From E to C

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I has been sit thorough all the classes in the level E. I do not have much problem except the speaking part. Most students there are have been in China for a while or have Mandarin and Chinese background. The older Caucasian is from Hawaii, he has been learn Chinese before and work in china for 3 ½ years. The older Japanese is working in Beijing for fours years. Most other students have been here for sometimes or work or study here before. It will be difficult to keep up with them especially the spoken part.

It appears the advance level more concentrate on reading and comprehension, which I do not needed. It also has public speaking and group discussion which I cannot handle. I spoke with head teacher and she recommended to level C, the text part may be too easy for me (I do not need it anyway) but I need a lot on the speaking part. The C level book has some the explanations in English instead of Chinese. The E level book is all Chinese. All I need is the conversation part; I think it does not matter. All teachers are speaks good mandarin anyway.

I went in the C level class, it is a straight 12 weeks no mixed and match. There are 22 students overall, 1/3 Caucasians, 1/3 Koreans and 1/3 others; from Italy, Chile, Russia,Germany,Japan,Singapore and Philippine. The Japanese think I am Japanese and the Korean think I am Korean. A lot more lively class. Out of the 22 in the class; only 4 guys, an attorney from Seattle and practice business law in Beijing, and a guy from Spain, Korea and me.

The courses for today is listening and speaking, I go thorough it fairly comfortable. The standard is fairly high here. Even at the C level the students can read, listen and speak fairly well. There are some better than me and some are worse than me. I think I should be in the correct level. If I do not have any problem with the classes today. The other classes should be no problem.

The books setup itself is very good, easy to learn. The contents itself is all about the Chinese culture.
thus you are learning the language and the culture at the same time.

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Photos

C level books
Basically the same topic as the other level, just easier.

C Level
break time during speaking class, subject of discussion is on the office culture.

12 weeks schedule
Due to the longest national days holiday in history. We need to come in two weekends to make up classes. May be they heard my complain about rip off. Haha.

Street Xing 1
It take me more time to cross the street here then waiting for subway. Typing in Beijing, traffic light does not means much. Honking is.

Street Xing 2
This is the only major street crossing from subway station every morning. Busy everyday.

E level
Discussing the article about the hutong in Beijing

C11 class 2
class and 4 teachers, first row first 2 on the left, first row second from the right, and the middle of second row. Some students missing.

Comments

[ralph lew]

hi tony,
only 3 guy in a class of 19, petty good ratio for the guy. perhaps philip wong should enroll in this class.

[BJwest]

From E to C
The actual class size is 21 now, the ratio is the same.