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Press Releases & Press Packs
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Chinese
student says it all to win BBC competition
A student
from China's Henan Province, Li Fang, has won the
BBC's first ever English Speaking competition, beating 2,000 rivals
to the first prize of a visit to the home of BBC World Service in
Bush House, London.
Li
Fang will make the trip in 2004. The competition was the culmination
of a year-long project through the BBC's English language teaching
programmes.
A panel
of 12 judges tested contestants on comprehension and improvisation
and listened to a range of three and four minute speeches on subjects
including 'My favourite song in English' and 'The importance of
English language teaching radio programmes.'
Min
Cheng, Project Assistant for BBC World Service Education, said:
"The Chinese are passionate about learning English and our
programmes are well tailored for their needs.
"This
is the first time we have put the students' enthusiasm for English
to the test with a competition and we have been delighted by the
response. It was fantastic and the standards were extremely high."
BBC
World Service Education also organised an Activate Your English
workshop for the semi-finalists.
BBC
World Service Learning English presenter Stuart Richmond assisted
with the simulation of a radio programme so contestants could practise
their spoken English. The workshop helped BBC World Service Education
gain a better understanding of the needs of young English learners
in China today.
Notes
to Editors
BBC
World Service Education offers education programmes for global audiences,
including English language teaching programmes and education series
about major issues facing the world today.
It
is available online and by SMS through mobile phones.
BBC
World Service broadcasts programmes around the world in 43 languages
and is available on radio and online at www.bbcworldservice.com.
It
has a global audience of 150 million listeners while its international
website attracts around 180 million unique visitors a month.
All the
BBC's digital services are now available on Freeview,
the new free-to-view digital terrestrial television service, as well
as on satellite and cable.
Freeview
offers the BBC's eight television channels, interactive services
from BBCi, as well as 11 national BBC radio networks.
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