Understanding the language used in school – Most of China’s graduates learn a great deal of English by the time they complete university. But miscommunication can still occur as some Chinese teachers may not have learned to speak the language with the correct pronunciation. Their knowledge of the English vocabulary may also be limited, but do not realise it until they converse with other native speakers. In some schools, where work can only be done with the local language, this makes it even more difficult.
Getting used to a different kind of student discipline – In classrooms in China, student discipline is very strict. There is utmost respect for the teacher, and very often, fear dominates the learning process. In classrooms outside China, the culture can be different. Students can be more vocal, keen to question and willing to challenge ideas, so as to learn in an inquiry-based manner. New Chinese teachers may suffer an initial culture shock.
Teaching Chinese in English – Chinese teachers who grew up in China learned Chinese, in Chinese. And all of a sudden now that they are teaching overseas, English often becomes the medium of instruction in teaching Chinese. Be careful of getting too carried away teaching Chinese in another language, as it may dilute the quality of your lesson.
One way lecture – Learning strategies are becoming more innovative and varied these days. Gone are the days of ‘chalk & talk’ and rote learning in many parts of the world now. Students have to become engaged, so that they can learn better. New Chinese teachers overseas may find this as a shock because they probably grew up in learning environments used to one-way lectures, and the memorization of theory.
Next week – Look out for the article which helps new teachers to overcome the problems above.
Henry Chow, founder of http://nickschineseteachers.com, wrote this article. He is effectively bilingual in both English and Chinese. He is also passionate about helping Chinese teachers to work and spread the Chinese language overseas, without having to pay exorbitant agent fees.
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