22nd Annual Chinese Teaching Conference – Q&A with Stella Wu

Our 22nd Annual Chinese Teaching Conference ‘Evolving Classrooms – Adapting Methods of Mandarin Teaching to Keep Pace with Changing Contexts’ is coming up on 11th October 2025.

In this year’s programme you’ll find plenaries, speeches, performances as well as workshops covering a wide range of topics. In the run up to the conference, we are interviewing some of the workshop presenters to get a better idea of what can be expected at the conference.

Stella Wu is an enthusiastic Mandarin educator with a career spanning Mainland China, Hong Kong, and the UK. She has taught in diverse contexts, serving as Programme Director, Head of Mandarin Panel, PGCE/PGDE mentor, and is currently a Mandarin teacher in a state school, Mandarin curriculum lead and EPQ Coordinator in an independent school in London. She has presented at national and international conferences on Chinese language teaching, and her research and articles have been published in the Journal of Chinese Writing Systems and in book of Teaching Chinese Language in the International School Context (Springer).

Can you tell us a bit about your workshop content?

My workshop focuses on behaviour management and motivation in the language classroom. These are areas that often make or break the success of teaching, particularly for new teachers. Together, we’ll look at real-life classroom scenarios, share challenges, and explore practical strategies that help create a positive, focused learning environment.
The aim is not just to present solutions, but to build a space where teachers can reflect, exchange ideas, and leave with concrete tools they can apply straight away.

What style of workshop are you planning to deliver?

The workshop will be highly interactive and collaborative. Rather than a lecture-style session, I want participants to engage with each other—through discussion, case studies, and reflective activities. This way, colleagues can share their own insights and experiences, while also trying out strategies in a supportive environment. I see it as a joint exploration where everyone contributes and learns.

What made you choose this subject for this year’s conference?

Behaviour and motivation are universal challenges that teachers, regardless of subject or level of experience, face in their classrooms. From my own journey, I’ve seen how behaviour management can look very different in different contexts yet remains equally central to effective teaching. Many teachers say it is one of the areas they feel least prepared for, especially early in their career. That’s why I wanted to bring this topic to the conference this year: to create a space where we can learn from each other and strengthen our collective confidence in this area.

What will attendees take away from your workshop?

Attendees will leave with three things: first, a set of practical strategies for managing behaviour and building motivation in the classroom; second, a chance to reflect on their own practice and see challenges from new perspectives; and finally, a sense of community—knowing they are not alone in facing these issues, and that there is a supportive network of colleagues they can continue to draw on after the conference.

Many thanks Stella! 

We look forward to welcoming ticketholders to Stella’s workshop on Saturday 11th October 2025 at the IOE. Book your conference tickets here.