Virtual Exchange Teacher Project

An innovative and international partnership project linking Scottish pupils with postgraduate student teachers from South West Jiao Tong University in Chengdu, China. 

Over eight weeks, each participating class will be allocated a pair of student teachers who will work with their class delivering weekly live streamed lessons. The project provides classes for beginner level 1, 2 & 3. The courses are suitable as L3 provision for BGE pupils in P5-7. They are also suitable for Secondary BGE learners. CISS provides all resources for the student teachers to deliver and additional resources for any class teachers who wants to follow up the online lesson with reinforcement work.

What is the impact for you and your learners?

  • Pupils able to access live Mandarin lessons despite no trained staff in school
  • Real interactions with a native speaker living in China
  • Children have better awareness of Chinese culture and become responsible citizens
  • Momentum maintained in developing Mandarin teaching and learning in Scottish schools despite pandemic
  • Meets 1+ 2 requirements for L3
  • How can my class get involved?

A named teacher from each school will be the contact point for the Virtual Exchange teacher and will liaise closely with them.

A GTCS registered teacher will be present in the class during each lesson.

This teacher will be responsible for:

  • registering pupils according to school procedures, and for monitoring behaviour within the class as necessary.
  • liaising regularly with the VET and ensuring that pupils have any necessary materials for the lesson (e.g. by printing worksheets that have been sent by them, having whiteboards or devices ready, etc.)
  • ensuring that the class is equipped with the necessary technology for the live lessons to take place
  • accessing the lesson and displaying it on the class whiteboard/screen
  • sharing materials for pupils to access between lessons if necessary
  • preparing feedback for parents/school as appropriate

  • Lesson planning
  • Setting up a chat group in the team and scheduling meetings
  • Preparation of all course materials
  • Delivery of all online lessons via the Microsoft Teams platform
  • Sending any materials needed to the contact teacher in school ahead of each lesson
  • Communicating with the class teacher via Teams or email

A VET's experience

I was so nervous about the first class and worried about making a good impression on the pupils that I prepared the first class three times with different partners. Gradually however, my teaching became more and more proficient and my communication with pupils got better and better.

In class, I tried to give students simple, clear instructions and inspire them to think by asking questions. Students corrected each other’s pronunciation which helped keep class participation relatively high, and their attention focused. I also found other ways to catch students' attention, such as grasping the rhythm of the class, using different ways to practice expressions, and speaking with an exaggerated tone!

As the course progressed, I felt more and more comfortable teaching and liked my students more and more. Every week I was so happy to see my students appear on the screen and say "hello". Just before Christmas some students wore Christmas hats in class. The whole class was full of happiness.

I am very grateful to the teachers in charge of the class in Scotland. They were very conscientious and responsible. They helped us manage the class, maintain the order of the class, helped us point out students to answer questions, and learn Chinese with them. I felt very lucky to be teaching with them.

- Hannah Zhao