Reading Response to eTIPs

Reading response to eTIPs

——Focus on educational technology applying in Chinese teaching for American students

Learning outcomes drive the selection of technology. This is the most important step in determining whether or not we should apply educational technology in Chinese teaching for American students.

At first, let us see some data about Chinese learning. Per Washington Post, Elizabeth Chang quotes the source from the Foreign Service Institute saying that it actually takes a native English speaker 2,200 class hours to achieve full proficiency in Chinese, a language that is exceptionally difficult. On the other hand, it would only take a native English speak about 600 hours to achieve the same level in French or Spanish, languages that are most like English. (How to Learn Chinese in 2,200 Not-So- Easy Lessons, located on http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2003/09/09/AR2005032304301.html and Tongue Twisters, located on

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/05/AR2005080501296.html )

2,200 hours is not a realistic or possible amount for most American students. Even for a college that can offer 5 days/week Chinese classes, a college student only can take 600 hours Chinese classes in four years. Right now, morn than 2400 American high schools will open Chinese class. This could double 600 hours to 1200 hours, which is still much lower than the number of hours required for full proficiency in Chinese. I must find a more efficient, effective way for teaching and learning Chinese.

Linguistically, the difficulty of Chinese language to foreign learners mainly resides in the writing system, the Chinese characters. In the past, there was no happy way for American students to learn the written characters. However, along with the development of computer technology, it has become extremely easier to input Chinese.

Inputting/typing Chinese involves Pinyin (the Chinese phonetic system), which just use 26 English alphabet letters. It makes it possible for American students to master Chinese in the same or shorter time than they learning Spanish or French, etc.

We should design a new Chinese learning curriculum to take advantage of technology development. There is a market and social need for a better Chinese learning method; and technology is making it possible.