Sorry for the rough headline here, but I hope now I got your attention.
I just came to Taiwan recently to learn chinese, so I am in a beginner course.
What makes me quite angry is my collegues are mostly teachers who take the
classes more recreational. They don’t learn vocabulary, so the teacher is doing
always a review. They come late to class and even chatting while sitting in
classroom. Some even don’t show up, because of work. What is a full time chinese class suppose to mean ??
I already complain via email to them, but it seems there is no change.
Talked with teacher too without any sucess. Feel so helpless now …
I take my class in a language school which actually supposed to have a good reputation.
I think many english teachers (staying illegal) in Taiwan just joined a class to get the
visa. I am aware it has been always like this, but since the goverment have changed the Visa rules (only goverment schools now approved), all those lazy students change from the cheaper
chinese cramschools like Pioneer, TLI etc. to the Universities I am joining like now …
If I wanna learn chinese, do I have to take one-by-one classes ?? Is that the only way ??
I am angry here, wanna study hard and the progress is sooo slow because of some guys actually have an interest to know a little chinese, so they can flatter (pick up) their chinese girls …
Sorry, if my words sounds so rude here, but I feel helpless.
Any thoughts ?? Suggestion ??
If possible, get into some classes with only Korean and Japanese students. That’s what I did in Beijing several years ago and just trying to keep with those goddamn smug Koreans who could barely condescend to talk with people from other countries gave me the motivation to work harder than most of the other Westerners in the other class sections.
I did group classes at Pioneer. The teachers were there to teach and the students to learn. As far as I could make out the same was true of their beginners’ classes.
Foreigners sitting in the administrative offices politely but firmly and repeatedly saying that they need more difficult classes or need to change classes are much harder to ignore. If you’ve got some free time, try this method. Always be polite, but firm and inexhaustible. Think “gentle drip of water on stone” method.
I second this suggestion.
Many Japanese housewives take Chinese classes basically as a way to kill time. My Chinese teacher at TLI used to complain about them, saying they didn’t study seriously. But … even a Japanese person who is not studying seriously will progress more quickly than a Westerner who is, because they already know the characters. My classes at TLI were mostly Japanese and Korean students, especially at the higher levels, and I am very grateful for that. Another benefit - the teacher won’t be able to waste your time practicing her English.
Being pissed off is better than begin pissed on, as the old saying goes.
The school probably has more than one beginner class. Ask around, find out which group is the most serious and get in with them instead.
IMO, a class is only useful for about six months, tops, so I wouldn’t worry too much.
If you’re in Taiwan or China, you’ll learn a lot more Mandarin if you get involved in something that forces you to speak Mandarin all day. Join a club, a church, a group of artists, or all of the above; get into the martial arts with a teacher who doesn’t speak English; get a work permit and start doing a job, whatever.
You’ll learn a lot more Mandarin by carrying a notebook around with you all day and writing down the stuff you hear used in conversations you have. Study from a text on your own for an hour or two in the morning, then get out and break your head against the rock that is Mandarin until the rock begins to crack.
Relying on a class to learn Mandarin is one of the least efficient ways of becoming fluent.
My plan was to get here and then enrol in a course, but Im staying with an extended family of Taiwanese that do not speak English.
So far it has been amazing how fast I have picked up little phrases and words, seemingly with no effort. I havent even sat down with a textbook or dictionary yet.
I can see myself hitting a ceiling of sorts soon though… Will eventually need to set up a good Learning Exchange or do some sort of class…
[quote=“Tomas”]IMO, a class is only useful for about six months, tops, so I wouldn’t worry too much.
If you’re in Taiwan or China, you’ll learn a lot more Mandarin if you get involved in something that forces you to speak Mandarin all day. Join a club, a church, a group of artists, or all of the above; get into the martial arts with a teacher who doesn’t speak English; get a work permit and start doing a job, whatever.
You’ll learn a lot more Mandarin by carrying a notebook around with you all day and writing down the stuff you hear used in conversations you have. Study from a text on your own for an hour or two in the morning, then get out and break your head against the rock that is Mandarin until the rock begins to crack.
Relying on a class to learn Mandarin is one of the least efficient ways of becoming fluent.[/quote]
this is very much horses for courses…some people learn faster in a structured class environment some don’t…
MoTi, when I came to Taiwan I considered enrolling in group classes, and decided not to, for various reasons. One was that I’m a very serious student, and I’d probably be PO’d just the way you are and for the same reasons.
So instead, I went with one-on-one’s, in the form of free language exchanges. I did a lot of them, with dozens of partners over the years. This worked out better for me. You might prefer a paid class so that all your time is spent learning, and so that the teacher is more professional. I wanted to save money, so I went the other route, and that was enjoyable too, but I’m patient and like making friends and teaching English.
You might try supplementing your classes with LE or 1x1, and then later when the course ends, don’t re-enroll.
I agree with Dragonbones about the 1 on 1’s…I’ve never been happy with group classes except for taking written tests. It gives me an incentive to study characters.
I use ShiDa to practice characters, and a 1on1 everyday before class for speaking. I like paying for my classes for several reasons.
