English teachers hear "he" and "she" misused on a daily2 @% I4 E9 }! g, u* F9 S
basis. Small mistakes often make simple exchanges comical,
# d* ?* ?& o/ i* O, w- f& @0 u, g* Q and sometimes frustrating. Learning to communicate a foreign__1__8 n% u. t- \8 I' _- ^4 i0 r/ ~8 j
language can be exciting or just daunting. Fortunately, public
, s% I1 ~/ i/ Q( [ education in China provides a wonderful introduction with the __2__3 Y8 _- t( W; I* p% Q& U8 J
English language. Speaking, listening, reading and writing are
' i, X4 h4 B3 f( X ` considered to be the four language skills need to communicate__3__) Y/ G. a# n9 h5 C8 b
in English. The receptive skills, reading and listening, are often
3 i2 L& \# k5 n1 V' x easier to acquire than their respective counterparts, writing
7 N# d: H; b: |6 R5 Z6 G: R, g and speaking, which is the productive skills. But China is a __4__+ w' I% H9 W# h/ q& q
special case. Grade school students spend hours diligently0 t( O* T: m8 V1 f! q6 M
on mastering grammar, studying vocabulary and composing__5__5 S! E4 j/ J9 S8 K9 V3 ^" ?
lengthy compositions, but rarely have the opportunity to, ?7 G$ R% F& a; ^0 g7 r
highly develop their conservation skills. Thus, many people& `( Q$ E! o' ~
here in China have reading and writing skills far superior than__6__
' q+ I+ A8 m V' H7 v) g! ^8 ] their unpractised oral skills. "I simply cannot express myself.
! u( ?6 |* V. _ I understand what I read and hear, but I can't communicate
8 n, @2 y' a7 j$ k. d: z Q the thoughts I have," a common cry hearing from students in __7__
3 C; v N/ E! O0 M6 g China. It is our belief that students are much more motivated* h; W Q8 Q9 J* K- `) k
to learn English when they interested in the subject matter.__8__
9 T3 h5 L8 `) ` In order to create a comfortable and entertaining environment,& M3 z$ h2 i( i' _5 V9 K
teachers catch up with games, or activities that stimulate a __9__
7 h* Z3 Q( |* x4 e5 h' D/ D4 K situation where English might be useful for those specific
& F* f! l/ V, X( c5 i students. Teachers mold each class to the students present.
) Y" S4 ~. ^1 H8 T( y2 @ While at dinner together or while visiting a scenic area,
8 d5 |* H5 q+ h% z student should discover new vocabulary words and practice__10__, O9 Y6 ^' V1 y
speaking in a realistic social situation rather than a classroom. |