Finding a University in China that places more emphasis on communication

[Simon D]

Hi all,

 

I'm currently studying in Haikou, at Hainan University. I have been here for almost 3 months and I've quickly found that the teaching style and material is not suitable for me, so I'm thinking about alternatives for the future.

 

My reading and writing ability has improved greatly since arriving, but my speaking has seen little (to possibly no) improvement. The teachers are good and do seem keen to help, but my problem is with the way classes seem geared towards the end of term exams and HSK, with cramming lots of new vocabulary and grammar, without much time to truly learn how to use the newly learned things.

 

I understand this is largely my responsibility to work on this with self study and interacting with Chinese speakers, but as I'm in a classroom from 7.30am-11.30am 5 days a week, and working from home 12pm-7pm 5 days a week, I lack the time and more importantly the motivation to do this, especially with such dry textbooks that are padded with quite a lot of unnecessary vocab.

 

I found that I was improving at a faster pace and enjoying the learning journey more while self studying in the UK, which never felt like a chore.

 

I've been browsing through the individual university threads and have noticed the style of teaching in all the ones I viewed sound pretty familiar to my own experiences so this seems to be how China does it, but I was wondering if anyone knows an exception to the rule and knows of a university that places an emphasis on communication rather than passing exams.

 

If this is unheard of, then perhaps any recommendations for language schools in China, providing they can offer 6 month - 1 year student visas. I'm not ruling out any location if the teaching matches my preferences.

 

Many thanks!

[Frederik451]

Does it have to be a university? if not, then i can recommend BICC (beijing international chinese college) http://www.hibicc.com/

 

classes are usually maximum 6 students, but the higher the level the smaller the classes.  it's often 2 or 3 students in each class. when i was there for 1 year i was even alone in a class for a few month in total. Because classes are so small, you will train your oral skills much more than you do in those 15-20 students pr class universities. The price is of course much higher here, than universities, but what you get for the price is also worth so much more in my opinion.

[Frederik451]

oh and they can issue the JW202 thingy

[ChTTay]

I think you'll find most Chinese Universities teach in this way. You could try and find a University with smaller class sizes which would mean more speaking by default but the "style" would be the same. I'd say this would be more of a "patch" to your problem.

If you want to dictate how you learn you would be best finding a private language school somewhere.

[ZhangKaiRong]

What you need is a private tutor. As you mentioned, teaching style of universities across China is all the same. The objective of language courses is to make you prepared for the HSK, which obviously doesn't require any kind of communication. Even the HSKK is a shamefully big joke, where you talk to a machine during the exam. Sadly, in the Chinese educational system no one cares about your progress

[Simon D]

Yeah in my ideal world I would simply have lots of private tutoring every week, however this doesn't solve the long term visa issue as I'm not sure, but with a tourist visa the maximum duration I could stay would be 3 months. I really want to stay for at least another year after I'm done in Hainan

[Xiao Kui]

i think plenty of visa-issuing schools offer 1 on 1 classes, which is very similar to private tutoring.  i did this at Tenwest in Kunming - it was up to me what i wanted to work on with my teacher.

[Simon D]

That's encouraging Xiao Kui, you did purely 1 on 1 classes or you also had to do a mandatory certain amount of hours in a group class too? How long did your student visa last?

 

Thanks

[ChTTay]

Simon D, I would say all language schools offer 1 on 1 tuition. You don't have manditory group whatever. It's a private center so you can essentially do what you want as long as you're prepared to pay. As for visas, not all private language schools can get you an X visa but some can. It will last for as long as you want to study, within reason I guess.

[Enoxus]

No languages can be taught or learned thoroughly in classrooms. You need to live your life in Chinese language with native Chinese speakers. It may affect your income for living, but all depends on what your goal is. If you are serious about passing HSK tests, you will need to follow what you've been taught in your university coz I believe that's their goal. If you are serious about improving your language skills for real, you've got to put more time and energy into it. Your current lifestyle or the way you are working, studying and living won't help but pulling you back. 

 

Hainan University is a big university, always try stay or spend more time with students from Northern cities of China, because even they speak in a dialect it would be more close to Putonghua. Practice whatever you've learn and improve it by using it in different scenarios, like crazy. The more you put into it, the shorter time it will cost you to master it, and eventually it will bring your more (lets say income). 

[Simon D]

Thanks for the advice Enoxus, I know you're right that the fact I work 7-8 hours a day from home, in English, is having a big impact on the speed I'm learning. I would definitely quit my job if this was a financial option, but at the moment I do not have enough in the bank to sustain me without an income for longer than 5-6 months.

 

I just think the 4 hours I'm spending every morning in class could be put to use more effectively, I imagine my conversational ability right now if I had been using these 4 hours on a 1 to 1 tutor vs what I'e been doing in the classroom, I think despite my far from ideal living circumstances, I would be seeing a much greater improvement with the former.

 

I will try to make the most of my situation, keep saving money and then next year consider dropping my job and committing 100% to full immersion, but in the mean time I would appreciate any suggestions for language schools that can offer 6 month-1 year student visas.

[Enoxus]

but at the moment I do not have enough in the bank to sustain me without an income for longer than 5-6 months.

 

I fully understand your situation Simon. I would suggest you quit learning Chinese in University at the moment if you can withdraw your tuition. I hate to say but from what I see, you are wasting your money, time and energy. 

If you are an investor (actually you are), you would think about input and output, right? Learn Chinese is the same thing. If you have a solid stable job which supports your living there, put the job at the first place. Learn Chinese by yourself one or two hours a day, then go out, meet some educated Chinese and talk, read, write with them. Language will always be learned from work, living, not from classroom. 1 on 1 tutor is not a common solution, it's not working for everyone. And it costs more.

 

If it's possible, turn your environment into a Chinese world, I mean your office, your desk, your computer screensaver, your news radio channel, your TV station, your everything as possible as you can. Learn language as a "job" sucks, and it sucks even more when you are learning Chinese. Lets face it. But think this way, at least 1 billion people around you can speak Standard Chinese, apparently it is not an impossible mission. 

 

Most important thing is, you have to be interested in learning Chinese, you cannot dislike it. Every time you hate a thing, it will cost you triple time to mend the relationships. If learning Chinese is a must-do, then there are no excuses but do it well.

[Simon D]

Yes the job supports me living here, but if I withdraw from the university I would lose my X1 student visa and would not be able to stay in China :/