Feature: Try something Chinese in Oslo summer school

OSLO, July 26 (Xinhua) -- For eight years, the Oslo municipal government has run the summer school program during summer vacation. This summer, over 150 students from primary and secondary schools across the Norwegian capital city have made the Try Chinese course their choice for the summer school.

The summer school program, which is funded by the Oslo municipal government, has attracted 13,500 students of all age groups in the city this year.

Starting immediately after the summer vacation begins in June, the summer school offers subjects ranging from foreign languages and sciences to music, theatre arts, dance and swimming.

Each course lasts a week. All courses are placed in the first two weeks and the last week of the summer vacation.

Student are free to decide what course he or she would like to take.

The Chinese language and culture has been among the courses for the last three years. It started after a director of education in the Oslo municipal government came back from a visit to China.

The number of students who select the Chinese language and culture course is quite stable over the past three years, Maria Kvellestad Isaksen, an Oslo summer school coordinator, told Xinhua.

Each student might have his or her own reason for taking the Chinese course. Alexander Lu, a student from Hovseter School in Oslo,said, "It would be very useful if you want to study in China."

The Chinese course is conducted in cooperation with the Nydalen Secondary School, a partner for the Oslo summer school program.

Over a span of five full days, students can expect something new and interesting about China when they walk into the classroom everyday.

On the first day, students are given a Chinese name each and encouraged to introduce themselves. On the following days, Chinese songs, paper cutting, Chinese tea and Chinese food are introduced and the Chinese language is taught at the same time.

Video clips of Chinese Talent shows are played through a projector before students start to learn to sing the Chinese pop song "Welcome to Beijing."

Paper cutting is much easier than singing a pop song in Chinese. Student are in full smiles when they see the piece of traditional Chinese folk art created by them.

In the tea class, students watch video programs on picking, heating and drying tea leaves, learn about different kinds of tea produced with different methods, and see teacher making tea and taste it.

Making wonton, a Chinese specialty food, may be the most exciting part of the course. It is amazing to see the students in their teens learn so fast under the instruction of their teachers. In the end, students are allowed to take away six pieces of wonton each and asked to cook the wonton for their families with the help of printed guidelines.

Cai Ye, a postgraduate student from China, is one of the three teachers responsible for conducting the Try Chinese course. The girl, who comes from Hunan province and studies in the University of Oslo, has been given the responsibility to design and prepare the five-day course.

Cai said, "the classes are mainly meant for students to have a little bit taste of Chinese language and culture and to offer them a good chance to know something about Chinese and feel for themselves that learning Chinese could also be an enjoyable thing to do."

Showing the homework done by her students -- well-composed letter in Chinese, Cai Ye is more than satisfied with the performance of her students.

The students are happy too with what they have learnt over a short time of just one week.

Andre Lidre, student from Oslo Handelsgymnasium, said, "I think it was pretty great actually. We've learnt much more than I thought we would learn."