Practice-based Pedagogy Innovation and Implementation Micro-programme

3 face‑to‑face co‑development sessions & Mini Implementation Portfolio

Overview

This specialised professional learning programme is designed for experienced teaching practitioners of Mandarin involved in subject leadership and curriculum development within UK schools. It supports colleagues who wish to innovate current practice, implement new pedagogies, and inspire peers within a growing community of practice. The programme enables experienced teaching practitioners to appraise existing practice, engage with practice-inspired and research-informed pedagogical designs, revise curriculum intentions, identify enabling and constraining factors, and develop contextualised, phased solutions that are practical and sustainable.

Participants work with peers and the programme coordinator in a collaborative setting to broaden perspectives, strengthen collaboration, and improve workload efficiency. The focus is on sustainable, evidence‑informed implementation across the curriculum and beyond. This programme is run and funded by UCL’s Centre for Chinese Language Education (CCLE), part of IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society.

Open to
Mandarin teachers involved in subject leadership for Mandarin and school-based curriculum development (with at least 2-year full-time or equivalent school-based teaching experience), who are working in a UK secondary school during 2025-2026

Programme Aims

  • Support experienced practitioners to innovate pedagogy using the recent centre-developed pedagogical material.
  • Develop practitioners’ understanding of the relevant research-informed pedagogy and its practical classroom application.
  • Enable practitioners to design contextualised, sustainable and phased implementation strategies.
  • Strengthen collaboration and improve workload efficiency.
  • Support experienced practitioners to take a shared leadership role in professional learning across the community.

Programme Content

Two sub‑groups focusing on distinct themes will be available in 2025–26. Experienced teaching practitioners in each subgroup will jointly develop disciplinary knowledge related to the theme; examine recently developed pedagogical designs; explore the feasibility of enacting these designs in their schools; and devise strategic practices to adapt and integrate the design specifications and underlying principles into their school‑based MFL (Mandarin) curricula.

Themes for 2025–26:

  • Vocabulary learning as a gateway to cultural consciousness and problem-solving
  • Listening sub‑skills and knowledge: cognitive and scaffolded training to build oral comprehension in day‑to‑day lessons.

Structure & Certification

This programme is delivered through three face‑to‑face co‑development sessions, complemented by development of a mini implementation portfolio..

Face‑to‑face Co‑development Session 1:  Tuesday 24 February 2026  •  11:00–15:45 

Face‑to‑face Co‑development Session 2:  Tuesday 28 April 2026  •  11:00 –15:45

Face‑to‑face Co‑development Session 3:  Friday 22 May 2026  •  11:00–15:45

Given the collaborative and practice‑focused nature of the programme, participants are expected to attend all three sessions in person and to bring a laptop. No streaming or recording will be available for the face‑to‑face sessions.

Total learning hours: approximately 25 (including mini implementation portfolio development).

A course completion certificate can be issued upon request, provided that all three sessions are attended and set tasks are completed.

How to apply for this programme

The deadline to apply is Friday, 19th December 2025.

Please click “Apply Now” below and fill out the application form.

We anticipate high demand for the limited places available. Therefore, potential participants should complete the application form as soon as possible.

Please note: Applications may close earlier than the deadline if all places are filled.

If your application is successful, a confirmation email will be sent to you and your line manager by the application deadline.

Programme Coordinator

Victor Wu

Lecturer (Teaching) in Teacher Training and Professional Development

Enquiries

Tanisha Roberts

Project Officer
chinesenetworks@ucl.ac.uk