3 Oct 2008, 16:44
Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 4 Oct 2008, 00:59
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The following has turned out to be a very brief, personal impression - together with hearsay - of what I perceive as the present general state of conversational-English teaching in China, education in China and Chinese students. I am certain there are many foreign teachers in China who would have very different things to say:
As many of you will already know, I work as an oral English teacher at a university in Shanghai. This is the beginning of my 3rd academic year in China.
When I first arrived here I had high hopes of making a difference and of developing my teaching practice. However, a crude reality for many foreign oral English teachers in China is that they are employed by schools as the foreign-passport holder that helps ensure parents will pay higher school fees. The foreign teacher's job is to be the English expert for classes once a week. Ostensibly, this 90 minute class, 16 times a semester, will redress years of teacher-centred, grammar-translation English lessons and even more years of systematic obliteration of students' self-confidence, individuality and creativity. In practice however, course leaders and the school administration will probably have little or no interest in the foreign teacher's activities in class, provided s/he actually does turn up for class; does not offend China's honour; or bore the students too much. The teacher may be asked back for a second term if the students actually enjoy the class. Students' enjoyment of class may involve playing games; listening to amusing anecdotes or popular music; watching DVDs, being allowed to talk in Chinese, do other course work, play with their mobile phones, sleep, or skip class - every class. Despite this apparent lack of oral english learning or practice, students typically do not fail oral English exams; once school fees have been paid, parents can expect certain returns on their money.
But, even within this climate, there are those Western teachers who do try to improve their students' level of English. A problem they find though, is that Western methods often don't translate well. Student-centred lessons with task based and communicative activities that foster self-confidence, individuality and creativity regularly fail in China and Asia. New foreign teachers can often be heard to complain about the "unwillingness" of their students to participate in class or to even answer the simplest of questions. Why? Students are taught to conform not stand out, and the Chinese have an acute sense of "saving face"; students prefer to say nothing in class than to risk embarrassment by making a mistake. Other factors are that the teacher is seen as the expert that will tell students what they should know; students are passive "sponges" in a learning environment that is largely memoristic in nature (students here do have amazing powers of recall). Students on the whole have little to no sense of ownership of their learning; little initiative, and (seemingly) little desire to reflect on their learning, personal development or life. I would guess that the average 20 year old Chinese student has the mental age of a 14 year old British student. English is taught as 4 unconnected subjects: reading, writing, listening, and speaking (oral/conversation). Typically, only speaking class has a foreign teacher (who may or may not be a native-level English speaker, qualified, proficient, or conscientious). The other classes have a Chinese teacher who will probably give the class in Chinese. The focus of (Chinese) teacher and students is on learning (just enough) to pass the exams. Little, if any, attention is paid to effective communicative ability in English. Students who are good at speaking English are generally those who have a personal interest in the language. I think many Chinese English teachers see the need for a change in methodology/policy, but change seems to be very slow and implemented from the top down. Those with power to decide and effect changes at schools may not be the most suited for the job (of implementing effective educational reform). Those with the power are (Communist) Party members who are often/usually aged, with Party agenda to promote and protect and perhaps no knowledge or understanding of, or concern for, the educational issues at stake.
How does all that fit in with what I'm learning on this course? How can I possibly change my students' learning behaviours?! And how could I try to encourage a cohort of slightly above average Shanghainese students to use an eportfolio system when only 2 weeks ago I gave up trying to get them to even use email? These students/classes are actually the best I have had here though. Students do not sleep in class, many are eager and willing to participate/learn, most bring pen and paper to class, the class sizes are small (about 20 students, not 60), each of my classrooms is large enough with furniture that can be moved; a pc I can use, with internet connection, projector, dvd player,...But the 90 minutes of class a week is all the English practice most students will get, despite a general consensus that English speaking skills are an important factor influencing a student's future employability.
Well, I'd better go to sleep so that tomorrow I can write a more relevant attempt at the CA2.3 Reflection and learning.
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