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tigerlily20202 · Joined: 19 Jul 2004 Posts: 40

hello again.
been taking some chinese lessons from my students -- but with mixed results. chinese lessons weren't part of my contract (something i should have probably negotiated before i signed, weh) my students are helpful, but they don't really structure their teaching, they just point to things like desk and chair and ask me to memorize it.
any suggestions for negotiating more structured english lessons with my boss ? has anyone had any luck learning chinese from their students? or any suggestions on people that might be better to ask for lessons ?
-t. :

anthyp · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 1320 Location: Chicago, IL USA

I had to laugh at your description of a typical lesson there. Gotta love those students, they're so earnest.

I seem to be alone in my belief that a good language tape is as good as any (inexpensive) tutor. I had mine shipped from the States, but it was worth the wait -- after only a few months of study, my Mandarin might not be worth writing home about yet, but it's enough to flirt with the bar girls and arrange dates with them (though what to talk about on said dates remains beyond me).

OK, back to the topic at hand. Why don't you ask your university to arrange for one of the Chinese teachers to give you lessons? You might find one that actually knows how to teach, and at a reasonable price.

But I imagine you might run into the same problem with them as with those hapless students of yours: you might find those Chinese teachers and their (Chinese) methods somewhat -- lacking.

Spiderman Too · Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 1:10 pm Post subject:

Last term, a F.E. I worked with arranged a tit-for-tat with one of the Chinese English teachers; 1 hour of Mandarin instruction in exchange of 1 hour of English pronunciation instruction.

He asked the F.O.A. 'to pass the word around' and more than 1 Chinese English teacher responded.

As for the 10:30 pm curfew, the dean of this 'new' (new for me this term) university told me that foreign teachers must return to campus prior to sunset. I told him that it was unacceptable to me and it would be better if I left (resigned from) the university immediately (classes hadn't yet begun).

After pleading that it was for my own safety, and me countering that I have travelled extensively in China on my own and, on occasion, returned to my hotel room at 4:00 am, he rescinded this rule (for me).

I haven't been in China for a real long time but I've been here long enough to realise that when your employer tries to impose 'childish' rules, loads you up with more classes than you're contracted for, requests unreasonable or excessive extra-curricular undertakings and the suchlike if you don't put your foot down from the outset (in a firm, but very polite manner), then your doomed to be taken advantage of, for the duration of your tenure.

carken · Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 1:14 pm Post subject: Re: negotiating english lessons

randyj · Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 7:24 pm Post subject:

Chinese lessons arranged by the school, whether contractually stipulated or not, rarely pan out, in my experience. The same goes for language exchange. Tapes would work, as Anthyp suggested, depending on motivation. I suggest you keep an eye out for a bright student with experience teaching Chinese. One will surely turn up. Pay 20 to 25 RMB per hour and you will have an instructor interested in your language progress.