Webinars
Chinese Tea at Oxford Webinar Series
Overcoming Challenges in Mandarin: Teacher and Student Perspectives
Thursday 16th May 2026, 10:00 - 11:30 BST
With Dr. Zhu Zhu (University of Aberdeen), Dr. Wendy Che (Oxford University), Sun Yinnong & Gabriela Lillywhite (Oxford Brookes).
This free online webinar explores common challenges in learning and teaching Mandarin, from both student and teacher perspectives.
What aspects of learning Mandarin do students find most challenging, and how do these challenges evolve from beginner to intermediate levels? And how can both new and experienced teachers make the most of course materials to better support their learners along the way?
This interactive webinar explores key areas of difficulty in Mandarin learning, from adjusting to tones and building character recognition to acquiring vocabulary and navigating vocabulary and grammar, developing productive and receptive skills, and deepening cultural understanding.
Bringing together insights from two teachers working in contrasting classroom contexts, alongside a student perspective, and guided by a discussion catalyst, this session offers a dynamic exchange of experiences and ideas.
Using the Discover China series as a reference point, participants will explore practical and adaptable ways of using course materials to respond to real learner needs, share strategies that work across different settings, and reflect on how to make Mandarin learning more accessible, effective, and engaging.
From Page to Classroom: Adapting Textbooks to Suit your Learners
How do Chinese language teachers choose the right textbook? And once chosen, how can they adapt it to best serve their learners?
This interactive webinar takes the newly revised Discover China series as a case study to explore:
Tailoring content, features and digital resources for diverse teaching contexts
Strategies to engage students
Integrating cultural perspectives
Bringing Chinese language-learning to life
With Dr. Zhu Zhu (University of Aberdeen), Katrina Jia (University of Sussex) and Dr. Wendy Che (Oxford University)