English is English, Chinese is Chinese...

[sjkc]

This message was forwarded to you from Straits Times Interactive (http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg) by new_education2yk@yahoo.com

English is English, Chinese is Chinese...



I AM writing about the use of the English language during Chinese lessons.

I used to be a primary-school Chinese-language teacher but I have become a secondary-school English teacher after completing a bachelor's degree in English in Britain.

As a Chinese teacher, I did not use English in my classes because it did not help my pupils to learn better.

For instance, if they were stronger in English, they tended to make sentences in Chinese using English sentence structure.

My pupils found it hard to learn the language purely through the Chinese medium, but this is the only way to truly understand and master it.

The more you try to avoid the Chinese language, the more you reliant you will become on another language and your learning of Chinese will never get easier.

You simply cannot explain Chinese grammar the way you would explain English grammar.

There is also no need to try to do so.

For instance, instead of telling students in English that dong ci is a 'verb', the teacher can simply say in Mandarin: 'Examples of dong ci are zou (walk) and chi.'

We need to teach Standard English and Standard Chinese. Singaporeans' grasp of both languages will never improve if we mix the two.

We should always try to speak pure Mandarin or pure English, especially in the classroom.

Each language has unique features; they should not be put together in a mixing bowl. I hope other language educators feel the way I do about this issue.



WONG LING FONG (Madam)
IP Address:219.93.8.6

[xdragon]

Hi Madam Wong, do you give tuition for std 4? My son is weak in chinese language and we live at USJ18. We have transport problem being the reason for not being able to send him to tuition center. Thanks.

[HTCHONG]

My daughter took Chinese tuition since her Primary 2. Her Chinese wasn’t good at all despite intensive tuitions for Chinese. Last year, when my daughter was in Primary 5, I changed the tutor as the PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination) was approaching.

One day, I went home earlier and realised that the Chinese tutor conversed with my daughter in English despite it was a Chinese lesson. I asked my daughter after her tuition, is the tutor better than the previous one. She told me she can understand better. Also, she said her school Chinese teacher using English for explanation too.

Last Thursday (26 Nov 09), PSLE result was out and my daughter got an A* (A-star) for English and an A for Chinese.

[Sentinel]

Watch this video for a break... an English-speaking boy learning a difficult English word for his age - learning to say BLOOD.

[SpAwN^]

That's a good one Sentinel ! Most kids at the early age can't pronounce words that begins/contains sentences with an 'S' or 'R' in it. Just like this
cute kid !

[IceCooler]

Maybe the edu.minis. can try to implement teaching Malay Lang. by using English languages.

[alberto]

we are not bad, listen to singlish its more funny to listen to.