Job Discussion Forums

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

A Chinese woman married to a fellow FT at one school told me why Chinese schools are so anti copying class handouts.
She said it made the Chinese teachers lose face as they never did this and stuck strictly to the text.
The implication was that if the students became accustomed to this pro activity they would expect the same from the Chinese staff.

Denim-Maniac · Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 1238

My boss does log how many copies we make and comments upon it sometimes. They are pretty good at my place though TBH. All the teachers copy material, both foreign and Chinese, and if my boss launced a tourism class, I think he would fund material too.

Last year I was asked to so something for business English and he bought a book I asked for. This is a training centre though, so the approach might be different, just as the needs of the student is different.

Shroob · Joined: 02 Aug 2010 Posts: 1339

My university gives every teacher 200 yuan for photocopying/printing.

EDIT: That's per semester.

LarssonCrew · Joined: 06 Jun 2009 Posts: 1308

About photocopying, I'm allowed to claim back expenses, but honestly, it's so small, I have a total of 2 classes this semester with maybe 100 students, so one handout a class is 100 copies, at .1 yuan per copy that's 10 rmb, I don't even bother.

On the 'tourist English' etc. I believe there could be a market for it, BUT, the user will have to have a base of English to begin with. What's the point of teaching aviation English to someone who answers 'How old are you?' with 'I'm fine, sanks?'

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

i wonder if the restricted copying has anything to do with the 'old'
commie control methods? if government controls the copiers, and
requires that typewriters be registered, then troublemakers find it
more difficult to type, print, copy, publish their counter-revolutionary
screeds. they've just gotten used to it, so now it has become
"traditional." but how to explain that a tourism dialog isn't a clever
neo-imperialist plot?

note: i really hate asking for copies. the department copier is located
upstairs amongst the cadre. the copy-master is a true-blue (true-red?),
diehard believer. the walls are plastered with portraits of mao and
various revolutionary scenes. it's always uncomfortable asking for
so many (sometimes 10!) copies, and being unwilling to have them
printed on both sides. it doesn't help that the little man has a huge
mole on his cheek with 10-cm hairs flowing out.
don't-stare-don't-stare-don't-stare-don't-stare................. Shocked

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

Denim-Maniac · Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 1238

jibbs · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 452

I believe "Business English" is a popular one that sounds dull even though I don't really know what it means. Learning about business in English and all the, um, business terminology I guess. But "tourism" or "hotel" English sounds ridiculous. I guess it sells because of the label? Ask some Chinese what "tourism" or "hotel" Chinese might be. They'd probably just look at you like you were nuts. Then why does anybody believe such a thing exists in English?