Job Discussion Forums

Trifaro · Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Posts: 152

"Bouncing Kangaroo" !!

That's good! I think I just found my next Dave's monikor.

Exclamation

edbuch · Joined: 16 Nov 2010 Posts: 34 Location: Gansu

What interesting answers!

I can't wait to get to you guys' level of wit and repartee.

Perhaps that will be more useful than learning Chinese.

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

It won't take long. You will quickly learn that a little dark humor is a good thing.

sistercream · Joined: 18 Dec 2010 Posts: 497 Location: Pearl River Delta

Yes, it is definitely worth learning Chinese, but IMO it is much easier to start learning after you arrive in the country - you can start to see how the language reflects (or is reflected by?) the totally different mindset there. It also helps to understand common mistakes that your students make in English when you see that they're simply doing word-for-word translation.

Grammatically Chinese is dead easy - no irregular verbs, plurals, comparatives or adverbs Very Happy

The written language is another matter Razz

(but I find it fascinating).

I don't know if it's just my prematurely grey hair and/ or being a woman *of size* but as long as I have given the higher-ups the face they consider their due both my professional input and my person have been treated respectfully. True, I have loused up on the face bit more than I care to think about (20 years gives plenty of opportunity), but I have received a heckuva lot of grace from all concerned despite my cultural failings.

slareth · Joined: 29 Jun 2010 Posts: 82 Location: Shandong

I came here not knowing a word of Chinese and got VERY lucky. I really could not imagine what I was thinking when I came here not knowing how to communicate at even a basic level. The school I came over for put me with a housemate who spoke good Chinese and it really saved my bacon. Between simple things like eating and complicated things like the school trying to *beep* us nine ways to Sunday, Chinese was necessary.

Not all schools have people who can communicate with you in English effectively. Some, when they know you can not communicate in Chinese will really try and take advantage. Yeah, some say you need to play the part of a clown or monkey here and in some cases that may be true, but coming here and not being able to communicate at all truly does make you a clown or a monkey in most peoples eyes. What else can you be?

As to not speaking Chinese in school or in class. I think it's fine in school, depending on where you work the cute office girls/TA's may dig your chili and be less likely to give you trouble....which they can easily do. In class..well it depends on the class and school. My job has a strict English only policy which I routinely ignore for the sake of saving time. When introducing a new vocabulary word intentionally or off the cuff I can spend 10 minutes explaining it while 20 adults bang away on their translators or I can say the word in Chinese and not lose their attention.

YMMV

joey2001 · Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 697

A'Moo · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 1:53 pm Post subject:

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

sistercream · Joined: 18 Dec 2010 Posts: 497 Location: Pearl River Delta

Sorry, the "irregular" was meant to qualify all the following nouns, not just "verbs".

dog backwards · Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 178

Four years living and teaching in China here. I speak just enough Chinese to get me from here to there.

My observation is that FTs who come here thinking that they can speak just survival Chinese or who begin learning Chinese here spend far too much time practicing their Chinese at the expense of their students. FT Chinese isn't needed in the classroom.

It is, however, quite helpful when you need to explain to a doctor what's wrong with you, tell a cab driver where you want to go, etc..

And yes, your social life will be greatly enriched should you speak perfect Mandarin.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

nickpellatt · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1522

Im learning Chinese, but its still pretty basic. Can read around 300 characters max, know a few more in terms of speaking. I really think using Chinese in the classroom isnt the way to go. I dont think its a good way to teach, and its not a good way for someone to learn how to teach.

What happens when you go to another country? What happens when you teach mixed International classes? If you start to depend on L1 as part of your teaching approach, you are likely to come unstuck sooner or later. And if your school has a 'no Chinese' policy and you continually break it, you may find trouble coming your way sooner or later too.

I should say I dont teach kindy or primary kids etc, maybe simple commands are needed in that situation, but in the other situations I work in, L1 isnt needed. This is also true for teaching vocabulary, I think someone mentioned using Chinese in that situation, but I think if you do the standard approach in trying to elicit vocabulary, you dont need to use Chinese. Comes down to 'selling the sizzle, not the sausage!'

mrwslee003 · Joined: 14 Nov 2009 Posts: 190

I think those Fts who learn some Chinese get more respect than those who learn none and live a richer life in China. And I don't think it is fair to say" Most Chinese expect Fts to be foreign cartoons...." I think this statement is unfair because the Chinese have better use for their hard earned money than just throwing it at cartoons for their kids. They are very conservative that way.

The Chinese have much more respect for the Fts than statements like that would lead you to believe. Fts, don't sell yourself short. You are more "precious and needed" than what you may think you are. Believe it or not; you are preparing the next generation of Chinese to be international businessmen and women. And business is the future life line of this country.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

I think recent and current threads on black and brown FTs being given the bums rush in China puts the whole 'loved and respected' thing in perspective. Mr Lee's zen-like observations notwithstanding.

mrwslee003 · Joined: 14 Nov 2009 Posts: 190

Yeh right, the future zen-master here...... like in a zillion years.

Just a different perspective here: Not much more than a century ago the Chinese railroad workers had their share of discrimination and racism, but that doesn't negate the significant contribution they made to the development of the US and Canadian wild west and the national economies.

The discrimination and racism were the natural result of ignorance, greed, and arrogance. And do you think the Chinese people is devoid of these less than desirable characteristics? Think again bud.....

But don't let these imperfections cover up the good that the Fts are doing to the nation. And I bet even my critics would tend to agree with me here.