About Chinese lesson:
Since last time one of our Chinese volunteer Pauline( Minjia Yang)started the Chinese class in March, it became a popular class in Isara gradually. However, Chinese class have been ceased once because there is no Chinese volunteer in Isara since Pauline gone, and also, students thought Chinese is hard to learn and they cannot focus on. Annie and I, we realized this problem and try to tackle it, we did a teaching plan and restarted the Chinese class at July 17th, fortunately, it works, and there are about 20 students take in the class until now even thought some of them absence sometimes. Students here are clever and full of passion, and the most important thing is, the study craving of them is intensive, they are good to be taught. To keep this craving and passion, teaching method and record is important, not only to arose their interest and be responsible for them, but also do the extension. We should let the new volunteers know what we taught before, that’s why we do the record and recommendation, and we hope this can be continued.
Hopefully, Chinese volunteer in Isara can become a net gradually and we can contact and help each other if you need. You can leave your contact way (such as Email) in ISara if it’s necessary. Extension and improvement is essential for teaching. We hope Chinese class can be last forever.
Who can teach Chinese：
- If you come fromChina.
- If you can speak Chinese
- Better you can speak good English.
So we are going to tell you:
●What ‘s the motivation of Chinese studying?
●The age and level of our students
●Recommendation and suggestion of “how to do it well”: some useful teaching methods, useful game, etc.
●The record of Chinese classes we have done before.
●Suggestion for Chinese volunteer.( Or the volunteer who can speak Chinese)
●The profile of students.
What’s the motivation of Chinese studying?
- Traveling.
Some of them plan to travelChinaone day. According to this situation, volunteer can teach them some useful dialogue or words.
- Own a business
Chinese customer perhaps will become a large group one day, so learning Chinese can help them to own a good business.
According to this situation, volunteer can focus on their listening and speaking, also can teach them some useful dialogue or words. Theme teaching maybe is a good way to teach. (role play or scenic play maybe)
- Occupation demand
According to this situation, volunteer can teach them how to write Chinese word, not only the listening and speaking, but also reading and writing. Theme or topic can be decided depend on their job. One-to-one teaching will be better if it’s necessary.
- Interest
For this kind of learning, most of them are elderly people or little child, who wants to learn the third language.
According to this situation, keep their interest is very important. Useful thing is not necessary to teach at first. Enjoying the Chinese culture, enjoying the language, playing game, singing the song or another interesting method seems are good for them. It’s okay to do the deep teaching if they want to learn more.
Suggestion: As you see, the motivation of Chinese studying is different, how to balance it and figures out a good way to teach is important. If some of them want to learn more, you can consider the one-to-one teaching. (If the teaching is necessary)
The age and level of our students
The oldest one is 65 years old, the youngest one is about 10 years old. Most of them haven’t learnt Chinese before, but they take it seriously.
Our idea: how to do it well. (Some useful recommendation and suggestion)
- Set up a theme or topic every class, you can teach them new word, new dialogue in playing game, singing the song, role-playing with the theme.
- Don’t forget to review pinyin, the words and dialogue you taught last time. Review can help them to memorize deeply. ( We have a review time in every class)
- Better if you can use some interesting game to teach them, it’s good for memorize and keep their interest. Singing the song is good to memorize, sometimes we create some Pinyin song to teach them.
- To infiltrate Chinese imperceptibly and unobtrusively, every time you write the English words on whiteboard, don’t forget to write the Chinese word by the side even thought you don’t mean to teach at the beginning. ( Try to think about the English learning when we were young, sometimes we can remember the word that we don’t mean to memorize originally, that is because we saw it many times on the board or in the book)
- Visual teaching, try to teach combined with video, pictures, card or colorful stories, it’s good to help them to memorize.
- Role-play and scenic conversation are a good way to use, especially in the theme. Like if you are going to teach ‘food’ this theme, you can set up a scene and let one of students to be a waiter, one of them to be a costumer, and use Chinese to order something.
- Concentrating on the infiltrate of Chinese culture, better tell them the positive of Chinese culture, like etiquette, morality, etc. Not only to let them enjoy the Chinese culture, but also good for themselves to build a moral integrity or cultivate a new value. ( Just an idea, because language is belong to the culture)
- Take advantage of Pressure and pride.
The Record of Chinese class we have done before:
First class ( July 17th)
Theme: live the language
Purpose: Let them enjoy Chinese, know what is Chinese, and what does Chinese look like.
1, Introduce ourselves (3 min)
2, Hand a paper and write down something: (3~5 min)
●your Thai nickname.
●what’s the meaning of your name.
●what kind of things do you like.
●Why do you study Chinese.( Use some simple words to describe it)
●Have you learnt Chinese before?
The purpose of this handwriting is:
- Give them a Chinese name to arouse their interest.
- Know the purpose of Chinese studying
- Whether they have learnt Chinese before.
Comment: all of them finish it very quickly, they like us to give them a Chinese name.
3, Discussion, some of questions like: (7~10min)
●What’s the difference between you and me?
●Have you ever been to China?
●In your eyes, what do you think about China?
●What kind of things you want to learn in Chinese class?
Comment: they are very active and enjoy the discussion, but I have to admit that they know less things aboutChina.
4 Video time (20 min)
The name of video: Foreigner travel diary
- Write down the Chinese word which has appeared on the screen while showing.
- Focus on some simple words like Ni hao, lao shi, xue xiao, xie xie, and requests them next time when they meet us, they have to greet us in Chinese.
- Tell them something about Pinyin ( the basic of Chinese)
Purpose: let them know what Chinese looks like and some view inChina, also they can enjoy some of Chinese culture while they watching it.
Comment: According to the pinyin, some of the words they can pronounce themselves without teaching,
5 Tone (5 min)
ā á ǎ à
Tell them there is 4 tone in Chinese, and ask them follow us to read it. ( Every class we have to review the tone, seems they have some problem of Chinese tone, have to practice more)
Second class ( July 19th)
Theme: Nice to meet you
Purpose:
- Review the words we taught last time.
- Teach them the new pinyin: b p m f (create a song to teach)
- Practice the dialogue and play the game.
1 Hand it a paper and let them write down their Thai nickname and Chinese name one by one( 1 paper only, because there are new students coming)
2 Review the words we taught last time. (5 min)
3 Review the tone.(1 min)
4 Teach the new pinyin: b p m f (10~15 min)
b p m f a o e ba ba pa pa a a a bo bo po po o o o ma ma fa fa a a a mo mo fo fo o o o
Now you can sing a o e
( the same melody as abcdefg)
Purpose: Help them to memorize the Pinyin
Comment：They are glad to sing this song, especially young students, no shy.
5 Useful dialogue ( 20 min)
- ni hao ma? ( How are you)
- wo hen hao. ( I am fine)
- ni jiao shen me ming zi ( What’s your name)
- wo jiao ( My name is)
- hen gao xing ren shi ni ( Nice to meet you)
- xie xie ( Thanks)
Comment: they learnt it very fast, but still need more times to practice, better practice with them every class. ( Throw the ball, ask them one by one, both are okay)
6 Game playing (15min)
Pass a ball one by one while singing the pinyin song together, when the song stopped, we will see who get the ball. And the people who get the ball should come to stands in the front of the classroom, and use Chinese to practice the dialogue with us, or pick a student to practice.
Purpose: Not only to practice the song, but also practice the dialogue. Standing in the front of the class will give them some pressure, which can help them do it well.
Third class( July 24th)
Theme: Number
Purpose: Teach them how to count the number in Chinese, and also teach the new pinyin.
1 Review (10 min)
- Words
- Dialogue
- Number
- Song( Pinyin)
2 Teach the new pinyin: d t n l e i ( create a song again) (10 min)
d t n l d t n l e e i e e i de te ne le e e di ti ni li I I e e i e e i
3 New words ( 10~15 min)
1~100
Purpose: Teach them how to count the number. Number in Chinese is easier to remember.
Comment: Fast learning, but some problem with tone, have to practice all the time
4 Game playing: Count 7 (10 min)
Everybody count the number in Chinese one by one, when they meet the number which can divide 7, or contains 7, they have to clap the hand without speak the number out. If someone who forget to clap the number, the punishment is sing the pinyin song.
Purpose: Review and memorize the number, also review the song.
5 Useful dialogue (15 min)
- Ni duo shao sui ? ( How old are you)
- wo ( I am --- years old)
- Duo shao qian? ( How much?)
Purpose: teach them use number to answer these questions.
Comment: Need more practice time.
Forth class ( July 26th)
Theme: Weeks
Purpose: review the number again, weeks contains number. Meanwhile, teach them how to use Chinese to ask ‘What is the day today?’
1 Review time (20 min)
- Every word we have taught before.
-Dialogue practice
- Throw the ball to students and ask them’ How old are you’ ‘guess how much is the ball’
- Sing the song we have taught again.
- Game playing: Count 7
2 Teaching new pinyin (10 min)
u ü
Each Chinese syllable is divided into two parts: onset and rime, so this time we checked them how to pronounce the pinyin when the onset and rime combined with each other. For example:
b a o e i u ü d a o e i u ü
p a o e i u ü t a o e i u ü
m a o e i u ü n a o e i u ü
f a o e i u ü l a o e i u ü
Comment: They can pronounce themselves even thought it’s a combination, and they did a very good job. However, it’s hard for them to pronounce ‘ü ’, need to practice more.
3 Weeks (15 min)
New words: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
New words: Today, Yesterday, Tomorrow.
4 Dialogue (15 min)
- Jin tian shi xing qi ji ? (What day is toady?)
- Jin tian shi -----( Today is ----)
Comment: Fast learning, but have some problem about ‘ zuo tian’ (yesterday) Need to practice more.
Advice: Every time you teach a new word, better should let them follow you together to read and repeat it again and again.
Fifth class ( July 31st)
Theme: Months and Direction
Purpose: Review the number again, teach them how to ask the direction in Chinese.
1 Review (15 min)
- Normal dialogue
- Number
●Check and repeat
●Game time: Count 7
●week
- Self introduction
Ni hao, wo jiao ----, wo ---sui, hen gaoxing ren shi ni
( Hello, my name is----, I am --- years old, nice to meet you)
- Words: Today, yesterday, tomorrow
2 New things teaching (30 min)
- Pinyin: g k h (5~8min)
Also, teach them a new combination：gua kua hua guo kuo huo hua huo
Comment: Because most of pinyin is similar to English, so it’s easier for them to pronounce it, and they learn the new combination very fast. But still have to check it every time
- Month (5 min)
- Direction (15 min)
Zuo (left) You (right) Qian ( forward) hou ( backword) Zhuan shen ( turn around)
Qing xiang ---- zou ( Please turn ----)
Purpose: Except teaching the new word, Qing( please) and Zou( walk) should be focused on. It appears frequently in Chinese and use ‘qing’ will be more respectful.
Comment: They still confused sometimes, and hard for them to pronounce ‘zuo’ ( yesterday), should practice more
3 Game playing: Teacher says (15min)
Let somebody to stand in front of the classroom and one of teacher says: Qing xiang zuo zou( Please turn left), students will follows the indication.
Comment: Most of students cannot do the right thing until now, so have to practice more.
Sixth class ( August 2nd): candle festival
Review time
Purpose: Only 6 students take in the class today because the holiday, so the main duty of this class is review all of the words, dialogue, number we have taught before. Repeating, practicing, singing and playing the game.
Suggestion for Chinese volunteer ( or volunteer who can speak Chinese)
- Better if you can bring some dictionary( Chinese-English, Chinese-Tai), one is words dictionary, and one is idiom dictionary.
- Better if you can bring some cards with pictures( Pinyin card, word card, number card, etc); books with stories( colorful pictures will be great), album of painting or drawing( full of stories), etc. As long as can arouse and keep their interest, no matter what kind of information will you brings. Better full of colorful pictures and stories.
- Every time you finish the class, please remember to do a precise record, we hope the Chinese class and be a system gradually, extend it and improve it constantly. We should let the new volunteer knows what the old volunteers taught before. Any creative tries and different teaching methods are welcome anytime, but those things have to depend on the level and progress of students. That’s the reason why record is so important.
- Please remember to leave your email, and we can contact with each other if we need.
- Please to prepare the lesson before you next teaching, and please try to be:
●serious
●Well-organized
●Make sure the purpose of every class: What you gonna do and what you gonna aim for.
●Adjust your teaching method according to the different situation of students.
- Most important thing is: We are going to edit a Chinese-Tai-English dictionary, so every words and every dialogue you teach, don’t forget to write it down and edit a dictionary together gradually. ( The notebook you can find in the bookshelf)
- Please to be responsible for our students, you will gain lots of things you have never imagined before.
The profile of our students ( You can update it anytime)
●Nan( Chinese name: Lan) Age:16 Gender: female
- Very clever
- She can speaks very good English, also she is learning German now.
- She is a very good girl, she is interested in Chinese, but she has to learn many things so sometimes she cannot focus on.
Advice: Better do not give her pressure, but should be aware of arrogant.
●Bow( Chinese name: Mei) Age:18 Gender: female
- Shy, gentle, soft, quiet, but be serious and try hard to learn it
- She needs some encourage, because sometimes she afraid to speak out.
- She has the craving of standing in the front of classroom. (Which is a good news)
Advice: Give her pressure and pride, better let Toey( Chinese name: Long) to help her. She needs more encourage.
●Gift( Chinese name: Ji) Age: 10 Gender: female
- Good memory, fast learning
- Shy, sometimes afraid to speak out
- She has the craving of standing in the front of classroom.
Advice: Give her pressure and pride.
●Bam( Chinese name: Mei) Age: 10 Gender: female
- Very smart, fast learning, serious all the time, good memory.
- She is a very cute girl.
- However, she is too young and too smart, so needs to be hit sometimes.
Advice: Pressure and pride.
●Tuk( Chinese name: Shu) Age: 50+ Gender: female
- Very smart and learn the new things fast.
- Sometimes she speaks to other students in Thai, and always to cause a big laughing.
- She is funny, and seems everybody like her.
Advice: Respect her, and if she cannot behave herself sometimes, you can talk to her privately.
●Bai( Chinese name: Bai) Age: 54 Gender: female
- Her job is teacher, she ‘s soft and word hard to learn it, she is a kind woman.
- Because of her age, sometimes she cannot memorize it easily.
Advice：Be patient, and you can try to teach her one-to-one, if the teaching is needed.
●Toey( Chinese name: Long) Age: 29 Gender: Male
- He is very handsome, and very smart, diligent, be serious and work hard to learn. Amazing fast learning.
- He is interested in Chinese, he said he will go travelChinaone day.
- He always keep curiosity
- He can speak good English, sometimes he can be a translator, translator English into Thai to the other students.
Advice: Teach him some useful words and dialogue, also can ask him to help you something, likes translation, assistant, etc.
●Ton-nom ( Chinese name：Tao) Age: 10 Gender: female
- Shy but serious
-Mediocre, but she has potential.
Advice: need more times to know her, and help her to dig the potential.
●Pla( Chinese name: Yu) Age: 25~30 Gender: female
- Confidence, beautiful, soft, clever, and good to learn something.
Advice：She has absent once a week, maybe you can talk with her privately and know why she wants to learn Chinese.
●Gap( Chinese name: Fen) Age: 24 Gender: female
- Good personality, and has craving of study
Advice: She cannot make sure take in the class every time, so better check her or help her to learn every class.
●Samran( Chinese name: Le) Age: 64 Gender: male
- Silent almost all the time, sometimes afraid to speak out, but he works hare, and desire to learn.
- Most of our students only write down in Pinyin, but he tries to write down in Hanzi.
Advice: Take care of him and help him if he need, respect and encourage him.
Conclusion
Be responsible, be serious, be kind to students, we are sure you can gain lots of things you have never imagined before. Students here are very good to learn, they have their personality and different craving, but the most important thing is, they always work hard to learn, and that’s enough. We hope the volunteer who come fromChina or who can speak Chinese can keep going to teach them, do the well-organized lesson and keep good attitude to get along with them, you can gain happiness and a new value. Good luck, and enjoy yourself in Isara, inThailand.
Lenorld Chen ( Chen shiyu)
Email: lenorldchen@gamil.com
Facebook: Echo chen
Annie Qiu( Qiu juansi)
Email:annieq1991@hotmail.com
Facebook: Annie Qiu
