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Problems for Learners in ChinaChina, just like any other non-english countries, put english education in an essential position. In the early time, english lessons started in the middle school. But in recent years, some kindergartens in cities already have english lessons everyday. Even so, how many people can use english to communicate? Some statistical data shows the proportion is less than three of ten thousand. Those who have finished 9 years compulsory education only can say a few single english words; those who have finished higher education but not majored in english will tell you that they forgot all what they had learnt at school or university; those who are majored in english, at least 60% of them cant use english fluently. What are the problems for chinese learners? Here Id like to present some personal opinions and discuss the possible solution. In my view the first reason is the huge growing population in China. The number of children of school age is increasing yearly, whereas the schools are not that easy to expand new facilities, and they need to get permission from the government to take new teachers. So the only solution is to put more and more students in one class40, 50 In such a big class, its impossible for the teacher to guarantee everyone keep the same pace, the weak ones will be weaker and weaker, until one day they find themselves cant catch up with the progress, they give up, not only in english, but the other subjects. Another consequence of the big class is that the teacher cant give students individual attention. Choral repetition is the only way to teach pronunciation. There is no chance for the bad or wrong pronunciation to be corrected. Once the habit is formed, it will be very difficult to correct them. Last year I taught a graduate student from a famous university, he mixed house and horse, like and lack, leg and lake a poor victim of the big class lesson. The second reason is the evaluation system in China. For quite a long time, China uses a paper test to assess students study. The questions do not focus on the ability of using the language but on the very detail points, such as the difference among be strict with/in/about or put put/over/off, etc. Some people use micro-english to describe the english teaching in china. Students study for the test, their english study is to memorize the usage, but not to develop their listening, speaking, reading or writing skills. In the class, those chinese english teachers just use chinese to explain the different usage, and then followed by massive paper exercise. There is no engage or activate phase in the class. All the lessons are teacher-centered. Most of the english teachers in schools cant communicate with english. As for the students who are not going to major in english in universities, they just want to pass the necessary exams for graduation. The third reason is there is very little chance for chinese learners to use english. In most part of China, people dont need to use english in their lives and work. If you dont use the language, you will forget it. If there is a language environment, its easy for you to pick it up. There is a small town whose beautiful nature scenery attracts a lot of western travelers. In that town even the no-educated old woman can sell her fruits to those tourists in english. Even so, we are happy to see that more and more parents want their children not only to pass the exam at school, but also to be able to use it. This demand has brought the english teaching a new market. Many private training centers have appeared. These centers are more flexible in recruiting qualified teachers from domestic and abroad. They can choose the suitable course books and their teaching methodology is tested by the costumersthe learners. And as a result of chinese opening policy, the communication with western society increases dramatically. More and more chinese people go abroad and westerners come to China. For chinese english learners, there is still a long way to go, but the future is always bright.
