Job Discussion Forums

[rogerwilco]

One of the reasons that I prefer to not do English corners is because that is where it seems that some students, typically boys, will ask the questions that are more challenging.
By challenging I do not mean difficult, I mean the questions that are more likely meant to try to make you appear silly or foolish.

I sometimes get asked "who do you think would win a war between America and China" ?
I do not think it wise to choose either country as the winner, so
I answer that both countries are too strong and powerful, and that there would probably not be a winner.

"Do you think that learning Chinese is more difficult than learning English"?
In my experience, this is typically asked by people that think that Chinese is a a more difficult language to learn, and that this makes Chinese people intellectually superior.
I just answer that learning either Chinese or English can be difficult.
Pronouncing words in Chinese may be more difficult, but that English grammar and vocabulary may be more difficult.

So, what challenging questions have you encountered, and how do you answer them ?

[twilothunder]

I have been asked the USA vs China war one. Bluntly, I explain to them that the USA's current military capability is far superior to China's and they'd blow them off the face off the earth. A red army of 1 million is fairly useless, they're not exactly going to march them across the Bering Strait are they? No point beating about the bush (but as a Brit I can tell them this without it sounding like I'm bragging in a way it might coming from an American).

Also I am at least once every term asked my opinion on Tibet or Taiwan. I just tell them that frankly, I care about that about as much as your average Chinese person would care about Scottish independence, which is the truth.

[therock]

[roadwalker]

I don't usually get questions where I think they are trying to mess with me. I usually answer the questions much as you do OP. But if I really thought the kid was having a laugh, I would answer briefly something like, "the US would never attack China directly, so we won't ever know." depending on my mood. Then I would quickly ask the kid his opinion on it. He would be more likely to get into trouble for his opinion than I would for mine. At the least, he might embarrass himself in front of peers. If he couldn't answer, I would ask him why he thought of that question for me. Don't let him off the hook.

Some kids are jerks, but I think a lot of them just have goofy ideas that they trot out at English corner without any malice. Their poor English and social skills can make relatively innocent questions sound confrontational.

[xiguagua]

USA vs China war..... I know i've been asked this one, but I can't remember what i've said. Goes to show that i've never been asked it often.

Chinese language vs English language. I tell them that I believe people say Chinese is so difficult solely for the writing. Yeah the tones are hard....but I think there are other languages that are more complex in speaking than Chinese. I find Chinese speaking fairly logical so it's not so hard. Writing on the other hand..........Of course this always makes someone say "but you've been in China for X years and you can't speak" .......yes well.....you've studied English for 12 years and you can barely answer what you did on the weekend......."Well if I was in America I would learn English in blahblahblah"

Most of us are just living here and not seriously studying the language. How many people are in America that live there cannot speak English whatsoever? ........A lot. How many CHINESE people alone go there and come back with virtually no improvement? a lot.

I don't seem to have these "difficult" questions at English corner. Most boys i've come across are idiots and worth ignoring anyway, so when I see someone is asking me stupid question I just start giving them stupid answers. Same with getting tired of answering the same question again and again. Being asked "Where are you from" 20 times in 10 minutes gets a little old, so I just start saying random places.

[mister_kot]

I just shoot those types of questions down right away by saying my agreement to being in China restricts me from meddling in internal affairs.

Whenever I have an 'english corner' I come prepared with a game or a list of topics so I won't be put in that type of situation.

[johntpartee]

Whenever I get a question about government, military superiority (or lack of same), or religion I just say "I can't talk about that". They usually apologize.

[Miles Smiles]

[Opiate]

The only topics I won't talk about are the three T's and FG. If dating or relationships get brought up in class or an English corner I will usually talk about it. If I have a class full of folks who are planning to study in the west soon, I will often discuss sex but not in a graphic way. Mostly as a warning since many seem ill prepared for the type of people and situations they may encounter. It's amazing how ignorant many people are about AIDS and birth control too.

When discussing these topics I always give the students an out. I ask them many times during the conversation if anyone is uncomfortable. If somebody is, the topic changes. That does happen rarely. I have had more than a few students (boys and girls) approach me and want to learn more outside of class. In class they can feel pressure and sometimes be too afraid/shy to ask some questions.

[johntpartee]

[Opiate]

Tibet, Taiwan, Tiananmen, and Falun Gong.

[johntpartee]

Thanks.