Job Discussion Forums

hfpardue · Joined: 12 Mar 2005 Posts: 19

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 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

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

tofuman · Joined: 02 Jul 2004 Posts: 937

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 · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

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 · Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 238

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 · Joined: 30 Oct 2004 Posts: 89 Location: Wutaishan, China

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 · Joined: 16 Feb 2003 Posts: 668

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 · Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 6

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 · Joined: 05 Sep 2004 Posts: 317 Location: Tianjin, China

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, but of course, the best way to learn a language is to live in the country Smile

I know what you mean about people hounding you...'Hello, can I walk to you your room? I want to talk with you'...then all the way to class, there's a dead silence!!

hfpardue · Joined: 12 Mar 2005 Posts: 19

tofuman, thanks for the idea of coming to China as a student. I have not searched for schools offering CLS programs in China, but I will do that now.

Roger, thanks for your input. Where is the place that is currently being set up for westerners willing to learn the lingo? I am serious about learning Chinese.

monju, I appreciate your help. I have considered going to China to learn Chinese and moonlighting. I am just looking for the best way to learn the language.

Everyone else, thanks a lot for your comments and suggestions.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

bdawg · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 526 Location: Nanjing

tradinup · Joined: 13 Nov 2004 Posts: 132 Location: Shenzhen, China

Listen to tofuman.

If learning Mandarin is your main priority you should absolutely be coming here as a student. I am teacher at SZU now but I live in the dormitory with all of the foreign students. One girl I met today has been studying there 4 months (albeit she's a serious student) and can read about 1000 characters now. 2000 will take you through daily life, and at 3000 you can basically go work for a Chinese company.

I can't speak for Beijing, but the students here go to class from 8-11am then they are free (to study, hehe). If you want some extra dough there are tons of nite jobs and weekend jobs. Those are the ones that pay 150per hour anyways. Bet you could break even doing this, you just have to willing to work a little more after you finish your classes and homework.

lumberjackej · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 11:34 am Post subject:

Dammit, sorry for the multiple posts...

lumberjackej · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 11:35 am Post subject:

hfpardue, you're damn straight you can learn Chinese in China. That is, if you're the type of language student who can learn on his or her own.

If you come to teach, you will have no guarantee that your extra 'Chinese teacher' will be any good. Some are excellent, some have no idea what they're doing.

But you'll be surrounded by Chinese speakers and Chinese characters 24-7. Lots of students will be very willing to help you learn Chinese, if only informally. Locals will be delighted to hear you try the language.

And you'll have lots of free time. I teach 16 hours a week and still have gobs of free time to study the Chinese characters.

Buy a good Chinese-English dictionary, and a few Chinese self-teach books, and come on over. You'll learn a lot Chinese quickly, that is, if you're not too afraid to dive in, and if you don't need a super-formal classroom to learn a language.

My suggestion is to try teaching for a term (that is, if you want to teach), and if you feel your Chinese isn't improving fast enough, go study at a local university.

One last word, if it hasn't been said, go an teach somewhere (relatively) near Beijing. If you teach in the south or in some remote province, you'll likely hear the local dialect all day. Most people can speak Putonghua, but you won't hear it in everyday speech as much.

EJ