor at the Business Confucius Institute at the University of Leeds (BCIUL) — a role that allowed me to gain extensive experience in developing, delivering, and optimizing a wide range of Chinese language courses at the Higher Education level in the UK.

During my time at BCIUL, I had the opportunity to teach students from diverse backgrounds and academic disciplines, including business, law, arts, and linguistics. One of the most rewarding aspects of this role was designing tailored learning experiences for specific groups of learners, ensuring that each course met the unique needs and goals of participants.

Courses I Taught and Designed

• Chinese for International Trade and Business (EAST3102) — I worked with over thirty students from East Asian Studies, leading weekly workshops and exam tutorials throughout the academic year. This experience gave me insight into discipline-specific language needs, particularly in professional and trade contexts.

• Chinese for students in arts — I created a bespoke Chinese module curriculum for over fifty students from Leeds College of Arts (LCA), focusing on creative and culturally relevant content to engage arts students.

• Chinese for beginners and evening courses — I taught over thirty university students and members of the public in evening courses, making language learning accessible to adult learners and non-specialists.

• Business Chinese for professionals — I designed and delivered a lunchtime Business Chinese course for eight staff members from Eversheds Law Firm, supporting their professional development over the course of a year.

• One-to-one tutoring — I also provided individual sessions for a Linguistics lecturer from the University of Leeds, adapting teaching methods to suit their academic interests.

Beyond the Classroom: Cultural Engagement and Public Outreach

In addition to teaching, I led and organized a wide range of extracurricular cultural workshops and events, aimed at promoting Chinese language and culture across the university and local communities. These workshops included Chinese music, tea culture, calligraphy, film screenings, and fashion, and were delivered in collaboration with Confucius Classrooms, the general public, museums, and other public venues around Yorkshire.

I also gained significant experience supporting students in the Chinese Bridge Competition in the UK, offering both pedagogical and administrative support. Notably, one of the students I mentored won second prize in the 16th UK finals and went on to represent the UK at the global final in China — an achievement that I was proud to contribute to through ongoing guidance and coaching.

Institute Visibility and Community Engagement

Alongside teaching and cultural activities, I was also responsible for maintaining and increasing the visibility of the Institute via social networks. I regularly updated social media channels and public communication platforms to share the latest information on language courses, workshops, and cultural events, helping to broaden the Institute’s reach and engage new audiences.

Reflections and Impact

My time at BCIUL taught me how to design and implement effective language learning programmes for a wide range of learners — from university students to working professionals. Through this role, I developed a deeper understanding of how to balance linguistic rigor with practical, real-world applications, and how to engage learners through culturally rich and relevant content.

Working in such a dynamic environment also strengthened my skills in curriculum development, event organization, learner support, and cross-cultural communication, all of which continue to shape my teaching philosophy today.

Looking back, I see this experience as a foundation that has informed my subsequent teaching roles, including at the University of Reading, where I continued to develop and optimize language teaching programmes to support diverse student populations.