A Lesson from American Learning Chinese to Chinese Learning English

A Lesson from American Learning Chinese to Chinese Learning English

王一帆

西安医学院

Abstract：Currently, the United States has paid much attention to the Chinese teaching and learning. Meanwhile, it’s very popular that Chinese are learning English. The author combines the experience in the United States to inspect Chinese class itself, mainly dealing with analysis the current situation, listing some typical cases of success and problems, comparing with the causes of the success and problems in American learning Chinese and Chinese learning English. Then comparing with American and Chinese language and culture so as to make some contributions to learning foreign language and try to offer some instructions to Chinese learning English.

Key words: Language; Comparision; American; Chinese; English

In a recent survey, it was found that 640 American universities have begun to provide specialized study plan in Chinese, at least 102 from kindergarten to grade 12 primary and secondary schools in the United States will be listed as “immersion” in Chinese teaching course. Although China has four hundred and fifty million people once learned and are learning English, more than the population of America, but only a few people can make a good communication in English. Chinese paid a lot of time, money, and efforts about 10 years, but the result was still deaf English or unprofessional English.

1 Causes of the Differences

1.1 Different Thinking Modes

Thinking modes is that a subject on the basis of practice with the aid of thinking form to recognize and grasp some means, ways and ideas of the nature of the object and then perform in the form stabled and usual.

1. Integrity and inpiduality. Chinese people value overall things but the Western value details namely the inpiduality. The reason may be a very short history of American culture. Unlike the Chinese, they do not focus on the tedious rituals and practices.

2. Convergent thinking and pergent thinking. In Chinese we usually analyze the reason first and then tell the result in describing an object or telling a story. In English they like to come straight to the point, and then analyze the reason. As a result, they rarely came to the principles and rules of the natural world and human society.

1.2 Teaching Methods

The method is held stationary teaching techniques and practices specified by the system, and method of language teaching philosophy represents study. Almost over ten methods can be interpreted and applied in a variety of ways to teach a second language, these are the grammar-translation method, the direct method, audio-lingual methods, and methods of communication.

The grammar-translation method is the most widely method used to teach English in China. As its name implies, the starting point of the method is that because it is presented in the grammar of the language grammar book.Yet communicative method approach is a most popular and effective method in teaching Chinese in America. The purpose is very direct, that is verbal communication.

For Chinese people, it is impossible that learning English well without knowing its basic structure and grammar. So explaining the grammar is quite necessary for students before they learn and practice.

1.3 Using Textbooks

The Chinese teaching materials of American primary and middle schools are not regulated, and the schools have chosen textbooks according to local situation. The Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary School, (short by CLASS)in 2003 handed out 202 questionnaires, investigate the primary and middle schools teaching material usage, and the survey found that the high usage of using textbooks (the TOP 5)are as followings:

2Conclusion

Taking into account all analyses mentioned above, we may safely draw a conclusion that it is how to learn foreign languages from American and Chinese perspective are as followings.Firstly, learning a foreign language approach is to treat it as a hobby, it is easier to learn new things only in this way. Secondly, you should take part in some language courses.Last but not the least,you should be creative the language environment to practice the new language when you have the conditions. Although studying a foreign language is very challenging and durable, it provides us more opportunities to make more international friends, and enjoy a colorful and joyful life.

References

[1] Benson P. Autonomy in language teaching and learning [J].Language Teaching, 2007.

[2] Ellis R.The Study of Second Language Acquisition [M].London: Oxford University Press, 2008.

[3] Leighton P. & Spade N. How Languages Are Learned [M].London: Oxford Unive rsity Press, 2006.