This summer, twenty students from Primary 5 and 6 spent eleven days in Canada. Together with their teachers, Ms Chan Yuen Hing and Ms Leung Kin Yee, the twenty students started their wonderful tour on July 21, 2011. They were selected by the interview board as they showed strong interest in the tour and they were keen on improving their English standard.
Since 2010, summer exchange tour has been organized in the school. The tour is aimed to enhance the English skills of our students in an authentic communication context. Students could practise their English skills through the intensive experiential learning throughout the 11-day tour. Besides, students could broaden their horizons as they stayed with the locals abroad.
Despite their tiredness after the 11-hour fight trip, students were thrilled to see the bright blue sky and people of all sorts of races. They were warmly welcomed by the EcoleGlenbrookMiddle School, which caters for Grade 6 to 8 students in New Westminster School District No. 40. Feeling both nervous and excited, they then came to meet their homestay families for the first time. They were all happy to know one another.
Students spent their mornings the programme in English and cultural studies. The curriculum was designed to fit the students’ needs and interest. In addition to fun and interactive English learning activities, the local English teachers Stacey and Nav shared with them the history of their country. Students also compared and contrasted the educational system in Hong Kong and Canada. Some of them claimed that they would like to study in Canada.
In the afternoons, the holiday fun began. Vancouver is one of the most beautiful and friendliest cities in the world. There are an abundance of exciting adventures waiting to unfold. Students visited beaches, parks and the Science World. The excursion trip to Victoria and ButchartGarden was the highlight of the trip. Students witnessed the best of British Columbia among those spectacular historic buildings and the nature.
Many students reflected that they would like a longer stay in Canada. One of the participants Lei Yuen Kiu from Class 5B said that she improved her English a lot through the daily communication with host families and teachers. She also loved the amazing natural environment in Canada when compared to the heavily polluted air in Hong Kong. Another participant Lai Sin Ying from Class 6A said that she had lots of fun with the home stay family. She tried hockey and played band music there. She said she would keep in touch with her host family. She also found that she learnt to be independent in these 11 days without parents.
The tour finally came to an end but the valuable memories will stay on our students’ mind forever. |
