Job Discussion Forums

[Songbird]

Hey all,

Those teaching at colleges and universities will undoubtedly appreciate the fact that many students by now are having panic attacks, sleepless nights and overdosing on coffee trying to prepare for this monster.

Today in writing classes (my final, incidentally) I decided to do some prep for this, took some materials I bought from Xinhua and students asked for advice on their writing etc.

The problem is the translation. Of couse I can't help on the Chinese side of things, but I sat down with one student who was having problems and we did some together. Interestingly, even when we both did the q's we both came up with exactly the same answers- which were wrong in the answers. This is also from one of the most intelligent students in the class.

Has anyone discussed these problems and how to cope with the CET generally with their students? Any suggestions? I would love to hear them so I can pass on some last minute advice, despite my students being so over the whole thing. I really don't want them to give up just yet (though for many it's their 2nd attempt at CET4 ).

[tw]

Students usually just memorize a ton of vocabulary, not sure if that does them any good.

If my graduating writing class students can pass my exam next week, they should have no problem passing CET4. Actually, I think they all have CET4 now but their writings sure don't look like those of people with CET4.

[latefordinner]

TW, I'm pretty sure (perhaps prematurely, but I doubt it) that memorising vocab lists is counterproductive. It's hard to convince students of this though, and it always will be. People like to have a ready barometer of their success, especially when they're finally beginning a task they should have mastered a long time ago. Saying, "I've just learned 200 new words!" goes a long way to improving the self esteem, puts an edge on the appetite and helps toughen the old mental muscles for another 6 hour session of Warcraft.

Songbird, its that time of year when I suddenly have friends I never knew I had before, and by some strange coincidence they all need help doing last minute prep for CET. Now I have a near unfailing faith in the goodness and honesty of the human spirit, so I strive to help all and sundry who ask me for my time. I also have papers to grade and finals of my own to prepare, but I got into teaching because I like to help people and so I have a lot of short-term friends. Hey you never know, 2 of my short term friends in secondary school are still my close friends more than 30 years later.

I'm still trying to get a handle on the Chinese Error-ridden Tests. The sample test papers and answer sheets that students have brought me look like something you'd find in a stall at the back of a bad restaurant. Is that just the low-end product in the self-help market, or is the pharmaceutical, er academic quality just as low?

[james s]

...

[jwbhomer]

Interesting post from James S. I hope it's true. The CET has to be one of the great Chinese jokes. Everyone knows that having a CET-6 or CET-4 is no guarantee whatever that one can communicate in English. Yet employers insist on it because -- I guess -- there is no other national standard. If the CET has been done away with, it won't be a moment too soon!

[Mydnight]

I think there's a fat chance in hell that this would ever happen. If they killed the CET tradition, then they would have to think of more subjective measures for applicants looking for jobs. There's also a fat chance in hell this would ever happen because most companies don't have adequate measures to judge applicants as it is. Getting rid of one of the only ways they can quickly find people to work..ha!

CET will get replaced by something of a different name under the same premise: Subjective Objectivity.

[ymmv]

What has changed is not that the CET was done away with, but that they got rid of the pass/fail line (60). Now, the students just get a score and are issued a certificate with the score marked on it so that in theory, everyone passes.

[jwbhomer]

[quote="ymmv"]Now, the students just get a score and are issued a certificate with the score marked on it so that in theory, everyone passes.[/quote]
So that's progress eh.

[Anda]

Mydnight in South Korea many job tests at big companies require applicants to give direct spoken answers in English to examiners that have asked them questions in English. There is no reason that this couldn't start here.

[latefordinner]

Anda, there's a very good reason why that couldn't happen here. Too many of the Chinese teachers would be out of work.

[Mydnight]

[Brian Caulfield]

In South Korea the finishing exams are written by foreigners . The job is not popular because the writers are sequestered for a month . They are afraid the tests will be leaked . Now in China the tests are leaked . How else could people pass these mistake ridden exams ? Ever wonder why we don't teach final year high school students ? Because they don't want us taking away their white envelopes .
My advice is don't look at the tests . It has caused me problems when I pointed out to the student the follies and then they would go to the Chinese teacher and ask for a change in their mark and then the Chinese teacher would tell me to mind my own business.
Old hands at this game have told me another thing (KEEP YOUR EXAMS SIMPLE ) .

[Katja84]

Are past papers available for CET4? On the web? What type of mistakes have there been in the past? Have you got any examples? Just out of curiosity

[ymmv]