Background
Mandarin Language Assistants (MLAs) are postgraduate students from China who come to New Zealand for 1 – 3 years to teach Chinese in New Zealand schools. This year, there are 42 Mandarin Language Assistants and three Mandarin teachers employed by the Confucius Institute at the University of Canterbury teaching Chinese. The MLAs typically live with local families and help students to increase their Mandarin language ability and run or teach cultural activities. The programme was signalled in the Free Trade Agreement signed between China and New Zealand in 2008. The agreement allowed for teachers to come from China to help teach Mandarin in New Zealand.
In 2020, schools are asked to pay an administration fee of $500 per MLA which can be shared among schools hosting the MLA. If the MLA is only at a school part time, the cost is reduced. Other costs are funded by the Confucius Institute Headquarters.
The role of MLAs
The role of an MLA is to teach Mandarin language effectively, provide information and insight into Chinese culture and language, model accurate pronunciation and intonation and assist the classroom teacher.
MLAs may contribute to the Chinese language programmes at participating schools by:
- Teaching ‘taster’ classes designed to interest students in learning more about Chinese culture and language
- Teaching regular Chinese language lessons at primary, intermediate or secondary level
- Assisting with the preparation of Chinese learning resoures using authentic language
- Assisting Chinese language teachers by providing opportunities for students to interact with a native speaker, stimulating genuine classroom communications
- Assist teachers in the classroom and/or make small group work not only possible but more effective
- Assist teachers to extend their own linguistic and cultural knowledge. This may include assisting a Chinese teacher in his/her language study.
Primary schools
Mandarin Language Assistants are available to teach at primary and intermediate schools. Usually, an MLA will teach classes introducing language and/or culture for 30 – 60 minutes once a week. Most MLAs teach a number of different classes at each school, and will often teach at two or more different schools.
Lessons are designed to be age-appropriate and fun. The hope is that children will develop an interest in learning about different cultures and languages.
Secondary schools
MLAs assist in different ways depending on the need of the school. In some schools, the MLA assists the Chinese teacher with lesson preparation and providing opportunities for students to speak with a native speaker.
In other schools, MLAs teach Chinese independently, either as a subject or as an extra-curricular activity.
MLAs are also able to aid schools to develop a Chinese language programme by assisting current teachers with learning Chinese. CIUC is also able to provide textbooks and online resources to help teachers learn Chinese. Some schools also offer evening classes in Mandarin, which Mandarin Language Assistants are able to teach.
Martial arts and Tai Chi
CIUC also has a specialised Martial Arts instructor. She is available to teach at schools. She can teach regular lessons in Christchurch, or do one-off cultural interactive demonstrations throughout the South Island. She is also available to participate in cultural days.
Cultural days and festivals
Many of CIUC’s MLAs are able to demonstrate aspects of Chinese culture such as calligraphy, paper cutting and dance. We often visit schools to take part in cultural days or festivals. Schools usually contribute to the cost of materials.
Host school’s responsibilities
China will fund the international travel costs and a living allowance for each MLA. In return, New Zealand is responsible for health insurance and making arrangemennts for homestay accommodation. The costs of the homestay accommodation are also covered by the Confucius Institute Headquarters.
The schools should provide support for MLAs in their role teaching Chinese. Particularly, they should give them the opportunity to learn about teaching in New Zealand, including allowing them to observe classes. They should also provide feedback on their teaching. In order to facilitate this, we send an evaluation form to the schools each term and use comments given to improve our level of teaching.
Schools outside city bounds should provide transportation to and from schools. If transportation costs are greater than $25 per week, schools need to top up the difference. MLAs generally do not have access to cars, and often don't have a driver's license.
We do expect lead schools to assist in finding homestay accommodation for the MLAs.
Administration fee
For schools with an MLA based at their school or cluster of schools full time, the administration fee is $500 per year per MLA. This can be divided among the cluster of schools. If a school does not have an MLA based at it full time, the administration fee for the whole year is $200 (the MLA teaches at the school for one day a week) or $400 (the MLA teaches at the school two days a week). The number of hours an MLA teaches a day does not affect the administration fee. If the MLA teaches at a school for three or more days a week, the administration fee is $500. The administration fee covers the cost of the MLAs insurance and our administration costs.
Contact us
For more information, or to request an application form, please contact:
Confucius-Institute@canterbury.ac.nz
CIUC Deputy Director
Associate Professor Qianhua Yu
qianhua.yu@canterbury.ac.nz
Ph: 03 369 3383
