Las Vegas - If You Think English is Difficult Try Mandarin Part 2
Several factors make learning Chinese a considerably more formidable task than learning another Germanic or Romance languages. Studying a foreign language is an excellent way for English and other language teachers to improve their own teaching. It also forces you into the role of a student so you can experience first hand the problems, difficulties and challenges your EFL learners face in your classes. Don’t believe me? Then look at what happened to me
continued from part 1
A couple of students confuse a pronunciation with the name of a Kung Fu TV series actor. The teacher doesn t get it. They talk about Jackie Chan as the mood of the class lightens. We try a few numbers that are simple to write in Chinese. One, two, three, four, ten, one thousand. Not bad at all, but I ll definitely need those flash cards and a pronunciation tape. Then comes five, six, seven, eight, nine. We continue with eleven, twelve and twenty. Twenty one and creating multiples of numbers follow. Actually, it s not difficult at all. Some of the higher numbers are childishly simple to create in both speaking and writing. The class continues creating more numbers by combining characters in Chinese. I glance at my watch. My fist Mandarin class will end in twenty five more minutes. The final number is one thousand three hundred million the population of China.
The class is interesting, with its musical language, and fun at times, but impractical. Where will we practice? Who is there to talk to? Is anyone, besides me, even thinking of going to China? Where in China is Mandarin spoken? What are the other principal forms of Chinese? These are only some of the questions that pop into my head during the class.
If I intend to have any success with this Mandarin class I realize that some learning and study aids are going to be needed such as:
Recordings of pronunciations
Drilling practice flash cards
Reference sheets of class work
Background information on China s culture, history, people and geography
Focused practice with functional language (that I could use during a trip to China)
Graphics applied to the materials as a memory aid
Extra tutorials to help me over the rough spots in learning the language
Photos and realia for an extra added touch
Study projects on the people, culture, geography, and history of China
An idea of what motivates the other students might be interesting and helpful too. So I ll try to chat with a couple of them before and after class. Several factors make learning Chinese a considerably more formidable task than learning another Germanic or Romance languages. It should be an interesting experience over all though. I ll keep you posted of interesting developments.
Wish me luck.
Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an expert author and photographer offering Web Content Writing Services for top-quality articles on: Education, Language learning, Salt and Fresh water fishing, exotic foods, South American travel and culture, Ethnic issues Blacks, Latinos, Indian native tribes, Health, Internet business resources and more His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News, Brazil magazine and hundreds of sites online. For fr*e*e sample articles and available web content e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com
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