How was your experience on your teaching placements?
Starting in Beijing, I enjoyed a homestay week before teaching at a summer camp there. This was followed by one week volunteering at a summer camp Shijiazhuang before joining the Shanghai homestay program then travelling extensively around China afterwards!
I had a wonderful time, and really enjoyed experiencing Chinese culture.
Would you recommend doing this teaching practicum to a friend and why?
I’d definitely recommend the program as a way to experience Chinese culture! I particularly enjoyed sightseeing with my host family.
I learnt a lot about Chinese culture and developed my teaching skills. The experiences was also helpful in improving my confidence talking to large groups.
What advice would you give to future trainee teachers for their teaching practicums?
Be prepared for some communication difficulties (living in another country is always challenging) and take every opportunity to learn about the local culture!
The teaching practicum is a great opportunity to put into practice your learning from the TEFL course and develop your teaching skills, so make the most of it.