Chinese difficult???

All this while, I have been hearing students complaining Chinese is difficult to learn and that it is useless. So much as that MOE has decided that in future Chinese grades will not contribute to the overall result (something like that)

Recently, we have seen MOE trying hard to revamp the content of Chinese textbook to make it more interesting. Teachers are encouraged to use creative teaching methods for Chinese language.

Creative teaching in terms like learning Chinese words through song lyrics, playing specially customised cards to learn idioms (something like poker cards), playing specially customised tiles to learn the construction of each chinese words (something like playing mahjong) etc

I ask myself, why students of today are complaining that Chinese is difficult to learn. Are all these creative teaching tool neccessary?

Never have we heard about students complaining about Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, and other subjects.

In my opinion, these subjects are content base, you only need to understand the theory or formula and apply it accordingly

But for English and Chinese, it’s a language base subject, beside the curriculum time, the environment is important. Cultivating the habit for speaking the language helps a great deal in mastering the language.

I think to master the language; both teacher and parent play an important role.

Lets take me for example.

Back in school days, I don’t have any problem with Chinese. I was a straight As student from primary to my secondary school. I scored distinction for Chinese during PSLE and O level.

To be frank, I was never a hardworking student. Even for my other subjects, I only start studying at the last minute.

I guess from young, our family converse in mandarin and so, both my brother and I do not have much problem with the language.

The down side is probably, we can’t speak our dialect well. My grandparents had a hard time talking to me. Its always a chicken and duck conversation.

I only started to speak Cantonese when I was in primary school. How I pick up? Back in those days HK drama was a hit. Watching it everyday and listening to the songs got me interested in learning the language.

I would replay the song a million times, going through the lyrics over and over again just so I can pronounce the words correctly.

As for my English, nope, I wasn’t an A student, my grades were mostly between Bs and Cs. Not much of a problem when I speak.

Like I mention earlier that teacher plays an important part. I still remembered during my sec 4, O level for Chinese was taken in June. Result will be out somewhere in July. If you are unhappy with the grade, you can retake the paper in November.

My school implemented a new scheme. They spilt all of us into 3 categories. The As, the Bs and the Cs. Needless to say I went to the A class for Chinese lesson where majority of the students made up of pure science stream. Only a few of us from art class were there.

The teacher was a snob! We need to know all the words we learned since sec 1 and were tested every week. We need collect news paper cutting every week and hand in a book review on the articles. You can’t imagine how many composition and comprehension we need to do every week.

It was a total put off and I couldn’t be bothered to hand in any of the assignment nor learn the spelling. I don’t understand why those pure science students can put up with that. Get a life and quit being teacher’s pet!

Disgusting!

Every lesson was for me to sleep, munch and listen to my Discman.

My common test result was a flop. I barely passed. Since I was from the art class, and with my behavior in her class, I was condemned. She told the rest of the students I would flunk my Os if I don’t follow her curriculum.

During the meet-parent-session, she complains till the kingdom come to my mum. I feel like slapping her face. Couldn’t contain any longer and told her right in her face that I don’t think the tons of assignments are going to benefit us. She was purely stuffing us with all the information, hoping that we can absorb as much as possible.

Hopeless bitch! And with her saying I’ll flunk should I not follow what was planned for, I’ll proved her wrong! I am going to ace my Os without doing any of her assignment but to study on my own.

With that I drag my mum and left the office. She was fuming mad.

Following that, I sat through her lesson, listen to my Discman and studied on my own. I was there is the class because the lesson was conducted in air-con room not that I was listening to her lecture.

What was my result? Distinction! Yup! She was shocked!

My point is, the teaching method and the teacher’s attitude are crucial. If only teachers can listen to the student, there wouldn’t be what so call generation gap.

Changing of teaching methods is necessary in order to keep up with time.

Honestly, I am glad that that I can speak and write good Chinese.

My current job requires me to draft Chinese faxes. Sometimes we need to deal with the Chinese, being able to speak the language benefit the negotiation process.

When I watch Japanese DVD like Initial D, able to read the subtitle is great. I must say the English translation is sucks!

If you notice, I also blog with Chinese. Sometimes, Chinese words can better narrate one’s feeling.

I really don’t see why Chinese is useless. One need to be enroll before doing it.

Already, we can't speak proper english. If we can't speak chinese as well? How to communicate? Neither here nor there.

Sometimes when I make a business enquiry, I get put off with the sale person not able to converse properly.

"erm I tuay. but have to see when you confirm and fax to me then I tell my operlation people to start. Deliveli not so fast hor, now bery busy. You want fast, you pay more lah, then I faster do for you"

WTH is this? What kind of company image you project?

*faint*

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