Job Discussion Forums

[xinpu]

Background:
Class today, 50 Police Students with a reasonable level of English. These guys will join the Foreign Affairs department of PSB / Police and will probably be the person they call when the laowai gets into strife.

Anyway...I was setting up a group based class discussion and to introduce the idea as well as give them a few pointers I wrote the following on the board and asked them to discuss in groups if they agreed or disagreed (and give reasons etc).

"College students do not need to learn English"

I was being deliberately provocative and anticipated some interesting responses. One group of fairly shy geeky girls came up with the following:

"We don't want to learn English because we are Chinese. We have a long history and we shouldn't have to learn a foreign language. Chinese is a better languae than English and we shouldn't waste our time with a language that is not as good".

The seething resentment was obvious and barely disguised.

I guess it made a change from the pre-programmed 'WTO, Olypmics, opening up of china" answer they usually come up with.

I mean I've had apathetic students or students who see English as no use to them or students who just don't enjoy learning a language but this was the first time I'd come across a slighty racial / nationalistic resistance to the subject.

On one level it doesn't surprise me, let's face it most Chinese are hyer-nationalistic (compared to the UK at least). If I was in their shoes (forced to learn another languae whether I liked it or not) I would have similar sentiments (although I'd never dress it up as my culture is THIS much better than yours).

Anyway I still have a uncomfortable feeling about the whole thing. Nothing I can do about it but it goes a long way to explain some of their resistance to doing anything in class.

Anyone else come across this? Any suggestions for using this 'energy' for positive effect??

[Shan-Shan]

This certainly cements my resolve to never dump firecrackers on an already seething bonfire of competition, resentment and smouldering dreams.

[DaXiangLouis]

You shouldn't feel bad - your students should. What they did was, in a Chinese context, unforgivably rude. It was a calculated insult, aimed at undermining you and causing you to lose face.

[7969]

never came across this kind of insulting response experienced by xinpu. the worst i've had is students who just dont care, show up late, and/or dont want to learn anything. fortunately, the ones who did want to learn made it worth my while showing up. my current crop of students are quite good and are a vast improvement on any that i've had at previous schools. most of them are english education majors, future english teachers.

[Steppenwolf]

[peepertice]

your students reply is clearly moronic but then as you say, you were being deliberately provocative and they took the bait..... i don't really see the problem

this 'energy' is what leads to good debates, which in my experience are few & far between over here.

[cj750]

[prof]

Very good post cj.

[cj750]

prof, it is hard to leave the military attitude behind..and it is my feeling if any senior officers were present they would have been shocked to hear that response...even if they shared the probies opinion...

[kev7161]

Some follow-up questions/challenges I would have asked just to stir the pot a bit more:

1. Besides China, name some other countries where Chinese is the main spoken language (Taiwan doesn't count).

2. List all the countries you can think of where English is the main spoken language (or at least shares equal billing with the main language).

3. For someone choosing between learning Chinese and English, which one has the fewer "characters" to learn?

4. Ballpark figure, how much international business is conducted in English? In Chinese?

5. Which language more readily integrates words and phrases from other languages and which one has to manipulate French, Spanish, Italian, etc. to conform to a set-in-stone language due to pre-existing characters that can't be changed?

6. Which language can be mostly understood regardless of the accent, intonation, or "tone" of the speaker. Which language can't be understood many times even when spoken by a native speaker?

7. Which language (English or Chinese) has more in common with several other languages, which makes it easier to decipher the other languages with just a bit of effort?

I"m sure Chinese could become an important language to know if the Chinese economy grows and grows and China becomes the key player in global markets and politics, but that may not happen for several decades. In the meantime, I'll stick with English, thanks.

[WordUp]

Chinese is the new English.. ESL in China has a shelf life of about six more years.

[sheeba]

I get comments like this often . I'm Surprised you guys don't . But if you set up questions like you did 'College students do not need to learn English" then you should expect to get comments like this .

Today I wrote on the board ' University Education is a waste of time ' One of my students told me that they thought Chinese University was better than the West because they work harder .I learnt nothing in my Western Uni so I didn't comment .

They're (sorry to be frank) Pilllocks !!! My University students amaze me with their uneducated guesses in various contexts . Not to label all the students morons as some do have an ounce of intelligence .

Another student today could not believe I recognise every face in my classes. 'But Westerners can't recognise Chinese 'she said . You think we all look the same . My friend told me . he is married to a Westerner'

Ask them about their culture . Watch them all disagree with each other on everything . Nobody has any clarity on anything. Even better correct them and watch them disagree with you as the FT couldn't possibly know anything about Western culture even when they're blatently in the wrong.

It all makes me laugh to be honest . I shouldn't worry about thoise idiots . You'll meet plenty more in China .

[prof]

[latefordinner]

Sheeba:

[william wallace]

nil