China beckons for winners of 'Mandarin-speaking X Factor'
10 March 2011
Nine talented students from five UK schools are preparing for the trip of a lifetime to China, after winning the HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese Speaking Competition. The winners were chosen from 89 students at the 29 schools making it through to the grand final of the competition at the British Museum on March 10.
The competition supports and promotes the teaching of Mandarin Chinese as a modern foreign language in UK schools. With China overtaking Japan in February to become the world’s second largest economy, Mandarin is becoming more and more important. When today’s students enter employment, they will need to be able to compete in a world where links with China are essential.
Now in its eighth year, the competition attracted a record number of more than 400 learners eager to prove their Chinese skills. X Factor-style regional heats were held in London and Newcastle, with only the best making it through to the final.
The youngsters competed in the Individual Language Ability or Group Performance section. In the Individual section, contestants gave a short prepared presentation in Mandarin, translated sentences from English into Mandarin and were tested on their knowledge of China and Chinese culture. In the Group Performance section, groups of between four and six students performed a piece of drama in Chinese – many involving imaginative costumes and themes ranging from Kung Fu to Internet Safety. The judging panel was made up of native and non-native speakers of Mandarin, from a variety of backgrounds.
The winners are:
- Individual (Beginner): Laura Janicka, Millais School, Horsham
- Individual (Intermediate): Alasdair Falcon, George Heriot’s School, Edinburgh
- Individual (Advanced): Mark Lindberg, Ibstock Place School, Roehampton
- Individual (Veteran): I Kit Cheng, Carre’s Grammar School, Sleaford
- Group Performance:Charlie Beech, Dominic Hughes, Sean Duckers, William Lester, Ben Ezard, Calday Grange Grammar School, Wirral
As part of their prize this Easter, the winners will scale China’s Great Wall, explore Beijing's Forbidden City, and enjoy cultural activities with Chinese students at local schools.
Martin Davidson, Chief Executive of the British Council and fluent Chinese speaker, said: “Future success for the UK will in large part depend on our ability to communicate internationally - and China will be an important partner for us. Developing a real understanding of China will be crucial to the relationship, and learning Mandarin will ensure that our young people have the intercultural skills to communicate effectively. This competition is a chance to reward students who are making the effort to master the Chinese language.”
Simon Martin, Head of Group Corporate Sustainability at HSBC, added: “As a leading emerging markets bank with our origins in Hong Kong and Shanghai, HSBC has strong links with China. Furthermore we place great emphasis on the importance of education and international relationships, so I am delighted to support this competition. I wish the students taking part the best of luck and hope that they will continue their Mandarin studies in the future.”
The competition was organised by the British Council – which builds relationships for the UK through English, education and the arts, and already links around 43,000 pupils and teachers in the UK and China. It is supported by the HSBC Global Education Programme – which focuses on international understanding, disadvantaged children, financial literacy, and environmental education.
For more information about the competition or to arrange interviews, please contact Mark Moulding in the British Council Press Office on 020 7389 4889 or mark.moulding@britishcouncil.org
Notes to Editors
The annual Language Trends survey run by CILT, the National Centre for Languages indicates that the percentage of English state schools teaching Mandarin Chinese has risen from 4% in 2006 to 16% in 2010. The number of independent schools in England teaching Mandarin at some level has risen from 18% in 2006 to 37% in 2010.
The number of Chinese Language Assistants working in UK schools through the British Council has increased from 11 in 2001, to 94 this year.
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We work in over 100 countries worldwide to build opportunity and trust for the UK through the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people. We work in the Arts, English, Education and Society, including science and sport - and in the process contribute to the security and prosperity of the UK and the countries where we work. Last year we engaged face to face with 18.4 million people and reached 652 million. We are a non-political organisation which operates at arm’s length from government. Our total turnover in 2009/10 was £705 million, of which our grant-in-aid from the British government was £211 million. For every £1 of government grant we receive, we earn £2.50 from other sources. For more information, please visit: www.britishcouncil.org
The HSBC Group
HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 8,000 offices in 86 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$2,418 billion at 30 June 2010, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as ‘the world’s local bank’.
