Web Exclusive

Why Return to China

By Rex Harvey Putland (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-06-28 09:16

Year 2008

Two years of many disappointments and a few successes should have been enough to convince me that the result of yet another year would be "more of the same". But I have never been one to do the obvious nor often to take advice. I operated my Australian schools on the "I did it my way" principle where I believed my way was right.

So it was with China. The English Room Strategy that began in Tianmen, was developed in Songjiang but deliberately discouraged in Zhengzhou, convinced me that I could actually make a difference. Our many student and teacher friends who were part of the "English Room Gangs" seem to confirm this.

Rex Harvey Putland [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

As I have often said to students and their teachers, learning English grammar for the purpose of examination results is a terrible waste of time, effort and money. The vast majority of those who spend six to ten years studying Examination English, end that time with an examination result and NOTHING. Within a few short years, even the English they did learn will be forgotten, those years of study completely wasted.

So, after four years at home on the farm with a few family dramas and a disastrous drought, we finally made the move back to China. This time, I was determined to establish the best English teaching environment in the country. During that four years, I investigated hundreds of teaching opportunities in China, was offered dozens of positions, a couple of which I was unable to accept at the time, the others I rejected.

My first contact with the Bilingual School came as a result of posting my details on the web. This was encouraging so I responded. For a start, the name Bilingual indicated that there should be a good standard of English, especially as the school was what we call a P-12 school, that is, all levels from Infant to Senior High.

The next contact contained a personal message from the Principal. A school administrator who actually spoke English! This was very unusual but very encouraging. Then the "Immersion Programme" seemed to mirror that at the World Foreign Language School in Shanghai where Fay and I had both spent some time in 2003. Subsequent correspondence explained my aims and hopes and seemed to parallel those of the school.

My previous work with Senior Secondary students and Teacher Training Programmes for primary, middle and senior teachers encouraged me to think that I could help. So, 400 kilogrammes of teaching resources were delivered to the shipping agent, the animals on the farm sold, tenants arranged for our house and flights arranged.

So it was that we arrived in Nanjing in late February.

The very basic premise of my English Room Strategy is this : We all learned our "Mother Tongue" in an environment of total immersion. We heard only that language, we copied only that language. As we grew, we became aware that there was a 'recorded form' of that language so, at the appropriate time, we learnt to read and write.

If the English Room can provide that Total Immersion, it can, [and did ], result in significant improvement in the spoken language and my many years of experience can provide assistance to improve the written language as well, for those who seek help.

The resources I was able to bring provided an English Library of hundreds of books from infant to adult levels, magazines covering all parts of the globe, pictures, tapes, CD’s and DVD’s. As well, the Teachers’ Corner had many texts that could assist teachers of many subject areas.

I saw a sign in the Primary School recently that said : "A book that is unopened is only a block."

So it was with the English Room. As English is a living language, the English Room must be a living environment if it is not to fail. With the best of resources and my best intentions, it could not succeed unless the students and the teachers wanted it to. Without the involvement of the students and the teachers, it remained just a room full of blocks.

And, if it was to achieve its potential, it needed to provide the "immersion" that Chinese did for you as a child. That is, it must become an ENGLISH ONLY ROOM. It can and will help those who want to improve their spoken and written English and can help teachers to teach English.

Time will tell.

One Year Later, 2009

Well, Time did tell. The school, and the programme were both complete failures.

For a start, it transpired that there was no significant "Entry Standard" for students. Apparently, entry qualification was related to the size of the parents' income. Some Middle School students had NO English so classes ranged from those with no understanding of oral or written English and no interest in learning, to the few with reasonable English and an interest in improving. The Senior school had a similar range and several students simply stated, "I am Chinese and do not want to learn English".

The English Room was located in the Middle school and VERY few students were prepared to use it in their free time and those who did would not observe the English Only instruction. For the first time in my experience in China, or, for that matter, in my long career, I had classes who absolutely refused to obey instructions, complete assignments or prepare for tests. I was compelled to call on Chinese English Teachers on a number of occasions to explain simple instructions or to restore an acceptable level of conduct.

When I accepted the position, one of my aims was to work with the English Teachers to assist them with their own English and their lesson preparation. The Teachers’ Corner in the English Room, remained unused and the meetings with the teachers I requested never eventuated.

I believe that the Principal was genuine in his plan to change the focus of English Teaching at the school but, as the school was operated by a large Development Company, the profit motive took precedence over the Educational outcomes . I left at the end of the Semester, sections of the school were closed without warning during the Summer Vacation and the entire school has now closed.

So, it transpired that my wife was right. It was "More of the same".

But, I am still a "Glutton for punishment". I still believe that I can make a difference for those students and teachers who really want to improve. My trips back to China for the Spring Festivals with student and teacher friends from Tianmen, Songjiang, Zhengzhou and Nanjing in 2009 and 2010, convince me that I was on the right track and, in the right environment, I can succeed. But now, at the "tender age" of 70, it appears that I am considered too old but, I live in hope that I will return and will succeed.

As I have told my many Chinese friends, "My home and my family are in Australia, but my heart is in China." I will be back.

The author used to work an oral English teacher in Chinese cities including Tianmen, Songjiang, Zhengzhou and Nanjing.

[You are welcome to share your China stories with China Daily website readers. The authors will be paid 200 yuan ($30). Please send your story to mychinastory@chinadaily.com.cn.]