From August 19 to 21, 2026, Zhang Shufang and Wang Xiaozhao, teachers in the Department of Foreign Languages at the College of Humanities and Law of Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT), visited No. 1 Middle School of Horqin Left Wing Middle Banner in Inner Mongolia, formerly Baokang No. 1 Middle School, to carry out teaching support under the Heart Bridge Project. This marked the Department’s eighth consecutive year of supporting basic education in the banner. The university–local partnership is moving beyond individual projects toward more regular and in-depth collaboration.

1. Eight Years of Dedication: From Individual Efforts to a Systematic Approach

BUCT has provided designated support to Kezuo Middle Banner in Inner Mongolia since 2012. In 2019, the University’s United Front Work Department of the Party Committee and Office for Designated Support Work launched the Heart Bridge Project to support local education, with Baokang No. 1 Middle School as a key pilot site. The College of Humanities and Law actively joined the initiative. With the support of College leaders, the Department of Foreign Languages has sent 15 teachers to support the school: Zhang Hongbing, Zhang Yanning, Zhang Shufang, Zhang Lindong, Xu Lijuan, Xu Zongyu, Song Hongliang, Tian Yingtao, Chen Xing, Xu Mengqing, Pei Yuhua, Liu Enhua, Wang Xiaozhao, Chen Xuefeng, and Shi Wei. The Department is among the University’s academic units with the longest record of participation and the largest number of teachers sent to the banner.

Over the past eight years, the support has developed from online collaborative lesson planning to in-person teaching, and from sending teachers to the school to inviting local teachers to BUCT for exchange. These efforts have gradually established a regular support mechanism. In 2019, the Department conducted field research and developed a support plan. Online support continued during the pandemic. From 2020 to 2021, two or three teachers were sent to teach at the school each year. In 2022, teachers from Baokang No. 1 Middle School visited BUCT for exchange, where they attended 10 lectures on topics including English test design for the national college entrance examination, language testing theory, and classroom teaching methods. Since 2023, the Department has provided intensive teaching support each summer, making the support program more systematic. In July 2022, BUCT formally assumed responsibility for supporting Baokang No. 1 Middle School, building a more formal, long-term partnership.

2. This Year’s Outreach: Applying Language Testing Theory to Teaching

During this visit, Zhang Shufang gave a presentation titled From the Washback Effect to Teaching–Testing Alignment: New Perspectives on English Reading Tests for the National College Entrance Examination and Classroom Practice. Drawing on language testing theory, she helped local teachers understand how test designers approach their work. She analyzed the design and assessment goals of the English reading section of the national college entrance examination. In a workshop on lesson planning, she showed teachers how to apply testing theory to practical reading instruction, helping them shift their focus from covering textbook content to developing students’ skills.

Wang Xiaozhao gave a presentation titled Let the World Hear My Voice: Thematic English Listening and Speaking Instruction from a Whole-Person Education Perspective. The presentation outlined ways to develop students’ listening comprehension and speaking skills. Using examples of thematic lesson design, the presentation showed local teachers how to integrate language learning with students’ broader development, and how to make the English classroom a place where students can engage with the world and express themselves.

Both presentations and workshops drew on the distinctive strengths of English education. They emphasized connecting university-level academic perspectives with the realities of high school teaching. The lectures and workshops were warmly received by local teachers.

3. Outcomes: Advancing Teaching and Learning in English

BUCT’s Heart Bridge Project is a coordinated effort involving several disciplines, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and English. Improvements at No. 1 Middle School in Kezuo Middle Banner reflect the combined efforts of teachers across these disciplines. As one of the teams with the longest record of participation and the largest number of teachers sent to the banner, the Department of Foreign Languages has contributed to local English education through eight years of sustained support.

Local teachers have broadened their perspectives and developed their teaching practices. Through lectures, workshops, and collaborative lesson planning, they have shifted from an emphasis on knowledge transmission toward a greater focus on developing students’ skills. They have also adopted approaches suited to current reforms in the English section of the national college entrance examination, including differentiated instruction, prioritizing listening and speaking, and task-based teaching. Their lesson planning, classroom organization, and assessment skills have improved. Classrooms have become more interactive, with greater participation from both teachers and students. Many teachers have said that the support helped them understand not only how to teach, but also why they teach in particular ways.

Students have also made progress in English. With more opportunities to listen and speak, they have grown more confident and willing to express themselves, strengthening their communication skills. Reading instruction has moved beyond test-taking strategies to include comprehension of texts and critical thinking. Students have improved both their English skills and their cross-cultural awareness. More students have moved from avoiding English to taking an interest in learning and using it. English is increasingly becoming a way for them to understand the wider world and connect with it.

The results of eight years of support have also drawn attention from the media. People’s Daily, Guangming Daily, and China Education Daily, among other major outlets, have reported on the Heart Bridge Project. Through their expertise and commitment, teachers from the Department of Foreign Languages have played an active role in the University’s educational support efforts.

4. A Two-Way Journey: Connecting High School and University Education

Educational support is not a one-way effort; it also creates opportunities for mutual learning and growth. Over the past eight years, teachers from the Department of Foreign Languages have gained a better understanding of middle and high school students’ learning needs and challenges. These firsthand insights have informed the reform of university English teaching. Their deeper understanding of secondary education has also helped strengthen continuity between high school and university. The experience has provided valuable material and research questions for their own teaching and research. This two-way exchange—in which the University supports local schools and learns from them in return—reflects the coordinated development of education in the new era.

5. Looking Ahead: Continuing to Support Local Education

After eight years of work, the Department of Foreign Languages at the College of Humanities and Law will continue to advance the Heart Bridge Project, with the support of the University’s Party Committee and College leaders. Drawing on its strengths in English and language testing, the Department will continue to develop its support programs and explore new approaches. It will focus on teachers’ professional development, students’ learning, and the joint development of teaching resources. Through these efforts, BUCT’s foreign language educators will contribute to the development of basic education in Kezuo Middle Banner and to the University’s mission of serving national priorities.