China is undertaking education reform at all levels. In September 2001 a new national curriculum was introduced, with English now being taught from Year 3 (age nine) of primary school at township level and above. It is intended that by 2004 all primary Year 3 students will have access to English tuition. Our Chongqing Centre has started an English language teacher training project with the local municipal education commission to demonstrate commitment and support to this reform and showcase British expertise as a course provider in English language teacher training.

This project will improve the quality of English teaching in Chongqing municipality primary schools.

After the training

• A cadre of teacher trainers and key teachers will be able to review, design, implement and evaluate continuing professional development activities for primary teachers of English.
• All primary school English teachers will be able to use a wider variety of teaching methodologies, perform self-evaluation and improve their teaching.
• Primary school children will have improved oral/aural English skills for communication.

Following consultancy visits, UK trainers from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne delivered a six-week primary school ELT Trainer Training course in Chongqing from November to December 2002. In March 2003, the first pilot primary school ELT Teacher Training was cascaded by the local trainers who received the six-week training.

There are plans for further training courses for primary school English teachers in the future.