Through the years: The History of ELT Edge
THE BEGINNING:
May 1996: First Visit to China:
A group of friends traveled to various universities in China, guided by two American professors who taught at these schools and wanted us to experience the excitement for learning English on the university campuses all over China. Through home-stays with several Chinese professors and welcoming campus vis
its, a special relationship was formed with one school in particular, North Eastern University in Qinhuangdao (NEUQ). The professors’ commitment and dedication to their students and the administration’s encouragement for us to have as much time as possible with their students, helped create the idea of an “English Week”—a plan to bring two-week teams of Americans to NEUQ to foster a special relationship between their English majors and American university students and business people. DEFINING MOMENTS:
May 1997: First English Week:
A team of twelve American friends visited NEUQ to teach, lecture, lead English conversation groups, laugh and sing with students. May 1998 – Present: One English Week per University:
Due to the great success of the first English Week, ELT Edge began sending a team to NEUQ every year. During the first five years alone, over 100 people traveled to NEUQ with ELT Edge, many of them returning several years because the excitement and enthusiasm is truly life-changing. After graduation, many of the students have remained in contact with their teachers; and long term friendships continue to this day. September 2002: First Full-Time Teachers:
NEUQ officials were so pleased with our involvement that they asked us to recruit full-time teachers for one semester or a full academic year to sustain the "foreign expert" influence of English throughout the year. August 2004: First English and Leadership Training Summer Camp:
More than 250 NEUQ students participated in an intensive, week-long camp led by a 28-member ELT Edge team. A fully developed program was designed to include classroom teaching, leadership lectures, small group discussions, sports competitions and fun-filled evenings. The students’ response to the camp was nothing short of spectacular. It was a life-changing experience for most students. Almost all would agree, it was a major highlight of their entire educational experience. September 2005: Multiple Campuses:
ELT Edge expanded its involvement to additional campuses in the greater Qinhuangdao area to Qinhuagdao Foreign Language Professional College, Nandaihe, as well as the Qinhuangdao Educational College (now known as the Hebei Normal Science and Technology University).
2007-2008: A Year of Explosive Expansion:
• Led 4 May English Week teams, totaling over 60 people in 4 universities
• Hosted a successful English and Leadership Training Summer Camp with over 330 students and a team of 36 leaders
• Trained and placed 21 full-time teachers in four universities
2009-2011: Sharpening the Edge:
ELT Edge continues to refine it's approach. The frequency and depth of training increases, this both has improved the quality of our teaching and the focus of our mission. New team members continue to join our 1-year Teaching Program year after year, most learning about ELT Edge through our strong word-of-mouth base. Your Invitation to Create an Exciting Future:
Whether participating in a 2-week trip or teaching for a year, our team members return from China with special memories and powerful experiences to share. These wonderful opportunities are available to you, as well. Please go to our contact page, and let’s prepare you for the next trip to China.
