Job Discussion Forums

[hfpardue]

Hey. I am new to Dave's ESL Cafe, but I am interested in teaching in China. I really want to learn how to speak Chinese and I am wondering if teaching in China is a good way to do that. I would also enjoy the teaching experience, but I am mainly interested in finding out the best way to learn to speak Chinese. Learning to read and write in Chinese is another goal of mine, but I realize that would take a while. (although I am in no hurry) If anyone has any advice, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.

[7969]

at the risk of sounding harsh, of course you can learn chinese. your students will be learning english.... the tables CAN be turned.

[tofuman]

If you want to learn Chinese, why not come to China as a student? There are schools in China that offer CLS programs-Chinese as a Second Language.

The three hours of free Chinese lessons offered in some contracts is a farce, one of many. Here, they just grabbed an already overworked young English teacher and added 3 additional hours to her schedule with no pay increase. When I did try it, I was lucky to get one hour and that included time being laughed at as I struggled with the four sounds.

If you have studied Chinese in the States and want an opportunity to practice, you will find that.

[Roger]

If free lessons to which many of us are entitled to are a "farce" as someone said, then I assure you that classroom Chinese in the PR of C also is a "farce". You are not going to learn Chinese but rather, Chinglish from your CHinese teacher.
This is a sad fact: I know more westerners who studied Mandarin back home for two years and arrived here well grounded in the language, whereas those who study CHinese here struggle. Blame it on how they deliver their lessons, and on the fact that Chinese teachers translate too much.
If you are serious about learning Mandarin in China, I can point you to a place that is currently being set up for westerners willing to learn the lingo.

[Madmaxola]

Hahah this has got to be one of the most self-explanatory questions ever asked.

If I want to learn to do calculations better, should I learn math?
If I want to learn to swim, should I go in the water?
If I want to meet girls, should I talk to them?
If I want to get stronger, should I exercise?

[monju]

I'm sorry to contradict Roger, but I don't think all the Chinese Chinese teachers are bad. I had a great experience learning Chinese in China. Some of teachers were fantastic - if the Chinese English teachers were half that good they wouldn't need to employ us dancing monkeys.

To answer the initial question, you are probably not going to learn much Chinese if you come here as an English teacher - it's difficult enough to get outside communication practice if you specifically come to learn Chinese. The Chinese who know a little English will latch onto you to practise their English and the ones who can't speak English are often not very patient with people trying to learn the language.

Have you considered coming here to learn Chinese and moonlighting as an English teacher? At least you get some guaranteed exposure to the language if you do that.

[kimo]

As they have said, you'd learn more as a student first, teacher second. After teaching all day, you often won't feel like speaking much. Your students will hound you to speak English and so will everybody else.

Come as a student and always tell people, "Wo lai zhongguo xuexi zhongwen." I came to China to study Chinese. And then have your way with them - in Chinese!

[poklapy]

So to those of you who went to China speaking little or no Chinese, have you managed to pick some up or do you just do all your communicating with wild gestures?

[dearbarbie]

Well, I've been here about 3 weeks and am already learning to express myself, I can barter in a shop, get a taxi, etc, and I don't live in the city - on my campus we stay here most of the week...I'm having my 3rd Chinese lesson here tomorrow,