Studying Chinese in China: suggestions?

[carlsonme]

OK, here's a question for you. I am not quite a beginner in Chinese (400 characters or so), studying privately for the moment with a teacher in Paris. I would like to do an intensive summer course in China, or perhaps a semester. (Product Plug: naturally, I intend to whip out my Palm in the streets of Beijing to look up unfamiliar characters! :wink

From what I can see on Google, there are a certain number of programs, but it is difficult to judge the seriousness of the various offers.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good, serious Chinese language/cultural program in China? Oh yes, I am 44, so a program with different ages would be welcome...

Many thanks in advance,

Mark Carlson
Paris, France

 

[mikelove]

The "standard" program, which a lot of people end up in without even knowing it (as a number of other programs actually just enroll you there), is the course at Beijing Language and Culture University, http://www.blcu.edu.cn/english/index.asp - they're fairly inexpensive (though their prices have gone up recently), they have quite a lot of students, and while the top few classes seem to mostly be oriented around college and graduate students, there seems to be a very wide age range at the lower levels.

I took a 6-week course there once and found it perfectly unobjectionable, the teachers were capable enough and kept up a pretty aggressive pace. When I was there (and I assume it's still run this way) you took about 4 hours of intensive classes in the morning and then had the whole afternoon free to study or to roam around Beijing.

While I was there I stayed with some friends of mine, so I'm afraid I can't comment on the residential situation or student life - I know for a fact that there's a large contingent of current and former BLCU students among Pleco's customer base, so hopefully one of them will see fit to interject here.

There are also programs at I believe most of the big universities in Beijing, so if BLCU's isn't to your liking you might find another good one somewhere else. In general assuming you're a fairly seasoned traveller I tend to think you're better off signing up with a university directly rather than with some other program which will end up enrolling you in classes there; you'll save a lot of money and get a little more of a "real China" experience.

 

[carlsonme]

Thanks for the thoughtful reply, Mike. And yes, I am adventurous, so I will look into applying directly to a university. However, I detect some reservations in your assessment:

perfectly unobjectionable...capable enough...pretty aggressive pace...

 

[herve]

In Paris ?...

Hi Mark,
I understand that you are currently in Paris, France.
Do you know about the association named "Passeport pour la Chine" which is located in Paris, in the Saint Michel area. They might organise something which answers to your objectives. You can contact them at http://www.passeportpourlachine.org
I am personnaly involved in a group in Versailles, and we are setting up a two-week course sometime next year. You might be interested in that. This will likely be a chinese course for french speaking people (I don't know if this is ok for you). Post me a personal message if you want to continue on that topic.
All other participants to the forum can do the same, if interested.
When going to the "china town" in Paris, I will look to people having a PDA in their hands... it might be you!
Herve.

 

[mikelove]

However, I detect some reservations in your assessment

Well I didn't want to sound too enthusiastic :lol: - still, looking back it sounds like something a lawyer (which I'm not) would write, noncommittal so as to avoid any potentialliability if things went wrong. Sorry about that...

Seriously, I had a good time there, and I think anyone who put the time into studying a decent amount outside of class could learn a LOT in 5 or 6 weeks.

 

[Thaler]

MCDonlads of China Study

As a current student, I think BLCU is a bit like the Big Mac of studying Chinese.

It offers a regular, fairly high quality product and probably won't ever disappoint too much. *But* anyone' who who thinks that going to BLCU is "immersion" in China or Chinese will probably also thinks the world can be seen by watching CNN.

BLCU is a walled garden full of foreigners within, and surrounded by a sprawling industry catering for students without.

If you are a completely unfamiliar with Chinese its a fine way to start as its teaching methods are more progressive than most (i.e less emphasis on rote than some universities) and its teachers all have a certain minimum standard. Accents are very standard, and everything (by Chinese standards) runs flawlessly.

If you want to find language partners its also great as there are many Chinese students learning English (as well as Japanese and French etc).

Downside are large class sizes (as many as 25-30) and, like most universities a lack of particular attention to spoken Chinese. By this I mean that if, like many Westerners, you want to focus on oral fluency, you may be disappointed that much course time is devoted to reading and writing characters. The short courses Mike referred to are heavily oriented to spoken Chinese. In the regular semester courses a lot of time is spent on recitation and practising characters.

If you are a beginning student looking to dip your toes in the water or your time is limited, BLCU will be a fine choice. If you are more advanced or if you want to go "hard core" Tsinghua, BeiWai and a few other private academies may be more suitable. For all its fame in other areas, at least to my knowledge, Beida doesn't rank that highly as a school to learn Mandarin.

Cheers
Thaler

 

[seichert]

BLCU

I attended BLCU for about 6 weeks in early 2000. If you just stay on the campus and with the other foreigners you will not be getting your money's worth. The classes are excellent, but real life is not a classroom. I found it most helpful to leave campus nearly every day after lunch to head downtown or somewhere else for real life practice. Frequently Chinese language textbooks are structured around scenarios ("going to the bank", "shopping", "seeing a movie", etc.). When you are in China why not actually practice these scenarios? Much more realistic.

 

[tmilktoast]

Minzu Daxue

If you are looking for a school with only a few Westerners you might want to try Minzu Daxue (Central University for Nationalities). I don't really know how it stands in comparison to the big name Universities, but I studied there last year and had a great time (up until SARS hit).

There were about 20 American students, most there together on a program under the Oregon University system, three French students, a couple Russians as well as a couple dozen Japanese and Koreans. There are few foreigners and nothing nearby that caters to them except the pizza places and fast food joints that are popping up everywhere in China. There are some nice ethnic restuarants nearby, and lots of ethnic minorities on campus, as you might expect by the name.

I can give the address and more information if you're interested. I'm thinking of going there again next year and just received an application in the mail yesterday.

-Brian

 

[Shao Xintu]

Hi Mike,

When I saw your post, I decided to join the forum because I am presently living at a University in Beijing which does a great job of teaching Chinese. The website is:

http://www.bisu.edu.cn/departments/fren ... =法语角

I gave you the address for the "French Corner" page on the university website. You could start at http://www.bisu.edu.cn/

It is supposed to have an English version, but it doesn't seem to work.

Anyway, I came here over two years ago, to learn Chinese, and have stayed on to teach English as a way to pay for my living expenses. They have a need for French teachers, so you could teach part-time if you want.

You say you are 44; I'm 47 and I felt right at home here. Granted, most of my fellow classmates were young enough to be my kid, but the Chinese, Koreans, Japanese all show great respect for their elders, at least in my experience they have. You might have a French classmate or two, but don't count on it. Most of the students are Koreans, with another 10-20 other countries mixed in. Besides teaching Chinese to foreigners, my school teaches foreign languages to Chinese students. What I am saying is you will be completely immersed in Chinese here, if you choose to be.

Well, enough said; I recommend my university to you. It is on the east side of Beijing with access to the subway system, so you can get downtown in a short time. If you are interested, we can talk more. If not, at least I feel better now that I have let you know my school exists.

By the way, since this is a Pleco board, I think I'll mention I have a couple Palm V's (one for me; one for my Chinese girlfriend) and really like the Pleco C-E dictionary, especially useful for me is the character recognition! With it, I don't always have to ask a Chinese "What's that character?" when I can look it up myself!

Thanks,
Steve

 

[MichaelK]

Want to Study Chinese in Paris

I know this is an old thread, but it would be of interest to a lot of people (who have dropped out of my programme).

I am studying Chinese in China. I've had both ends of the spectrum of studying in China: endless repetition (gives truth to "repetition is the mother of Deafness") and teachers who don't have a clue in education; they say things once and are surprised you don't know it already.

I was not in a large City when I was studying so I can't comment on the Larger Universities; however, it has lead me to a self designed self study program for myself inwhich (and here's why I'm replying) I want to go to France to get formal education in Chinese. I will stay here to get my oral Chinese down, ofcourse with my minimum of hanzi (aiming at the 560 characters that constitute 80% of common writing). But I want to go to a Western institution for the actual brainwork. (I've also studied french for a bit of time, so Paris will kill two birds with one stone).

My question is the opposite of yours. What are some good institutes in Paris that teach Chinese?

Thanks for any information.

MichaelK

 

[carlsonme]

Studying Chinese in France

Hi Michael,

Thanks for your post. I can't give you first-hand information about schools in France, because I am studying privately. However, I can tell you what I have heard about the various options.

The most prestigious is Langues'O, or INALCO (http://www.inalco.fr). You can study there right up to the doctorate level, and it is very highly regarded, and very rigorous. The complaint I have heard most often about it is that reading comprehension is given more emphasis than speaking. Hence, you have students studying Japanese who, by the end of two years, are reading complex economic texts but can't really speak well at all. (This is really a reflection of the complete lack of self-confidence of the French when it comes to languages or speaking in class, due to a cripplingly critical school system in which only the strong survive...but that's another story.) They also offer evening courses, and everything is explained on the website. I am assuming you read French, but there is an excruciatingly bad English translation as well.

Another possibility is the Universit? de Paris 7 - Denis Diderot, located at Jussieu in the 5th arrondissement. See http://www.diderotp7.jussieu.fr/comm/ufrenseignement.php?code=106 for more details. This is the more traditional university route, with DEUG, licence, ma?trise, and so on, but also with continuing education possibilities.

The good thing about studying Chinese in Paris is the wealth of resources available to you: huge libraries, some very good bookstores, many associations, Europe's largest Asian art museum and another smaller one, a large Chinese population, a Chinatown in the 13th, and so on.

I hope this is of some help; let me know if you need information about a specific program and I'll see what I can do to help. As you get closer to coming, drop me another message and tell me how it's going.

Best,

Mark Carlson

 

[MichaelK]

INALCO

Thank you for your reply.

I have met 3 students from INALCO when I was in Beijing.
I did not want to be rude and ask if it was a good school.
I have heard the details of enrolment. (and also, they will be my seniors if I go). (laugh).

The webpage is not bad ... it's just not finished.
Thanks for the information. That one piece has decided it.
I still want to improve my speaking Chinese, so it may not be this year.
I knew that a Western institute would focus on reading and writing (the two R's).

When I am there, I'll try to give a hello.

Thanks. It's just the info I was looking for.

Sincerely

MichaelK

 

[jmcbride]

Chinese lanuage courses at Beida

Does anyone know something about the Chinese language courses offered at Beida? They apparently have a Chinese language teaching program used by CIEE and various American university study abroad programs, but I can't find any information about how to sign up for their courses directly. I'm also concerned about rumors I've heard that Beida language courses aren't all that great. Any thoughts welcome.

 

[mikelove]

There are a bunch of reviews of the Beida program at http://www.chinese-forums.com/ - just do a search for "Beida" and that will get you most of them. It's a great website in general for questions about finding a program, life in Beijing, etc.