Teach English in China
Designer and Instructor: David McCormick
Teachers who wish to teach English in China – or who wish to teach English to Mandarin speakers in their own home country – can choose to specialize in Teaching English to Mandarin Speakers.
First language interference is commonly referred to as L1 interference. L1 interference refers to the common errors and difficulties faced by non-native speakers that are caused by their knowledge of the rules of their own native language, which are usually very different from those of English.
Every culture and language group has its own set of difficulties when learning English. It can take years for teachers to build a knowledge base of L1 interference problems, so being aware of these problems and their causes is a major advantage when teaching in a new country. In this unit, teachers will learn the common difficulties native Mandarin speakers face in an English language classroom, as well as techniques and activities to help students overcome these difficulties.
Specialization in Teaching English to Mandarin Speakers
After completing this specialization, teachers will be able to:
• Recognize common phonological errors to help improve Mandarin speakers’ pronunciation of English vowels, diphthongs and consonants
• Offset the problems caused by differences in syntax and morphology between Mandarin Chinese and English
• Improve students’ abilities to use the proper tense and aspect of English verbs
• Adapt teaching style and classroom management techniques to better suit the culture of Mandarin-speaking students