Speaking only Chinese during one-on-one classes

[Mr John]

Hi all,

 

I was recently re-reading a post by Tamu about his independent study methods. Something which struck me about his approach was his insistent on using only Chinese, right from the start. When I first started getting one-one classes online, I tried much the same method. However, mostly out of frustration at regularly being misunderstood, I have noticed that I have gradually been using more English during class time. My question is this:

 

Is it preferable to stick to using Chinese, even if it takes more than ten minutes to explain something clearly? Even if you lose most of the detail you were trying to express in the process? Or is it better to just save time by switching to English if you've already tried a few times in Chinese?  

[Shelley]

I would ask how important are these things that are being misunderstood. I would try to to limit my English content in class to clarifying grammar, meaning and usage.

 

if I am trying to tell a story, or how I bought grapefruit yesterday in the market, or where I live, I don't worry about the accuracy of my story. in fact most of my conversations in class are of "fictional" nature. I don't try to recount real life, for one thing I don't necessarily want to share all this with teacher and class mates.

Also a story told using the vocabulary I had at certain levels wouldn't include most of the things in the actual story, so I sort of dumbed it down.

 

Also a piece of advice I learnt recently is to keep talking in Chinese, if you don't know the Chinese word for something say it in English and push on through to the next bit.

 

If you feel the need to be understood try coming at it from different angles, but if that's not working ask in English but immediately go back to Chinese.

 

It will improve with practice so don't get bogged down worrying about the amount of English spoken, just keep it to a minimal.

[Lu]

I agree with Shelley, if it's important that you are understood correctly (because you have a question about grammar, for example), it can be useful to use English. But try in Chinese first, and 'subtitle' yourself afterwards to make sure the point comes across.

In general, I'd say it's best to try in Chinese first. Frustration is normal, not knowing things is normal, just try to work around it. If you start a sentence but get stranded halfway in, either muddle on or just start again in a different way. Chinese has a different structure than English, a different way of constructing sentences, and part of the frustration is that you're trying to say something in a way that isn't possible. When you find that, you might find other ways to say that thing that are possible.

[maomao2014]

It is like I studied English at the beginning. I normally prepared a dictionary and checked the words I did not know and tried to use the new word to explain. As I have more vocabulary I try to explain the things with the words I already know.

[anonymoose]

I would say that (possibly, if my interpretation is correct) you are focusing on the wrong aspect. In real life, communication is the objective of using language, and you should use any means you can to get your message across (i.e. use Chinese if you can, and if not, use English). However, in classes, the objective is learning the language rather than just using the language. Of course you use the language as a medium for learning, but your focus should still be on what you can learn, rather than just using the language for the sake of using it.

 

So I wouldn't overly worry about how much English and Chinese you are speaking. I would be more concerned about whether your Chinese has improved in the process. For me, a class in which I speak 100% Chinese, and get nothing new to further my Chinese is not as good as a class in which I speak 10% Chinese, and have learnt how to say several new phrases.

 

So my suggestion would be, try to say what you can in Chinese, and then ask, in English, how to say the things that you couldn't express. Note them down so you don't forget. Then consciously try to put those new words/phrases/sentences into practice. Do this for everything you have trouble expressing, and you will likely find that you will be able to express more and more of what you want to.

 

Also, some people suggest that, if you can't express something, that you try rephrasing, or just use English and then carry on in Chinese. In my opinion, this is OK in real life when you are trying to communicate a message, but is not good in class, because the whole point is that you should be learning how to say the things you can't say rather than just finding different ways to bypass those difficulties. Yes, you may be able to use a different phrase to get your meaning across, but if you always do that, you will never learn new phrases.

[shuoshuo]

I personally believe that it is better to learn Mandarin in Chinese than in English. If you start asking questions in English at this point, you are moving backwards instead of forwards. Last year when I was studying Chinese, our teachers started off by teaching us the language using Mandarin (well, we were all already at intermediate level) but because my classmates kept speaking English in class and asking the teachers questions using English, the teachers all decided to switch to teaching Mandarin in English.

 

If you are an absolute beginner, it is understandable to learn the very basics in English but if you are already past the elementary stage, you should learn Mandarin in Chinese. You get to listen to the teacher repeat tones, words, expressions while they are teaching you, and repetition is key.

 

Using English is an 'escape', and it makes things a lot easier but it doesn't do you any good. If the teacher uses a word that you don't understand, then the definition can be translated into English, but I would personally stop there.

[victorhart]

As a language learner and teacher, I never use anything but the target language during classes, except for a couple of minutes at the beginning and end of class for logistical issues when one is still a beginner (or if there is a true emergency).

 

Immersing yourself in the language is key to getting results. Yes, it can be difficult and frustrating at times, but if you let yourself give in to the temptation of expressing yourself in L1, you will be wasting your own time and putting off the necessary challenge. You may also create bad habits.

 

I would disagree slightly with previous posters in that I think you should have real communication as your goal, but non-recourse to any other language as a rule. It's the fastest and best way to make the neurological switch and learn to function in the target language. Don't use your teacher as a phrasebook or bilingual dictionary! Instead, consider him or her as your unique opportunity to have real conversation (at whatever level) and receive modeling and corrections.

[Mr John]

Hi everyone,

 

Thanks for your replies.

 

In truth, I probably should have provided more concrete examples of what I do during class time. Each week, I choose something to talk about (generally a film I've watched, a story I've read etc), and try to explain, as best I can, what it was about. As it's more open ended than lessons based on textbooks, I often find myself looking for words I simply don't know yet. I do my best to prepare before class, but I can never be sure exactly which direction the conversation will head in. Most of the time I speak in Chinese, but sometimes I feel I need to know a specific phrase - which is when I revert back to English. For example, a few weeks ago I wanted to know how to say, "based on my experiences".

 

My teacher is generally really good and she will only interrupt me if she notices problems with my grammar or if she feels that what I said could be improved in some way. It sounds intrusive, but generally she strikes a good balance between providing useful feedback and letting things flow.

 

This week I will be talking about 人民的鱼 from Graded Chinese Reader by 苏童。 I will do my best to take your suggestions on board.

[abcdefg]

Is it preferable to stick to using Chinese, even if it takes more than ten minutes to explain something clearly? Even if you lose most of the detail you were trying to express in the process? Or is it better to just save time by switching to English if you've already tried a few times in Chinese?

 

I think sticking to Chinese is better for the reasons mentioned above. Also, the teacher may not really understand what you mean when you switch to English. I found that to be the case over and over in one-to-one lessons.

 

It's easy to think that "Oh, if I switch to my native tongue, all will be clear." But that's often not really the case.

 

If the teacher doesn't really quite understand your English, he or she may not say so straight out. Instead the teacher may respond with something that is kind of off target, and you will soon have a dialogue that is following "false channels" and not at all be what you really intended. 

[JustinJJ]

Speak in Chinese. Just be careful that you don't become a free English teacher...

[Lu]

Most of the time I speak in Chinese, but sometimes I feel I need to know a specific phrase - which is when I revert back to English. For example, a few weeks ago I wanted to know how to say, "based on my experiences".

In that case, I think you have two options: either talk around it ('I have seen such a thing before, and it always goes like this, so I think this thing will also go like this') or say what you want to say with minimal English where you don't know the Chinese, ask the teacher how to say that, then say that sentence two more times and continue with the story. Or both, of course: first explain in Chinese, then say the English you meant and ask teacher how you should say that in Chinese.

[Guest realmayo]

I don't think there's a problem, in the circumstances you describe, with using English. But only individual words, so "'teabag' 怎么说?" instead of "how do you say 'teabag'?".

If it seems like you're doing it to much, try without for a session.

 

For a class with several students, I can see the reasons for a no-English rule. But one-on-one, your brain will be working hard in Chinese 99% of the time, and if 1% of English can make the session far more productive in terms of Chinese spoken and understood, I think it's a perfectly acceptable trade-off.

[roddy]

sometimes I feel I need to know a specific phrase - which is when I revert back to English. For example, a few weeks ago I wanted to know how to say, "based on my experiences".

I would say it's fine to just quickly ask, in Chinese, how you say an English phrase. It's a matter of seconds, it saves you interrupting the flow of whatever you were doing while you spend five minutes trying to mime 'based on my experiences', and you get to use the language immediately. 

 

If that's too disruptive, have a pen in your hand while you're speaking. Anything you can't say, make a quick note of - just scribble 'based on exps' or something, then keep going. Talk around the bits you can't do (here 我觉得/我想 will probably do, but depends on what alternatives you know). Then at the end of the class, or at the end of that 'section', ask how you should have said it, then repeat your utterance using that language and put it into flashcards or vocab lists or whatever you use. 

[Radical Mandarin]

I agree with two previous posters.

 

'teabag' 怎么说? is completely fine.

If you're struggling to remember, and the teacher can't seem to get what you're saying, you can also say 等一下 and use a dictionary. It'll only take 5 seconds at most, and as a huge bonus, many dictionaries have this history button. You can conveniently review after class, and practice these words again.

 

If you can rephrase this word in Mandarin, it's even better. (when make tea, use small bag. this bag, how to call?)

Often, you can use simple words, or words with broader meaning, to replace something specific. Secretary turns into office worker, Lamborghini becomes "expensive car", loss of appetite turns into "don't want to eat things" etc.

 

 

It's important to differentiate between content words (create the message), and modifiers (make the message stronger or milder, or add subtleties).

 

If you're stuck remembering a modifier (I believe, really, common knowledge, pretty/rather/quite, generally) don't waste time at all, rephrase or do without.

 

After the class, think about where you struggled, do the homework, and use them in the next session.