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Teacher’s Leading Role in Class for Teaching Chinese to Foreigners

Teachers and students are two main parts of the teaching process. The relationship between them is the fundamental relationship among so many relationships in the teaching process. It has a great influence on the realization of teaching goals and successful teaching and learning. Whether the student is the center or the teacher is the center becomes the main question. Teachers in Mandarin learning courses agree with the idea of “teacher-led and student-centered”.

In Chinese language teaching, teachers play the leading role, which is reflected in the “lead”. Firstly, the teacher is the one who formulates the teaching goals. A certain class has a certain goal to reach. Therefore, teachers should set the goal according to the teaching contents, students’ language level, teaching environment, teaching plan, and so on. Teachers in Chinese language schools should take the semester teaching plans and the practical situations into consideration.

We just discussed that teachers should flexibly design the plan and goal under the precondition of the whole teaching plan. During the process of students learning Mandarin Chinese, the teacher is the organizer of the teaching activity. Teachers decide to take better measures in teaching. However, the role of teachers and students is not permanent. Students’ principal role will be more important as the levels are improved.

At that time, teachers should vary their teaching methods in Chinese teaching. The followings are several teaching ways as references. The first method is to learn and practice step by step after teaching. The foreigners who just begin to study Chinese are limited by the Chinese language level. Therefore, they are totally following the teachers’ steps. After teachers teach a certain point, students learn it and practice it gradually.

Secondly, teachers should attach much importance to the practice. As the students’ ability in Chinese language learning is improving, teachers should teach less but very detailed. The students should practice more effectively to learn Mandarin better. But still, how to lecture and practice is the key assignment for teachers to design and organize.

What’s more, various activities should be designed for teaching. Students who study in China know that one of the language teaching principles is to put it into practical use. The most effective method to “use” is to design some activities for students to join. By using the learned knowledge and skills, students can improve their language skills in the activities.

All three teaching methods are not separated but combined. The only question is just which method is centered in the class teaching. Whatever method is used, the most important thing is that teachers should organize it perfectly so that the teaching process goes smoothly. Only when teachers use the three methods properly can they improve students’ ability to learn the Chinese language.

Teachers play the leading role in Chinese language teaching classes because they are those who create and use the teaching methods. The teaching effectiveness and the success of classroom teaching are greatly decided by the teaching methods and means taken. Generally speaking, when teachers teach the Mandarin language, they will experience the following three processes in teaching methods.

The first thing that teachers can do is to absorb more experience from their predecessors. Teaching can be inherited, especially from advanced teachers. Their rich experience is what teachers should inherit and develop first. Secondly, they should adjust the teaching methods on the basis of absorbing experience and combining their own theories. To help students learn to speak Chinese, teachers should learn experience creatively and form unique teaching modes and styles.

Last but not least, teachers are the instructors of students’ learning activities. One important function of teachers in teaching is to lead students to learn effectively. In Chinese teaching to foreigners, especially adults, many teachers neglect the instruction in students’ learning. They all think that the students who study Mandarin Chinese have the experience of learning a second language, so there s no need to instruct.

However, the Chinese language is different from other alphabetic languages. Chinese has its own special Pinyin, characters, and grammar system. If students learn Mandarin Chinese by the way of learning other alphabetic languages, they will get half the result with twice the effort. Therefore, teachers should lead learners to learn by following the characteristics of the Chinese language.

In a word, the teacher is very important in teaching. The teacher is the one who formulates the teaching goals, organizes the teaching process, uses the teaching methods, and instructs the learning activities. Therefore, teachers should do what they can to help students to learn better.

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