Since studying Chinese in China has become The Most Popular Thing To Do amongst foreigners lately, it might be a good idea to take a look at what you are getting into before signing up for a class.

Chinese classroom manners differ quite a bit from the western way. In China, the teacher is seen as an authority. Not only does this mean that the teacher decides everything, but it may sometimes also mean that questioning your teacher isn't considered as an okay thing to do.

Being respectful

Students in China show a completely different respect for their teachers than most Europeans are used to. When speaking to your teacher, for instance, you should always use your teachers surname, followed by ”teacher” which in China is called ”laoshi.” So, if your teachers name is Shu Mi, her surname is Shu, and the correct way to address her would be: ”Shu laoshi.”

Being on time

Being on time is crucial for Chinese students, which is somewhat ironic, seeing that in work life Chinese people are far from punctual. When it comes to turning up for class, however, being seated at your bench before the bell rings is what is expected of students. If you're at a campus, it's not unusual that you see students running up stairs or across yards to make it to class.

Listening, not talking

School in China (Image: Radio86)In China, teachers talk and students listen. Students are allowed to ask questions, but most Asians are very reluctant to open their mouth in class, unless the teacher address them directly. This comes from the fact that age is of great importance in China and Asia, and that it's disrespectful for a young person to criticize someone that is of a much higher age (and therefore also have more life experience) than him/herself. Most people therefore feel that asking a question/questioning their teacher might be disrespectful, hence the lack of speaking in class.

A lot of foreigners that study Chinese in China find the lack of speaking in class both frustrating and problematic. When learning a new language it is obviously important to practice speaking it. Many foreigners solve this problem by getting themselves a ”language exchange partner” that they can practice for free with. The language partner is often a young, Chinese university student that is looking to improve his/her English in exchange for helping the foreigner with his/her Chinese.

Exams and homework

Thought you had a lot of homework back in primary school? Trust me, we are being spoiled over here! The mountains of homework that Chinese (as well as Japanese and Korean) students are used to make most countries' school systems look like a kindergarten playgrounds. When studying Chinese in China you will soon learn that it involves a lot of hard work. Learning Chinese requires a lot of home studies, character writing and reading, as well as speaking and listening practice. Most teachers set the bar high and expect their students to be diligent. During one semester student have two exams: midterms as well as a final exam. Throughout the semester, however, it is not unusual for students to be given tests and essay homework.