Job Discussion Forums

[TexasHighway]

I knew a couple guys who taught beginning Spanish at my university and they knew no Chinese so the language of instruction was pigeon English. However, they weren't what you wouldl call professional, qualified teachers. There basic interest in coming to China was just to chase women.

[Non Sequitur]

I think Texas H is right - not necessarily about chasing girls in the case of the OP's partner!
But yeah any intermediate language even if pidgen English would help bridge the gap.
That brings up the issue of whether grammar intricacies could be taught in English by the Spanish speaking teacher. Probably best left to a Spanish speaking Chinese teacher with the native Spanish speaker doing conversational Spanish.

[mgafunnell]

Nope.

[seamallowance]

[Non Sequitur]

Well I almost got it right - spelled with an 'i' not an 'e'.

[wiganer]

I taught my classes basic Spanish just before the break and they all loved it! The average Chinese university student has a real sketchy world view though so response might not be positive initially but once you educate them a little about Spanish as a world language then they will come around. A lot of my students now want to learn Spanish.

My view is that the Chinese university system places too much emphasis on English and it has got to the state now that there are so many English graduates that the said degree is near useless. For todays graduates to become viable through languages, Arabic, Spanish and maybe Russian would be more useful.

With China's forays into Africa, a lot more Chinese people need to be learning French and Portuguese also.

[Non Sequitur]

Good points wiganer.
If you're teaching Western culture - or even if you're not - a round up of the linguistic traditions in the West is a great idea. Well done!

[wiganer]