Job Discussion Forums

KaKaKow · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 4

Hello all. I'm an American english b.a. student going to be teaching in China at a University, and I have pretty much no Chinese experience whatsoever. I've got a few years of ESL under my belt, but I was wondering if anyone could help me out with some questions.

Not knowing Chinese, how will this fare from me (from your experiences) in the classroom setting? Getting around town? Contractually?

Super Mario · Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:55 am Post subject:

Sorry, misread the OP. Religious ecstasy or narcotic coma. Who knows?

Anyway, you won't be expected to speak Chinese, at least initially. And certainly never in the classroom. Within a few months you'll be able to get around independently, tell taxi drivers where to go, answer hairdressers' enquiries succinctly etc.
Your better students and more confident colleagues will speak English quite freely with you. Be aware that "Chinese" within your college and that which they speak outside the gate are most likely very different things!
Reading and writing the language is a different matter altogether.

saint57 · Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:58 am Post subject:

saint57 · Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 3:00 am Post subject:

grwit · Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 329 Location: Dagobah

I came to China at the beginning of 2005.
I didn't know any chinese when I arrived. Not even Ni Hao (hello)

When you first arrive make sure your employer sends someone to meet you at the airport. It is scary coming to a foreign country and not being able to speak the language if you are alone.

After that... no problems. It is good that you will be teaching at a chinese uni. You will find that most of your students have reasonable english and will be able to understand you and make conversation with you. Your co workers too should have good english.

Teaching in a primary school or kindergarten would be much more difficult i think if you cant speak chinese.

As for getting around the city... it depends on the city you go to. I have travelled to many cities. You will find in the big touristy cities (where a lot of foreign people go for holidays) such as Beijing and Xian many chinese can speak english. But in the little cities where few foreigners go barely anyone speaks english. I live in one of these little cities and have found that it is handy to know some chinese. So I have been learning their language while I am here. It is useful for bargaining and ordering food at resturants etc.

I have also found that if you begin to speak some chinese when you go shopping then they know that you are not just a holiday maker and that they can't cheat you (rip you off) so easily.

Basically you can get by for a while without knowing any chinese but you will probably need the help of students or co workers to do your shopping. After a while if you can learn some chinese while you are here you won't need their help and you can become more independent.

Also there are many different dialects in china so many of the chinese can't understand eachother. So you will need to learn some local dialect once you arrive which is something you can't learn in an american classroom.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Ah, it's the same as in the whole rest of the world! The longer you stay here, the more pressure will be applied on you to use the local lingo.
But as an English language facilitator you should not have to depend on the local language for your teaching purposes.
Whether you are going to be used as a language facilitator remains to be seen, though.

jester · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 111

Your second sentence, Rogergirl, is absolute crap (as usual) but I agree with the rest.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Voldermort · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 597

Hey it will only be a matter of time before he goes the same way as the Dodo.

orangiey · Joined: 30 Jan 2005 Posts: 217 Location: UK

Not being able to speak Chinese in the classroom is a great advantage for the learners in my experience. I teach grade 1 (6-7 years) and have a Chinese assistant to translate instructions but in all fairness gestures and a good choice of simple words is normally enough.

Outside the clasroom the children have learnt loads more English from me because I can't speak Chinese so they practise thier English with me. Even if I could speak Chinese I wouldn't use it with them and Chinese in the class ? NO, NO NO!!!! And No again!
How do I know what I'm saying is correct??? I'm employed beacuse I speak English and so will you too.

As for around town, that's easy enough with a few basic phrases.
Getting in a taxi? As long as you know the way you can use hand signals for left and right etc and they all understand 'okay' with an indication you want to stop!!

Shopping? You have fingers to point/show quantity, and they too for price!!

Easy.

Best of luck and don't be fooled