30天英国微留学，这群小学生经历了什么？Study abroad - in the UK

五月份，华外同文外国语学校的6名小学生，在英国Abbotsholme学校完成了为期30天的“微留学”之旅。他们像当地学生一样上课、交友、独立生活，也在全英文的环境中悄悄成长。回国后，他们接受了采访，聊了聊这30天的真实感受。  

In May, six students from HW completed a 30-day study program at Abbotsholme School in the UK. They attended classes, made friends, and lived independently like local students, growing in an all-English environment. After returning home, they shared their real feelings in interviews.

孩子们发现，英国的课堂是“走班制”，每节课都要换教室，下课几乎没有休息时间，得赶紧跑到下一个教室。班级人数很少，虽然老师能关注到每一个人，但频繁换教室让不少孩子觉得“挺麻烦的”。数学课并不轻松，知识点虽然国内四年级就学过，可换成英语来讲，还是有些吃力。  

They found a moving classroom system: change rooms for each lesson, almost no break between classes.  Though teachers could attend to everyone, moving rooms was seen as troublesome. Math was not easy either – they had learned the concepts in grade four in China, but English instruction made it challenging.

30天里，每个孩子都有一位英国学伴。从学伴身上，他们学到了不少东西。有的孩子说，学伴很友好，也很会交朋友，“友好能换来朋友”是他最大的感悟。同时，学伴也有自己的边界感，会说“Don’t do that”，让孩子明白了人与人之间的分寸。这些真实的社交经历，本身就是一堂很好的成长课。  

Each child had a British study buddy. From them, they learned a lot. One said his buddy was friendly and good at making friends; “friendliness brings friends” was his biggest takeaway. At the same time, the buddy had a sense of boundaries, saying “Don’t do that” – teaching the child about personal space. These real social experiences were growth lessons in themselves.

学校养了鸡、鸭、羊、猪和马，学生们要亲手铲马粪、喂猪、锄地种南瓜。有同学分享说，养宠物不能只跟它玩，帮它清理粪便，才是对一个生命负责。他还观察到不同的马有不同的进食习惯——有的先喝水再吃，有的直接吃。这些看似“又臭又累”的劳动，其实是在培养责任感和观察力。  

The school kept chickens, ducks, sheep, pigs, and horses. Students had to shovel horse manure, feed pigs, and hoe and plant pumpkins. Through caring for these animals, one child came to understand: keeping a pet isn’t just about playing – cleaning up after it is being responsible for a life. He also observed that different horses had different eating habits – some drank water first, others ate directly. These seemingly dirty and tiring chores cultivated responsibility and observation skills.

有的孩子说，他主动找数学老师问问题，发现“走出去也没那么难”；有的说，踢足球当守门员时守住了很多球，“在中国都没这么厉害过”；还有孩子想了想说，最厉害的可能是自己独立生活了30天，没怎么想爸妈。虽然回来之后有些功课落后了，但学校已经安排了补课，老师会帮他们一步步追赶上来。  

One said he took the initiative to ask the math teacher questions and found that “stepping out isn’t that hard.” Another said he saved many shots as a goalkeeper – “I was never this good in China.” Another thought for a moment and said the coolest thing might be living independently for 30 days without missing his parents too much. Though their grades slipped after returning, the school arranged make-up lessons to help them catch up.

很多孩子提到，英语听力变好了，口语也敢开口了。还有人瘦了一点。有孩子说，“对英国的期待有落差，但也更真实”。他们用三个词形容现在的自己：“敢开口了”“英语听力变好了”“瘦了一点”。也有孩子笑着说：“好像没什么不一样，但我知道我更贴近西方的生活习惯了。”  

Many said their English listening improved and they dared to speak. Some lost a little weight. One child said, “There’s a gap, but it’s more real.” They described themselves with three phrases: “dare to speak,” “better listening,” “a bit thinner.” Another smiled and said, “I seem the same, but I know I’m closer to Western habits.”

这次微留学的意义，并不是让孩子变成“小海归”，而是让他们在真实的环境中自然使用语言，在走班制和学伴互动中学会适应与边界，在铲马粪、喂动物中理解责任，在远离父母的30天里长出独立和思考的能力。  

The value of this study abroad was not to turn children into “little returnees,” but to let them use language naturally in real contexts, learn adaptation and boundaries through the moving classroom system and buddy interactions, understand responsibility through shoveling manure and feeding animals, and develop independence and thinking skills during 30 days away from parents.

华外走世界，下一站，我们再见。  

HW Going Global. Next stop, see you again.