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RachelDiD

Government-led programs may have had an impact on South America's English level, but I doubt it's the whole story. China doesn't want the whole story. The truth is that Hispanic ESL students are a DELIGHT to have. They work hard, they help each other, they take risks, are creative, and do not say stupid shit like, 'this class is not very funny. Can we play more games?' Chinese students expect to be amused or entertained in class, because anything that isn't CHINESE must definitely not be taken seriously. China's English sucks because the people are too silly, lazy, and xenophobic to learn it.

Nov 23, 2015 18:28 Report Abuse

royceH

Of course you are correct. I wish I was you... Did China and lived to tell the tale...

Nov 23, 2015 20:39 Report Abuse

Guest14167438

My teaching experience in China reflects what you have said. I'm currently on my fifth year of teaching here. My first school was a middle school where I was also required to teach in a primary school for six classes a week. I then taught at a high school. After that I taught at an adult English First school for two years and now I am teaching in a University. I'm pretty conscious about my teaching and I consistently want to improve it so I ask my students to regularly fill in student feedback forms. It's always ironic that the bad students are the ones writing things like "can we play more games?". Can you imagine studying Spanish at university and asking your teaching to play games with you? As I am teaching at university level and my students actually choose to study English as their major I expect a high level of commitment and ability. Unfortunately this isn't true the students just don't take the subject seriously. They don't even study outside of class and expect to learn from coming to class alone. As someone who studied a language at university I find this baffling.

Nov 26, 2015 06:39 Report Abuse

RachelDiD

Come to Vietnam! It is amazing!

Nov 29, 2015 11:16 Report Abuse

RachelDiD

Yeah, I taught at a university. I couldn't imagine studying Spanish at a university, and actually expecting my teacher to tolerate me having my own loud English side conversation going on in his class, let alone all the idiotic requests for more games and fun. I wouldn't have done that in high school Spanish, either. I also had a brief run-in with EF. Gawd, I am so happy I cleared out of that company. They definitely deserve their online reputation.

Nov 29, 2015 11:19 Report Abuse

Pineappletree1

On another note I removed the Chinese aspects from my own lesson plans. I teach them to speak real up to date conversation English. I teach, "What's up?" in my classroom.

Nov 23, 2015 17:41 Report Abuse

Pineappletree1

I think there are many factors to the why it is getting worse. Chinese people have more money now and want to keep their family together is a big one. Another is that graduates are returning from abroad and having a huge difficulty earning back their investment at Chinese wage levels (~>1,000USD/month). I do think Englteachted is on the right track, though. They need to understand the intrinsic value of knowing English, not just the monetary. To understand English is to be able to enter the a more global and less cloistered world. You can see this comparing Chinese movies to movies from other countries.

Nov 23, 2015 17:37 Report Abuse

Englteachted

Chinese refuse to remove themselves or their 'ways' from the teaching of English. Students should learn English from a fluent speaker from the very beginning to the very end. My students make little practice because they 'learned' their mistakes 10 years ago and re enforcing those mistakes every class for 10 years until I get them as College Freshmen. Next, English is forced on most language learners in China. Most universities throw the dummies into the English major. Parents don't allow students to have a say in their own future or at the very least explain to the child why they are learning something. Let's face it, mainlanders are just ignorant. Thanks to the CCP and their unwillingness to evolve.

Nov 23, 2015 12:46 Report Abuse

Englteachted

I want to add, language is about expressing your ideas in a given language. If your brain has been conditioned to not think then you have no ideas. And you have no ability to practice the language you are trying to learn.Chinese students can get to the point where they are expressing rehearsed and planned dialogues (How are you.... fine thank you.....} But they lack the will and ability to formulate original thoughts. They can't talk about a topic without rehearsing an answer.

Nov 23, 2015 12:52 Report Abuse

Kevcom1

I met an English lit major who told me she had not actually read any of the books. Her professor would read the book and the students were required to study the essay. They would be tested on what the proffessor thought. I could only look on in disbelief. It blew my mind that there was a literature grad whom had actually not read the books.

Nov 28, 2015 02:41 Report Abuse

jixiang

China is huge. Objectively, how can all Chinese kids have a fluent English teacher from the beginning to the very end? It just ain't happening.

Nov 30, 2015 15:19 Report Abuse

sohailreza

Ahhhh Chinese system of studying english : hello how are you ? i am fine thank you and you ?

Nov 23, 2015 09:58 Report Abuse

royceH

A couple of years ago I was introduced to a Chinese English teacher and our very short conversation went like this..."Hi, how are you going?" "I'm 28 years old." The response raised more questions, and conclusions, than the question.

Nov 23, 2015 20:30 Report Abuse

RandomGuy

There is also "Hey, how you doing?", "I'm watching TV and you?" *laughing smiley* also works with "How do you do?".

Nov 24, 2015 19:34 Report Abuse

Aylin35

Well said, but also add " No need degree" if you are a Native, just come to teach us ! hahahahah with other words, the teacher can be more stupid than students.. .

Dec 16, 2015 15:41 Report Abuse

seansarto

Nobody wants to mention that as china ratchets up their nationalism, English becomes perceived more as cultural subordination.

Nov 23, 2015 09:35 Report Abuse

Franck3

Having read so many statements on here all I can say is that most of the people that are teaching English in China can not even speak English themselves. It is the blind leading the blind. China needs to test would be English teachers before they hire them. I know they do, but it is not working.Americans have bastardized the English language to a point where it is no longer English. Watch "My fair lady" with Rex Harrison and you will hear what English really sounds like. Not some American mumbo jumbo.

Nov 23, 2015 08:21 Report Abuse

dkappy

The blind leading the blind? Have you taken a look at your own writing? "I know they do, but it is not working.Americans have bastardized the English language to a point where it is no longer English" That is belligerent.

Nov 23, 2015 09:34 Report Abuse

seansarto

It is just another attempt to corral perceptions towards the British and European English speaking establishments because they are naively being promoted as absent from the tensions in the South Asian Sea. Rude awakenings TBA...On a local level, in china, it reinforces that perception with chinese citizens..On an international scale it sends that message out to foreign companies trying to business with china...

Nov 23, 2015 09:39 Report Abuse

silverbutton1

Im a born and raised American. So... what language am I speaking then? Pray tell. I thought it was English, but you seem to be of a differing opinion. What language am I speaking, reading, writing, etc. oh enlightened one.

Nov 23, 2015 10:12 Report Abuse

nzteacher80

If you are English the it's "bastardised" not "bastardized". You are spelling like an American!

Nov 23, 2015 19:29 Report Abuse

Karajorma

I'm British and I think it's pretty idiotic to claim that American English is so different from British English that it would cause any kind of large impediment to learning the language. There are a few minor gotchas and that's about it.

Nov 23, 2015 20:23 Report Abuse

Englteachted

Because Chinese think British English is very different from American English. As NZ pointed out he spells 'bastardized' with a z' which is how Chinese are taught to spell words like that.

Nov 24, 2015 12:10 Report Abuse

Ben_Carter

Just a note to say it should be: " what language am I speaking then, Pray tell?" 'Pray tell' can't function as a sentence on its own. FYI I am a British English speaker but I do agree that American English is a perfectly acceptable form of the language, when used and taught correctly of course.

Nov 25, 2015 11:57 Report Abuse

Shining_brow

How do you LITERALLY "screw them out of an education"??? (in a thread on language, you left yourself wide open for this!)

Nov 27, 2015 17:22 Report Abuse