2025 Winter Term Week 1
This is the third newsletter of the 2024/25 academic year.
Happy new year!
Welcome to the third Newsletter of this academic year. We hope you have had a good break and are looking forward to a new term at LSE.
News items
In 2013, I taught in a well-known summer intensive program in Beijing where students often encountered Chinese internet slang through local friends or social media—words that weren’t covered in their textbooks. Recognizing this gap, some teachers proposed the idea of introducing these popular phrases into the curriculum, and I was entrusted to lead this project.
Teaching these phrases for the first time presented several challenges: How could I accurately explain them in proper English? Would students be able to connect with the meanings and understand the social context? And most importantly, how could I make the learning experience both engaging and educational? With these questions in mind, I dedicated time to developing teaching materials tailored to these needs. To my surprise, the response from students was overwhelmingly positive, and the materials received high praise. Students shared that locals were impressed by their knowledge of contemporary Chinese expressions, which made them feel proud and motivated to learn more.
This experience inspired me to go beyond standard textbooks and teach useful expressions that are highly relevant in everyday life. Now, I've decided to revive this unique approach by offering engaging explanations and examples of contemporary Chinese expressions that are rarely included in traditional learning resources—such as 舔狗 (tiǎn gǒu), 单身狗 (dānshēn gǒu), 玻璃心 (bōlí xīn), and more.
Please check out my Instagram site. I am deeply passionate about running this free account and am committed to improving it to reach a wider audience who might find the content both enjoyable and educational. My goal is to make these efforts meaningful and to share the joy of learning Mandarin through relatable, modern expressions. I warmly welcome any feedback or recommendations for phrases to include in future content!
Leo Pan
Co-ordinating Language Teacher (Mandarin), LSE Language Centre
When: Burns Night is celebrated every year on 25 January
Why: In honour of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns, who is regarded as the most prominent poet to have written in the Scots dialect.
How: A celebration including traditional food, drink, poetry readings and dancing.
What food is typically eaten? Haggis, neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes).
What is Haggis? A small furry animal that runs around the Scottish Highlands.
What is it really? A meal traditionally made of sheep offal, mixed with oatmeal, onions, suet, seasoning and spices. It is very tasty but there will be a veggie alternative!
What do you typically drink? Whisky! There will be a selection of Whisky to try, but soft drinks will of course be available as well.
How is the Language Centre celebrating Burns Night? In the Senior Common Room (SCR) with haggis, whisky, poetry, a live band and Scottish dancing!
Fun Fact: Our director Dr Neil McLean has Scottish heritage and will be hosting the evening in full traditional Scottish dress.
Please make sure to check your Hub calendar, events for you should be listed!
Careers drop in begins
20/1/2025, 2-5pm, The Little Huddle
All Language Centre students on campus (see full list of dates, below and in your Hub Calendar)
Language Community sessions (Conversation Circles/Bitesize Speaking) begin
20/1/2025, (sign up here)
Burns Night
24/1/2025, 6-9pm, SDR (if you have not done so already, RSVP using this form)
All Language Centre students on campus (including General Course)
Applying to the Internship Fund Scheme
29/01/2025, 12.30-1.30pm
Please book on CareerHub
Year 2 BSc Language, Culture and Society students
Chinese Embassy Event: Preparation for Outward Study Abroad in China
12/02/2025, 3-5pm, The Chinese Embassy, 50 Portland Place
All students studying in China (Summer 2025 and 2025/26 Academic Year)
Language Community Get Together
19/2/2025, 2-3pm, KSW.G.01
Alex will be in the The Little Huddle at these times during the Winter Term, please drop-in and see him.
| Winter term week | Day | Date | Time |
| 1 | Monday | 20/01/2025 | 2pm - 5pm |
| 3 | Monday | 03/02/2025 | 2pm - 5pm |
| 5 | Monday | 17/02/2025 | 2pm - 5pm |
| 7 | Monday | 03/03/2025 | 2pm - 5pm |
| 9 | Monday | 17/03/2025 | 2pm - 5pm |
| 11 | Monday | 31/03/2025 | 2pm - 5pm |
He also reminds you of a number of helpful activities and resources – no matter what stage you're at with your career planning. These include:
- Our CareerHub platform, which is where you can book appointments with me and other Careers Consultants and discuss whatever you'd like (such as, starting out with your career thinking, CVs and cover letters, applications, practice interviews, LinkedIn and further study options)
- Our core events programme, which offers information and hands-on sessions relating to a wide range of career development opportunities. These events are also bookable on CareerHub.
- Our "Discover" events programmes (which are bookable on CareerHub), which provide opportunities to connect with employers, hear from alumni and practise specific skills related to a wide range of sectors (including sustainability, consulting, international organisations, conflict and security, careers in China, and tech)
- Our Moodle course on "Understanding Careers: How can I make the most of my time as an LSE undergraduate", which is designed to shine light on a range of considerations for your career planning and development
- Our guides to a variety of different employment sectors, including the arts, charities and the voluntary sector, education and teaching, fast-moving consumer goods, financial services and health
- Our online tools, which include the School's "Ask an Alum" service, a CV checker platform, support for planning for interview questions, virtual work experience programmes with leading organisations, a portal for practising psychometric tests (which are commonly used in graduate scheme applications), and a web-based practice interview platform.
In this edition the spotlight is on Anna Giuffria, Language Teacher (Italian). Some of you may have enjoyed Anna's non-degree classes. Please remember, you can take one non-degree modern language course for free each year of your UG programme, when you are on campus.
What’s your favourite part of London?
The South Bank … and Brockwell Park.
What’s your favourite spot on campus?
The Language Centre, of course
What is the most useful advice you can give to a new student?
When you sit at the canteen, wear a smile. You might make new friends (or you might look a bit odd). Let’s go with the first one!
What is the best thing about your job?
Constant communication in class with the students. That’s what you need to do if you want to learn a language!
How do you relax at the weekend?
Cinema, eating out, spending time with friends, exhibitions, watching telly…
Do you prefer the sea or the mountains?
Sea, sea and at times sea.
What’s your favourite season and why?
Late Spring: we are getting closer to summer, there’s more daylight, we are approaching the end of term and London is blossoming in every sense.
What was the last book you read?
“Sapore d’Italia – Antologia e cultura” … there is always something to learn.
- Conversation Circles and Bitesize Speaking sessions continue this term – these are sessions that you can join anytime and a great way to practise your languages informally. Another way to practise is to find a language buddy through Tandem Learning – meet up for coffee and chat in your chosen language!
- Improvisation sessions are also available – these are especially good for gaining confidence for public speaking and giving presentations. And lastly the Language Gateway -a section packed with online language resources.
You can sign up for all of these on the LSE Language Community on Moodle.
There is so much happening around LSE, if you want to look up what is available try this very handy section of the LSE Website: Menu of Opportunities.
Have you seen the latest reels on the Language Centre Instagram page? They have been made by our students Somtolise Elumogo and Malang Diatta. They are LSE Student Content Creators and are specialising in content for the Language Centre this year – why not follow us so you can see more of their content – they have some interesting projects planned for this term!
We need your thoughts and comments on LSE Events communications!
You are invited you to take part in a focus group on campus, on Wednesday 29 January, 2.30-4pm in room CBG 1.07, Centre Building to help us get student feedback on LSE Events and shape the future of our public events programme.
There will be snacks and a £20 Tango gift card will be given to you, to show our appreciation.
Please fill in the form below by Friday 24 January if you can attend on this date.
Sign up to the focus group here.
Be sure to follow the Language Centre on the Student Hub (we have a general page and a page for each year group).
If you have not done so, download the Student Hub and follow the Language Centre channel, as well as your group, Language Centre BSc students 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 or 2024/25.