A teaching innovation for my second-year Chinese classes is that I incorporate the cultural component in the language teaching, which proves to be effective and successful. My students viewed it as one of the favorite parts of the class.
This part accounts for 5% of the total grade, and this is what’s on the syllabus:
Conversation Practicum (5%)
PRACTICE your Chinese with native speakers and EARN credits.
You are highly encouraged to attend the Language Institute’s Friends Beyond Borders cafe hours (usually Friday afternoons), practice regularly with a language partner (to find a conversation partner at GT: http://languagepartners.ning.com/), watch Chinese films and TV shows, learn Chinese songs, attend the Chinese festivals and other cultural events, get involved in the GT Chinese student organizations, interact with local Chinese community, chat online (e.g. Skype and Wechat) …any opportunity you can practice your Chinese.
You should keep a record of your practicum activities, including the date, the activities, a brief summary of what you have practiced and learned. You will give a brief oral report/presentation on your practicum during the semester. At the end of the semester, you are required to compile a report portfolio, submit it to the instructor, and make a presentation on your Practicum Report. 5 practicum activities are required. Extra credits may be earned for excellent work! ”
Student Sample 1 (by 白瑞雪）:
Highlight: 伯牙故事
- After learning about it in class, I became interested in this story and the meaning of 知音 .
- “伯牙琴声所弹到的地方，钟子期都能意会，而且用言语表达出来”
- “Bó yá qín shēng suǒ dàn dào dì dìfāng, zhōng zi qī dōu néng yì huì, érqiě yòng yányǔ biǎodá chūlái”
- I thought the translations I found online and my own translations showed more of how 知音 describes a deep and beautiful friendship. Our textbook description “one who truly understands” does resonate with this, but “soul mate” isn’t as applicable to friendship.
- In the past I have volunteered to give a speech during sorority recruitment. I plan to use this as the basis for my speech this year, as I feel the friendship described in the story mimics my love for my sisters—particularly for my roommate and my “big sister.”
- I sent the story to my biological older sister. She said she also felt it was impactful and sent it to her Chinese coworker. She said he told her that the story was even more meaningful in Chinese and I hope that as my Chinese improves, this story will continue to come to life and enlighten me.
Student Sample 2 (by 艾美娜）:
Highlight: Chinese Song (歌曲 gēqǔ) 《我爱中国菜》：This song helped me learn lots of different tastes and sensations of food. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s3XpCsDAn4
酸suān：sour, tart 甜tián：sweet 苦kǔ：bitter 辣là：peppery hot 香xiāng： aromatic 俱全jùquán： complete in all varieties 姜jiāng ：ginger 蒜suàn： garlic 你争我抢nǐ zhēng wǒ qiǎng: you vie with me to grab it. In this sentence he is talking about being the first one to grab different types of Chinese food.
Student Sample 3 (by 金荷英）
Highlight: Realized that a movie I watched in elementary school (Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement) actually had an American singer who sung in Chinese (2/29/16) “Miracles Happen” by Jonny Blu, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gygk-s1CfME (Full Song)
Student Sample 4 (by 白杰）
Highlight: Lecture: Can China Lead? Dr. WiIliam C. Kirby of Harvard University, February 25, 2016
Student Sample 5 (by 阿金）
Highlight: Found some Chinese quotes and proverbs; Phrased I liked:
- 不怕慢, 只怕站Bùpà màn, zhǐ pà zhàn “Don’t be afraid of slowness, but be afraid of stopping.”
- 万事开头难Wànshì kāitóu nán “All beginnings are hard.”
- 一言既出，驷马难追Yī yán jìchū, sìmǎ nán zhuī “Word spoken cannot be taken back.”
- 机不可失，时不再来Jī bùkě shī, shí bù zàilái “Now or never, opportunity knocks the door only once.”
- 失败是成功之母Shībài shì chénggōng zhī mǔ “Failure is the mother of success.”