Editorial
These are the closing comments Martin Wolff’s next and last book, "The Lowdown on China's Higher Education"
English in China - The Unfunny Joke
Martin Wolff, China
Martin Wolff, J.D. is currently a "Foreign Expert" in China teaching International Business Law, Marketing, International Negotiations, Introduction to the WTO, and Holistic English as a Foreign Language. He graduated from Loyola University, Los Angeles, with a Juris Doctor degree He was appointed a "Foreign Expert" in China in 2002 and has taught at many prestigious universities throughout China. He is the co-author, of the Holistic English Workbook series that includes: Holistic Business English; Holistic Freshman English; Holistic Marketing English; Holistic Tourism English; and eleven other specialized Holistic workbooks. E-mail: holisticenglish@yahoo.com
Menu
Why English fever?
Why ‘White Monkeys’?
Why CET?
The result
English fever is running rampant throughout all levels of education in China and in every province. There are three simple reasons:
- China’s colleges and universities have taken on a hugh debt to finance satellite campuses to educate the mandated increased enrollment. Every college and university added “soft” major programs to increase the course offering to generate additional revenue. English was added as a major even at science and technology universities.
- English created more than 1,000,000 direct teaching jobs and more than 10,000,000 support jobs such as publishing etc.
- The college entrance exam tests English reading and listening with employers relying upon CET test results. These tests drive the curriculum rather than the curriculum driving the tests.
White Monkeys are foreigners who come to Chine to experience the culture, learn the language, travel or sight see and, out of necessity, interrupt their exotic vacation to teach and earn enough money to extend their holiday. Most job recruitment ads on the internet first extol the virtues of experiencing China before mentioning the need to teach.
There are simply not enough trained, qualified and experienced foreign teachers to meet the demand. White monkeys simply chat with the students or teach them to sing songs and play games. They are reduced to being entertainers. China has many brown monkeys trained to entertain and panhandle, hence “White Monkeys” who entertain in the classroom for peanuts. (extremely low wages).
English is not taken seriously. Only 8 out of 40 Chinese teachers of English can or do teach in English. The remainder teach English using Chinese, exclusively.
Many Chinese teachers of core science subjects advise their students to ignore the English classes and concentrate on their core lab experiments. The lab experiments are then utilized by the teacher for personal financial gain and promotion.
The Imperial Examinations live on through the CET examinations. The CET exams are of dubious value, other than to create an arbitrary ranking of the 6+ million college students. The CET does not test creative thinking, creative use of English or oral English.
Employers who rely upon CET results are duped into believing they actually have some meaningful value.
China is always changing but China never changes. The Imperial Exams are now called the CET exams. The CET exams are written by university professors who defend against all criticisms because they are paid every time a student takes the exam.
Educated idiots, students who have an education on paper only. Students who have studied English for up to16 years but can’t produce a coherent written or oral sentence.
The students or their parents are cheated because they pay for an education but do not get what they pay for.
Future employers are cheated because the students can’t perform according to their degree.
But the biggest loser is China, a developing country that needs each college graduate to be able to make their maximum contribution to a better off harmonious society.
English in China would be funny if the stakes were not so high and serious.
A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF A POST-PHD (Peking University) ENGLISH TRANSLATION:
Due to the characteristics of rapid growth, higher yield, good quality and homogenizing specification, the eliminated virus Rhizoma Pinellia of tissue culture has a good prospect of development and has been planted in Zhejiang province. By analyze the toxic protein ingredient which the eliminated virus Rhizoma Pinellia contain ….
CORRECTED TRANSLATION
Trial plantings of _____ in Zhejiang Province, from tissue culture free of Rhizoma Pinellia virus, have a good prospect of development due to the characteristics of rapid growth, higher yield, good quality and homogenizing specification. By analyzing the toxic protein ingredient contained in the eliminated virus Rhizoma Pinellia, ….
“While I agree 100 percent with your description of the problem, I disagree with part of your conclusions in that I don't doubt for one moment that the result is exactly what was intended by the CCP. If the CCP wanted the Chinese to use English, they would be speaking and writing it better than we do. Their relationship with English is deliberately contemptuous and reflects their resentment and anger towards the West. Yes, it is a disgrace but it is an intended disgrace.” Dr. Gregory Mavridies
As long as China teaches English as a foreign language instead of a 2nd language; Chinese college graduates will graduate functionally illiterate, unable to produce comprehensible oral or written English. 16 years spent learning English but unable to use it, truly a National disgrace.
THAT IS THE LOWDOWN ON HIGHER EDUCATION IN CHINA!
Please check the Teaching Advanced Students course at Pilgrims website.
|
