A four-week language and culture experience in Beijing that combined intensive language study with cultural immersion.
Overview
A four-week language and culture program in Beijing that combined intensive language study with cultural immersion. This program began with a pre-trip one-week orientation on Wheaton campus. The program in Beijing then offered courses in all levels of Chinese language for all majors. Students lived and dined on a Chinese university campus. The program also included visits to various cultural and historical sites in Beijing. Students had the opportunity to worship in local Chinese churches and participate in some service-oriented activities.
Host Institution
Beijing Normal University (BNU), located in the northwestern part of Beijing, has established cooperative ties with nearly 300 universities and institutions from more than 30 countries and regions. BNU owns a key training base for Teaching of Chinese as a Foreign Language. BNU’s Chinese Language and Literature discipline was ranked number one in China in 2009.
Language Pledge
As a crucial part of the learning process, all students are required to sign a pledge during their first week of orientation on campus. The pledge states that students will use only Mandarin Chinese for the duration of the program both on campus and in China. There will be scheduled weekly meetings for “English Hours” for deeper conversation and fellowship.