Job Discussion Forums

[deezy]

Yep, in my Mandarin classes back in Australia, from the first lesson no English was spoken. Gave us all a headache but we really learnt fast!

I'm in the "English only" camp.

[sheeba]

When I learn Chinese I always find that the most productive lessons are those where I do not use ANY English at all.

I think that it is a skill to be able to teach with only the target language . If I start using Chinese I think this will affect my development as an effective teacher . I am getting better at explaining things in a simple way. The use of Chinese would hinder this development.

[KES]

I agree with Roger's posts on this matter.

One thing to consider too is meeting the expectations of parents and employers if you are teaching in a school setting.

Parents, who are not educators, don't want to hear FTs speaking Chinese during the English classes for which they are paying. Fair or unfair, informed or uninformed, they are the customer.

If you speak Chinese in class, it's quite likely there will be parents complaining to management. They'll be quick to point out that they can hire a Chinese teacher at a fraction of what they pay for you to teach "English".

When you speak Chinese, in their eyes, you dilute the product.

[shatov]

Anyone who can cope with a Chinese-only lesson from the very start has my respect. To do that requires a lot of dedication, which is something that many students don't have.

Sheeba's point is very important. Using the students native language can often be used to cover up poor explanation skills, and in the long run can retard your development as a teacher. This is something to be aware especially if you do wish to use the students native language in the classroom.

Kes' point about customers paying for a set quantity of English is also a good point. Parents, who are not educators, often have the opinion that the quantity of English is most important. Unfortunately they are not in a position to judge the *quality* of the English being taught.
On that point, here is an interesting article:
http://www.encounters.jp/mike/professional/publications/bilingual.html
The gist is that Japanese university students generally want the teacher to use Japanese to support an "English-only" classroom - "Timely use of Japanese-language support can help students "tune-in" to the message of the class when they are lost, and therefore make a greater percentage of the input they are receiving comprehensible."

For those interested in reading, there are a couple more articles that I've found:
http://iteslj.org/Articles/Weschler-UsingL1.html

http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/dec_02_pd.pdf
Google gives the pdf in html format:
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:2OiwvMBGxcMJ:www.asian-efl-journal.com/dec_02_pd.pdf+%22english+only%22+classroom+problems&hl=en

http://ettc.uwb.edu.pl/strony/ptt/feb95/8.html

Finishing with a quote: "Finally, the teacher can begin his first lesson, 'Class. We are here to learn English. Let's do whatever we need to do.'"

[185minzhujie]

For adults or 18+ students I would strongly recommend FTs using Chinese to teach English. I think foreign teachers should teach English through learning Chinese from the students.
Using this method, differences between the languages can be discussed, issues like Chinglish can crop up and be dealt with through translation and FTs and Chinese students will be able to find out appropriate and equivalent phrases in ech other's language.

From my point of view I think this would make lessons much more interesting and thought provoking. Chinese students will also open up more if they see you "losing face" and experimenting with their language in class.

It will also make them think about their own language a lot more analytically because lets face it, if you ask FTs about an English point or grammar point there is a lot of disagreement and discussion about it.

English teaching in China should provoke these types of activities in class.

To start with, FTs can use simple commands and phrases in English and ask students to give equivalents in Chinese, also a lot of cultural points can be raised by comparing the same situational dialogues in English and Chinese. Through this, students will be able to distinguish Chinglish from authentic English and the foreign teacher will learn about Chinese culture and language.

Also, get students to teach you about China in English for example, history, geography etc...

I am strongly in favour of the bilingual method for adults.
I taught for 2 years in China without using this method and it was not effective. If I went back I would definitely use it.

Language is power and the key to understanding.
I felt stupid as an FT teaching in China but not knowing Chinese. It is not ideal.

[Roger]

185mizhujie,
either you are a troll, or you are a troll.
Age 18 and higher need Chinese in classroom? How dumb do you think they are allowed to be?
That is an admission of failure of the Chinese system to deliver English!
In fact, even at university level most students use BILINGUAL textbooks - the English version to "practise pronunciation" and the Chinese version to - understand what they were reading in English!

Sorry, but they must be weaned from Chinese at a much earlier stage!

And once again, since most of us teach so-called "oral English", there is no need to use Chinese at all.
I taught English literature and no translation was needed either. (Not that my students were particularly analytically-gifted - the weren't! HBut they didn't need translation).

[Roger]

185mizhujie,
either you are a troll, or you are a troll.
Age 18 and higher need Chinese in classroom? How dumb do you think they are allowed to be?
That is an admission of failure of the Chinese system to deliver English!
In fact, even at university level most students use BILINGUAL textbooks - the English version to "practise pronunciation" and the Chinese version to - understand what they were reading in English!

Sorry, but they must be weaned from Chinese at a much earlier stage!

And once again, since most of us teach so-called "oral English", there is no need to use Chinese at all.
I taught English literature and no translation was needed either. (Not that my students were particularly analytically-gifted - the weren't! HBut they didn't need translation).

By imposing Mandarin skills requirements on FTs Chiense employers would further limit the number of employable Englishteachers.
Some actually advertise "no Chiense speaker wanted!"

[Don McChesney]

I got the idea I was being paid to teach English, not learn Chinese in my employer's time.
The ideal place to mix languages is in an English Corner, away from the classroom, where anything goes.

[2 over lee]

Roger wrote>

[latefordinner]

I'm probably beginning to sound like a broken record, but what the hey.

The learners' first language is at best a secondary tool. Sort of like a pair of vice-grip pliers. You know, what you use when you don't have the right wrench for the job. I don't like to use it, but when I'm stuck I'll use what I have to to do the job. If however a workman rarely has the right tool for the job and is consistently making last minute adjustments with second or third choice tools, maybe it says something about that workman's preparation.

Yes, students love it when we slip into their language. That's because they're human, and love a break from learning as much as anyone. Go figure. If that's one of your special treats to lighten up and give them a break, fine. If you think it gets the class moving past a difficulty and on to what you want to do, then again fine. It's a tool, see above. I just have to wonder how often it's necessary, and how often its the result of not planning and explaing your routines carefully, and just how "bust your knuckles on a monkey-wrench" difficult your class is. Hey, we all get those once in a while.