Summer English Program (SEP) Introduction

Introduction

One conversation with a good teacher is better than 10 years of study. (Ancient Chinese saying)

At Amity we believe something remarkable happens when people of different cultures start to talk to one another. Language becomes an exchange of ideas rather than a text to be memorized. Culture becomes something to be touched, tasted and observed rather than simply imagined. Even 20 short days of this kind of person-to-person communication can be enough to change a life in a way that no text or course ever could.

Every summer, Amity promotes this kind of cross-cultural dialogue as English-speaking volunteers work with rural middle school Chinese teachers of English to develop their listening and speaking skills. Chinese participants see foreign friends engaged in service that directly benefits their communities, while volunteers gain a deeper understanding of an important and growing nation that is often misunderstood and misrepresented in their own countries. Seemingly small seeds of friendship and communication are sown in these summer classrooms, but taken together they point the way to a greater harvest of development and understanding.

If you are a fluent English speaker interested in offering a month of service in China, think about joining Amity’s Summer English Program. We know a lot of people who are eager to have a conversation with a good teacher — how about you? The Summer English Program for 2011 is now open for application, please consult the following information and apply.