China ESL
An Industry Run Amuck?

(continued from page 6)

by Niu Qiang, PhD & Martin Wolff, J.D.

Another complaint is a lack of hot water. This issue is variable throughout China. Hot water for drinking is available through the electric water dispenser provided by most school or can be made simply on the stove by those who have learned to boil water. As to potable drinking water there is no excuse for a school not providing this for the FEs but the FEs can obtain it at a very reasonable expense in the local market (5 rmb for 5 gallons). Hot water for showers may be as scarce for the FEs as it is for some students who never see hot water for showering.

Censorship on the Internet and in the classroom is a real cultural shock for those who have been brought up under the "Freedom of Speech" regime of America, Australia, and the United Kingdom. In the classroom the FEs are not allowed to discuss their personal religious beliefs (but they may discuss religion as history or cultural); they may not comment on the relationship between China and its breakaway Province of Taiwan (but the non-political news of Taiwan can be discussed); and there can be no criticism of the Central Government or Communist Party of China (but Government actions may be discussed, objectively rather than judgmentally). For a third world developing nation with a Communist regime, these limitations on "free speech" are not onerous. The Internet censorship is part of the crowd control mentality of Communism. With 1.3 billion people to manage and provide for, there must, of necessity, be some measures that restrict personal freedoms and this is one of them.

All in all, the Chinese Government has done a tremendous job of unifying so many minorities into one cohesive, law abiding and peace loving society that is progressing rapidly in its attempts to make up for years of seclusion. Cultural sensitivity is what is needed on the part of the FEs.

Some FEs are promised "Western Style" housing by schools who have no such housing available and have no intention of providing any. Instead they intend to house their FEs in a third rate Chinese class hotel. Foreign tourists in China are required to stay in International class 4 or 5 star hotels and are not allowed to stay in Chinese class hotels. This practice is usually instituted by private schools that are both owned and managed by Chinese and teach a primary school curriculum.

Lies (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools -- 10; Private Schools -- 35; Agencies - 11)

The amount and variety of "lies" is extensive and runs the gamut of everything having to do with the recruitment process through every contract provision, down to the failure to provide the promised "Z" visa, Expert's Certificate, and Foreigner Residence Permit.

Many so called "lies" are simple misunderstandings resulting from language and cultural barriers. However, there are some very sharp operators who have refined lying to an art form.

Medical (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools -- 1; Private Schools -- 3; Agencies - 1)

Many private schools do not have even the basic infirmary and they attempt to avoid any outlay of cash for medical services on behalf of the FE.

Parental Interference (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools -- 0; Private Schools -- 2; Agencies - 0)

Kindergarten parents tend to want to sit in on classes and direct the FEs and prevent any discipline of their child. FEs should be given a cultural introduction to the value Chinese parents place on their children and why. The FEs should also realize that parents of kindergarten age children around the world have a hard time adjusting to cutting the apron strings and allowing their child to leave home. In China, this attachment continues through the senior middle school years as is evidenced by parents seeing their teenage children to and from school. This is a cultural difference.

Plagiarism and Cheating (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools -- 1; Private Schools -- 4; Agencies - 0)

Chinese are known for their ability to copy or duplicate. Name brand and designer clothes and watches, movies on DVDs and music on CDs are often available in China in a pirated version before they are available in their intended market. The fact that cheating and plagiarism are rampant and unchecked should not come as any surprise.

Cheating also includes administrative actions that change failing grades to passing ones. No university student in China fails to graduate unless they are guilty of a more serious offense than failing a few courses offered by FEs.

School administrators and directors with basic training in Education Administration would deal with this problem in an effective and productive manner.

Pollution, Crowded, Filth (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools -- 2; Private Schools -- 6; Agencies - 1)

This is a common complaint by FEs employed throughout China in all of the management models. Most FEs realize that this is not a situation that the school management has any control over. However, the FEs blames the school management because they may have made recruiting claims about how beautiful their campus was, or how clean their city was, or how their area is a major tourist destination, or how …. The FEs feels lied to by the school management. What the FEs needs to realize is that the Chinese really believe in the truth of their claims about their area and have never seen the FE's country by which the FEs makes his comparative judgment.

This complaint arises from true "culture shock" and could be reduced or eliminated through regulation of recruitment materials.

Filthy classrooms are a different matter. It appears that dirt, chalk dust, papers and other trash are allowed to pile up in the classroom corners. This is just poor housekeeping for which there can be little reason other than different lifestyles and values.

As to the "crowded" issue; what can anyone expect in a Country with 1.3 billion people? Americans feel entitled to a personal zone of privacy around their personal being. However, Asians are accustomed to rubbing shoulders at every turn of daily life. This is a definite cultural difference.

Click for next page of this article