Job Discussion Forums

[Trevor Wadlow]

I recently had a disagreement with the Senior Teacher at the University Institute where I was working. Basically, I suggested that using an Advanced Intermediate textbook with lower level students (barely past Beginner level) would serve only to intimidate them and make them feel they knew nothing at all. He insisted that it would 'pull them up.'

He told me that I was going against the conventional wisdom.

Was I?

I'd be interested to hear views on this.

[rogerwilco]

I speak only a little Chinese. If I attended a Chinese class, and I was given an Advanced Intermediate textbook for learning Chinese, then I would feel intimidated and discouraged.

I agree with you.

[Denim-Maniac]

In your example, I would probably disagree, or at least understand the text book selection.

Here's my reasoning ... Students at university have been exposed to English for quite a few years right? Its part of their mandatory education and they have had to pass the English component of the gao kao to get to university in the first place. On that basis, none of the Chinese students you are likely to encounter are genuine beginners at all. In fact, they are no where near beginner, and this is probably the basis for the administration choosing the textbook you have been given.

The downside to it is most of their knowledge is passive, and you need to make their knowledge a lot more active. For that they need to be engaged, motivated etc etc. Would a beginner or elementary book achieve that really? For those of you familiar with the New Interchange series, would the 'You can call me Chuck' type stuff really likely to cut it?

Roger is partly right too. I dont speak great Chinese, and Id get turned off by material that was far too advanced for me. However, most of my Chinese vocabulary and knowledge is active. If I had a large passive vocabulary and awareness of Chinese and was given material that was below me, Id be equally demotivated. In my experience, Chinese students rarely know nothing about the higher level materials, they've normally studied that stuff for ages and understand many of the structures and principles, but arent great at using said structures and target language.

In my training centre, students from beginners level (and false beginners) start with Chinese teachers and work their way through a heck of a lot of grammar and vocabulary, with the idea that all that passive knowledge will become active when a foreign teacher gives them the platform to practice. It's a slightly flawed model, but it does play to a lot of Chinese student strengths (self study and memorisation).

If your students were really beginners, or just above that level, you'd probably be still teaching them how to read IPA, doing grammar translation tasks, phonetic drills and the like.

What is the book you have? And am I right about your students? Have they passed gao kao etc?

[Sashadroogie]

What's Advanced Intermediate?

[maxand]

[Sashadroogie]

Great, thanks. That really clears that up, then, and so much more.

[spiral78]

Really?

[it'snotmyfault]

Maybe the school took a bribe from the publisher and this is the result.

These things happen in China apparently !