Should more Australian pupils be learning Mandarin?

Should more UK Australian pupils be learning Mandarin?

I was really inspired to see this news item about dedicated students learning Chinese in England. There wasn't anything really new or outstanding about a small group of  enthusiastic students learning Mandarin.  I am sure there may be a similar project in Oz, though I have never heard of one. 

It is a pity that the majority Australian parents and students do see language learning as important.  Still it is good to know that some people (like the students and teachers in the video) do see Chinese as important to the future.

What do you think?

Should more UK pupils be learning Mandarin?

How to talk about "movies" in Chinese 电影 diànyǐng

How to talk about "movies" in Chinese - photo and dicussion of 电影 diànyǐng

Found this great post about how to talk about films in Chinese. Why is great?  Because it is about my level of Chinese.  I think it is the first time I have read something outside of my study / course materials and have understood the meaning of everything and can answer all the questions. I was able to do this with easy and quickly. So I must be making some progress in my studies.

电影院 diàn yǐng yuàn

Study more Chinese is a great site for;

• Learning Chinese at all levels
• Connecting with other learners
• Chinese Resources
• Seeking help and information about Chinese 
• Chinese Grammar
• Links to resources
• Discussions
• Blogging within the Study More Chinese site

Study More Chinese

"Language skills vital in an Asia-led world"

"Language skills vital in an Asia-led world"

Ten reasons Australian students should be learning Asian Languages now.

10.  Australia's future economic prosperity depends on our ability to be part of Asia's economic growth.

9. Australian school students now perform at levels significantly lower than their Asian peers.

8. We are failing to provide students with knowledge and skills in Asian languages and studies necessary for their futures.

7.  Current Asian language education in Australia  is poor. Too few teachers, teaching inadequate programs to a small number of students.

6. By 2050 the broader Asian economy will the largest in the world.  The Australian economy in 2050 is predicted to be out of the top 20 economies.

5.  Parents should demand that schools teach increase Asian literacy and  language teaching.

4. Governments should be supporting schools that are currently or starting Asian language and culture programs .

3. Even if reforms were made now it will take between 10 and 15 years to train and employ teachers.

2. A plan needs to be put in place now with appropriate funding. This plan needs to improve the quantity and quality of Asian languages in Australian schools.

1.  If the Asian literacy, language and culture program is implemented properly the current weakness and deficit in our inability to engage with Asia, could become our advantage.


Ten things paraphrased from this source Language skills vital in an Asia-led world

10000 Chinese Language Teachers

Meanwhile in Thailand...

This is an amazing project. What an initiative by the Thai and Chinese education authorities. This is a great opportunity for two different cultures to understand each other and strengthen ties (no pun intended). Through language and culture education strong bonds and relationships can be made.

It would be good if the Australian Government took some initiative and forged a similar plan with China. Alas Australian education does not put much value in language and culture education. Australia education often lacks initiative and foresight, as we continue to do almost nothing to improve language education. In 2011 there was a slightly similar project called Australia-China BRIDGE Project which sponsored relation ships between 48 schools and 48 teachers. Unfortunately the funding for such projects has ended.

To reciprocate Thailand will send 500 - 1000 Thai language teachers to China as part of the Sino-Thai educational and cultural exchange plan. Currently, China supports Chinese language education in Thailand by sending 1200 Chinese language teachers to Thailand annually.

"Thailand asked Chinese educational institutes to send 10,000 Chinese language instructors for Thai learners as parts of a Sino-Thai educational and cultural exchange plan."

Thailand Chinese New Year 2011

Thailand requests 10,000 Chinese language teachers from China

10,000 Chinese teachers on the way

China, Thailand To Exchange Teachers

中文阅读 - 朗朗中文 Yes! Chinese - Learning Chinese

中文阅读 - 朗朗中文 Yes! Chinese - Learning Chinese

Found a website of Graded Chinese Readers. This site offers the following levels;

• Pre-K
• Elementary
• High School
• Grown Up
• Classic Reading
• Flash Cards

The site has very attractive flash animations, interactive Hanzi writing, examples of compound hanzi, and more. Clicking the sound files will read the passages to you. You can also opt to hear single words, single sentences or the whole text.

中文阅读 - 朗朗中文 Yes! Chinese - Learning Chinese

Preschoolers to learn second language under Tony Abbott and the Coalition | The Courier-Mail

I will believe this when I see it. Some big pre-election promises from our opposition government.

• Plan for every preschool child to learn a foreign language
• 40 per cent of Year 12 students to study second language

However there are no specifics of how this will be done. 

The rest of the article is the rehash of the current 'doom and gloom' of the current state of our language learning across Australia. 

Read more here --> Preschoolers to learn second language under Tony Abbott and the Coalition

Another article, which quotes language experts, reports that;

• $2bn needed to achieve Abbott’s language vision
• Language experts have applauded Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s pledge 
• Mr Abbott vowed to increase the number of Year 12 students studying a language other than English to 40% 
• Mr Abbott said he would also promote Asian languages from pre-school in a bid to improve the opportunities of Australians in the region 
• “His aspiration to have "40% of high school students learning another language” is absolutely achievable

$2bn needed to achieve Abbott’s language vision

Why teaching Chinese is a priority in Delaware DFM News | Delaware First Media

Meanwhile in Delaware

Why teaching Chinese is a priority in Delaware DFM News | Delaware First Media

Free Chinese Video Lessons - Peggy Teaches Chinese

When I want to practice or learn a specific skill or grammar point in Chinese I often have a search on YouTube. There are lots of native speaker teachers very keen to teach their language. Of course there is a range of quality of the videos and they don’t always match up exactly with my current language learning needs. Despite this I have a couple of favourite YouTube teachers. One of these teachers is Peggy she has a serious of videos called Peggy Teaches Chinese.

The quality of the videos are quite good, grammar explanations are very good. For a quick short explanation I find these types of videos perfect for my learning needs.  As Peggy is Taiwanese and the Taiwanese use traditional characters and the tones are not marked with tone marks but numbers these aspects are not useful to me. On the plus side the videos are often short, practical and very well explained. I like the role plays and the humour too. All parts played by Peggy.  Have a look and see what you think of the following examples.