Finding right Master's program in China relevant to teaching Chinese

[metal.lunchbox]

I am looking to study a master's degree at a Chinese university both to improve my Chinese and to provide me with some of the education I will need for my dream of either teaching Chinese or other careers related to Chinese language education, such as curriculum development. I have seen the Master's in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (MTCSOL) which is offered at several fine Chinese universities, but I am unable to find even the most basic information about it beyond how to apply and tuition costs. There are other masters programs with similar names such as "Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language" (TCFL). I have several questions.

1. What exactly is MTCSOL? What are the classes that are taught and is this similar across different universities in China?

2. Is MTCSOL different from other masters programs with similar names? if so, how?

3. Is MTCSOL or TCFL a worthwhile use of the time? I have a suspicion that I'll be learning foreign language pedagogy that resembles what was practiced 40 years ago in the United States (audio-lingual method and the like), but with a stronger emphasis on culture. Is that valid? Are these good professional degrees? Does it matter?

4. Is it perhaps a better idea to study applied linguistics or modern Chinese literature instead? Or is that simply too difficult with less than native-like language ability.

In fact, any info or ideas at all would be welcome. I'm lost.

[steveh]

MTCTSOL is a major that has "exploded" in recent years mostly available under the Confucious Institute. In bluntness, China hopes to increase its soft power around the world, how? Offer free scholarships to "advanced" languages students to get a MTCTSOL degree with the hope that they will return to their home country and spread the love and harmonious aspects of Chinese culture to everyone.

Overall, every school is different in the courses that they offer, and over the years have become more strict (which is not necessarily bad).

1. The degree is exactly what it says it is. A degree for you to become "qualified" to go to any country in the world and teach chinese as a teacher. As just stated, the classes do vary across universities. When I was enrolled in the program there were 4 semesters altogether. 3 semesters involved attending classes while the 4th semester was an internship. More specifically many of the classes were in fact culture or lingustic based. Culture can include anything from caligraphy or taiqi class to a class comparing Chinese culture with your own country's culture. As for lingusitics, a lot of it is dry and basic, ie: how to help students pronounce all phonemes, what makes chinese language different, grammar patterns, etc. Other classes can be a mix of everything or just basic language classes. However, some universities have flexibility in elective courses while others don't.

Now a days, when applying for this scholarship you should either have already obtained a new HSK score of 6, or expected to pass it by the end of the first semester.

2. No idea, maybe the fact that this degree is mostly supported by Confucious institute scholarship?

3. Depends what your goal and dream really is and how much flexibility you have. If you dream of being a chinese teacher then you will probably learn a lot of useful material. Have you been to school in China before (besides language classes)? If so, you learn that the teaching quality does not always equal that of overseas teaching. You can have a teacher that is really passionate about their job and does a fantastic job teaching the course material. You are also very likely to have a few teachers that are unclear, vague, boring, and just read off of ppts all day for the entire class period.

4. Never had any experience with those degrees here, so I cant really offer any advice. However, usually as a foreigner, you are granted A LOT of leniency in both knowledge and language skill when compared to Chinese classmates.

[metal.lunchbox]

Thank you for your helpful response.

I don't know that much about how university classes are in China, hence my question. My impressions are based on my experience here in a small city in Shanxi as an English teacher. I don't know about higher education but the approaches to second language acquisition that I have seen here seem to be an unpleasant waste of time. The biggest problem that I see is a singular fixation on memorizing vocabulary. I see a lot of high school students and adults who have been taught English for many years and still don't understand the language but can correctly spell perhaps thousands of words. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks English education in China is ineffective.

I'm smart enough to know that the way that English instruction is practiced can differ from the way that Chinese instruction is taught to wannabe teachers in the same country, but I'm still a little afraid that I'll end up in a classroom with a professor telling me to teach Chinese the way I see teachers here teaching English. I already know how that works. Could you please tell me that this fear is unfounded?

[steveh]

Hmmm. I would say the opposite in my experience (and maybe only in my experience). Overall, most of the teachers did not focus on memorizing words like they do when teaching English. I had teachers in the main courses that focused on how teaching should be a communicative and interactive class, where the students participate as much as possible while creating a language environment that encourages development. But then again, that teacher had a very good way of teaching Chinese language classes in general. Other teachers (because of the course material) were more dry and somewhat focused on grammar patterns, learning by memorizing, etc, but again, the teachers overall were open to non traditional chinese teaching methods. It depends on the teacher, and the course.

I think (under confucious) they are trying to adapt language learning to modern times as a whole. But if any other people have different experiences at other schools, please feel free to help the OP.

[metal.lunchbox]

@steveh

Cool, I can believe that they're trying to move in a little different direction than the established norms of English teaching in China. I am no longer worried. Where did you do your studies in China?

Is there anyone else who has studied the Masters in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages or similar programs? Did you like it? Where were you studying? Would you recommend it?