Job Discussion Forums

[vallillo1983]

Hello, I was wondeirng if anyone has been able to learn Chinese while working HESS' contract B (p/t kindy and f/t HLS) I would like to learn but it seems like a impossible task!
Also, how long does it take to become fluent?
Thanks

[TaoyuanSteve]

I knew a head teacher for Hess in Taoyuan. Her opinion on this was that teachers who elected to teach kindy hours did not have either the time or the energy to learn Mandarin. If you want to study, the ideal set up is to work afternoon buxiban hours and go to classes in the mornings. If you work split shifts or work much more than 20 hours per week, Mandarin study won't be a realistic option.

Fluent? It's an overused word. Basic spoken Mandarin is not especially difficult. Do it the right way (IE, go to class often, learn speaking, listening and character recognition-- but don't get bogged down with writing) and you should be able to handle most daily interactions within a year. Fluency, as in being able to communicate everything you could in English using Mandarin, having meaningful relationships with people who do not speak any English etc, takes longer. In my experience, few teachers reach that level. But the good news is functionality comes fairly quickly.

[wood]

Go out and have a walk around. Figure out
the things that you think you ought be
able to say in Mandarin. Make a list of
those things. Then find someone willing
to teach them to you. If you really want to
learn, get some books and try to understand
the fundamentals. Learn some phrases. Get
a CD. Listen to it.