Job Discussion Forums

acwilliams · Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 3:51 am Post subject:

Some of my classes are total beginners (adults, not kids). I don't speak Chinese to them, but the fact that I can understand what they are saying in Chinese - to each other, and to me - makes it easier for me to teach and for them to learn.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Sigh...
Once again, we are back to square one, discussing merits or otherwise of a teaching approach that is amateurish at best! Translating in English classes? Why not let the CHinese English teachers go on muddling through in their tried and tested antiquated way!

Obviously, many FTs do not understand what learning a second, or foreign, tongue is all about! IT's about learning how to think, and each language differs from others. We are here in order to practise communicatively with our charges; the spoon-feeding method is reserved for the CHinese muddlers! We often find fault with their teach-and-translate style, and for good reason! Why should we practise the same in our classes?

We are here to assist Chinese English learners in learning how to think in English, and then how to communicate their thoughts to other English speakers. Ideally, our Chinese colleauges would speak English with their students too - for example in grammar classes!
This does not, unfortunately, happen, and our CHinese colleagues speak a truncated English anyway - single words or short phrases, nary a whole sentence. They too are captive to their think-in-Chinese-speak-in-ENglish approach.

Learning a language is learning how to overcome your own communication challenges; by constantly resorting to the student's mother tongue no one is doing them any useful favour! They don't learn to think outside their CHinese box!

By the way, they don't know grammar terminology well enough; most know the abbreviated forms like "adj." but not "adjective"; they know what it means in CHINESE, but is that of any use?
I say NO! They can't even explain to you what an adjective does in Mandarin - and in this they are the same as anyone who hasn't studied the grammar of their first language formally at school. Just knowing grammar terms without knowing their intrinsic functions isn't understanding them.

I still say it is preferable for anyone to be bilingual - but not because we need to understand our learners' first language. Learning a second tongue teaches you a lot about your mother tongue because you learn to see it through the medium of another language.

Malsol · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 1976 Location: Lanzhou

vikdk · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 1676

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Ah, Vikky the Danish tabby purring again, is it?
And since when do you teach English? I have always thought you were doing some job in a kindergarten; just what it is I have never found out. We also happen to know you do not speak Chinese; so what is it that you think you can tell those who are asking the question whether it is useful to speak Chinese in an English class? \Vikky girl, I tell you not for the first time I have also taught at kindergartens, more than 2, more than 3; in one for two years, and it was my greatest job.
Do you think I needed a "translator" or that I needed to speak Chinese to my pupils?
If you think so, tell us why!

vikdk · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 1676

pandasteak · Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 166

bottom line: don't knock it 'till you've tried it.

It's easy to see the merits after you've done it.
And I'm sure there are a ton of people discussing this issue who haven't done it, because they haven't learned the language yet.

Just out of curiousity, is there anyone in this thread who can speak Chinese, but is still arguing against using Chinese in the classroom?

That said, I firmly believe Chinese should be kept to a minimum. Because they're paying for a FOREIGN TEACHER. Hell, most of my students don't know i can speak. They're just surprised when I drop some words. Maybe 5 words per class.

kingkristopher · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 62

I haven't taught in China but the principle is the same wherever you go and I believe that the use of L1 by a teacher in an English classroom is absolutely unacceptable.

Certainly, it would help a teacher to know another language, especially the students' mother tongue, for the various reasons discussed above. However, methodologically speaking this is a BIG no-no.

I agree with Roger and williamwallace on this one and like ww I have also fired teachers for using L1 in the classroom, as I believe any self-respecting DoS must do.

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

Malsol · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 1976 Location: Lanzhou

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

i'm just wondering whether or not the use of L1 in the classroom is bad or good.

i spent five years studying russian when i was in university. i had three different professors. the first (and best) was an englishman, the second (and almost as good) was a belarussian. the third was an elderly professor from petersburg who taught us russian grammar. in all of our classes through those several years, there was SOME english. further, during my studies, and afterwards, i travelled to russia several times. i found that i was quite functional in the language, in particular after a few months in country and once i picked up more of the colloquialisms. so i dont think using L1 in the classroom can be discounted completely. it worked for me.... that's my experience.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138