Classes

Now that I’ve covered the fun stuff, I guess I should go back at take a look at what the OPIE students are really here for: to take classes to learn English. As a language major, I am fascinated with how people learn languages. I’m especially fascinated with programs that teach everything in the target language. How does that work? Does it ever get frustrating when you can’t get your point across?

I sat down with Gary Labouseur, a grammar and writing teacher with OPIE. Mr. Labouseur has taught English at Miami University, in Thailand and in Ecuador prior to coming to Ohio University, so he knows a variety of methods.

He teaches grammar and writing to 13 students three hours a day at the AE45 core level, he said. There are four levels of English classes that students can take depending on their proficiency with the language, AE40, AE45, AE50 or AE55, which is for students who are taking regular OU classes part time as well. Each level has a different number of sections depending on the demand. Mr. Labouseur said that he and the other teachers in his section work as a team to assess how students are doing. Along with Mr. Labouseur’s class, students take a listening and speaking class and a class in reading and vocabulary. There is also a discussion section on Wednesday for all OPIE students. They go and listen to a speaker and ask questions about it afterward. I will talk more about that later in this post.Here is a sample schedule of classes for OPIE students.

Methods

OK so we now know how the system operates, but how do the lessons work? Mr. Labouseur has all Chinese students this quarter and he does not speak Chinese, so I was wondering how he adapted when his students were simply stuck because they couldn’t figure out how to say something. When this happens, he first gives the student time to think, he said. He does let another student “rescue” the first student immediately. Usually if the student has time to think, he or she can get it. If not, other students may help.

I’ve watched Mr. Labouseur with some of his students and I can see that he has a way of communicating clearly with them that probably just comes with years of experience. I obviously haven’t gotten it yet, because when I can’t explain something I become flustered and my explanation just becomes even more confusing.

Mr. Labouseur also stressed that it’s important to not allow any Chinese during his class. If he ever comes into the classroom early, all he hears is Chinese, he said. But once class begins at 2:10, there is no more Chinese unless students really need to translate something to English.

Students could benefit if they could break out of their social grid, he said. He mentioned that one of his students moved in with American students and his English has improved because of it.

Discussion Section

In my first post, I wrote about how I was excited because I would actually be able to witness a discussion section. Shortly after I wrote that, I realized that the discussion section was during on my classes with a strict attendance policy. Luckily for me, my teacher is very understanding. She said that if I came in late that she would just count me off for missing half a class. I picked one day that I could miss class and I went to the discussion section and waited. Ana Wolf was there and she told me that they weren’t sure if the speaker was going to show up. So I just crossed my fingers and waited. I met a few students, waved to a few friends that I made at bowling and I talked to Ana. She told me that the upper level classes usually have to write something or have a discussion about the speaker in their classes on Thursday. She also told me about the (then) planned trip to Columbus.

As we were talking she was helping students sign in and I watched how she used gestures with some of the newer students to explain what they had to do (it was only the third or fourth week in the quarter when I went). I’m telling you all of these details to show that I did get something out of the experience, because guess what? The speaker didn’t show up. I was disappointed and the funny thing was, the OPIE students seemed elated. They all started chatting and Ana had to tell them to be quiet because other classes were in session. So I ended up being 20 minutes late to my next class, but I explained what happened to my teacher and I don’t think she counted me off. Unfortunately there was no other time that I could go to the discussion section, so I never got to witness it firsthand. You just have to go with the flow.

Experiencing Athens and Beyond

My blog has focused on the Chinese students. That was not my original intention, however, a majority of the students in OPIE this quarter are from China and so I met many more of them than students from other countries. Plus in most of my interviews with officials from the program and others who work with OPIE, my interviewees have talked to me about the Chinese students. I decided that it would make sense to focus my blog on students from China.
A few of you have commented that you wanted to learn about the differences between cultures. Some of you also said that you wanted more photos of the international students experiencing Athens for the first time. That was initially something that I wanted to look into because cultural differences fascinate me. Surprisingly, it was much harder to do than I had thought. In this post I am going to try to explore a few of the culture differences between China and the United States. I’m also going to talk about a few students’ experiences in Athens.



A chat in Baker
I sat down with Pan, Li, Jiang Tianchi and Lu. I met Pan and Li when we were bowling. I sent out an email to many of the students asking for an interview; Pan and Li responded and brought friends to Baker to talk to me. Li did most of the talking but the other women jumped in when they had something to say.
I asked them what kinds of things they liked to do in Athens. Li told me that they like to go to ping and play badminton. Apparently it’s really popular in China. I found a site that is all about the badminton open in China. Li said that basketball and soccer are also popular in China.
I told them that I was bad at all three sports because I did not have any coordination. I then tried to explain what coordination meant. Speaking with them, not only helps their English but it helps mine. My brain had to work to think of synonyms that would help explain coordination. I finally explained what grace was, and then I explained that I did not have any grace.
Once we got over that obstacle. I asked what other things the students liked to do. They said they like to play games and cards together. Sometimes they eat at China King, but as Pan told me, it’s not real Chinese food; it’s American Chinese
Li told me that they like to take the bus to Walmart and Kroger. They seem to love to shop in general. They are going to New York City over spring break, so I asked them what they were going to do and they all responded with, “Shop!”
I commented that when people in other countries think of the U.S. they think of New York City. Li told me that it’s just like how many people know Beijing in China, but nothing else about the country.
New York will not be the first city outside of Athens that OPIE students have visited. A few weeks ago OPIE students went to Columbus to see the statehouse and go shopping. Lu told me that the statehouse was small compared to the one that she visited every year with her school in China.

But where are the Americans?
I mentioned earlier that there are not many Americans living in Scott Quad. I also noticed that the activities that the women were describing were things that they did among themselves. It has to be difficult to meet American students when you live with and take classes with other international students. Plus they speak Chinese among themselves, which can make it hard for American students to talk to them. I found myself feeling left out when they began speaking in their native tongue.
They wanted to talk to me about my major and their majors. A few were thinking of changing majors or at least wanted to look into it. I didn’t have all the answers, so we walked over to the arts and sciences building for help. The employee at the counter was helpful, but she spoke quickly, so I had to do most of the talking and listening. I realized how much of a struggle it must be for international students to understand everything. Most people don’t think about how quickly they are speaking.
I invited the students to come to a Singing Men of Ohio concert with me the following night because music is a universal language. I thought it would be fun for them to see the performing arts side of OU.

SMO
Li, Pan and Alex, another student from China, came to the concert. I had also met Alex at bowling. I have a picture of him swinging the ball back at the top of my bowling post.
There were a few jokes in the lyrics of the songs that SMO was singing. I would whisper to Alex what they were saying and he would whisper it to Li and Pan. Then the next time they heard the joke or pun in the lyrics they would laugh. I don’t know about the two women, but Alex could hear many of the jokes without my help. I was impressed because it can be pretty difficult to understand singing in a foreign language.
Li, Pan and Alex told me that they enjoyed the concert. I think I'm going to invite them to some events next quarter.

Culture
I know that I have not given you an in depth analysis of the differences between Chinese culture and American culture, but I hope I have provided you with a few interesting facts. It was a little difficult to discuss cultural differences in depth with students who are learning English. I couldn’t always find the right words to explain my questions and they couldn’t always find the right words to answer me. They also seem to stay with other Chinese students, which affects how they view the United States.
Still, I wanted to learn more about cultural differences between China and the U.S. I found an interesting Web site for Chinese students who are going to come to the United States. It shows how behaviors and concepts are different in the United States and China. I also found an article that describes the standards of gift giving in China, because there were some comments about it after my last post.
Kerry a student in the other online journalism fundamentals class is doing a blog on cultural differences. Her blog does not focus on China specifically, but it provides a good depiction of how people from other countries view the U.S.

Living Situation

This year was the first year that OPIE has tried to house most of the participants in one building. Most of the OPIE students live in the residence hall Scott Quadrangle more commonly known as Scott Quad or “The SQ Lounge,” which is what my friends and I called it when we lived there last year. I talked to Krystina Taylor, who is a Resident Assistant there. She was my RA last year in “The SQ Lounge.” Krys is a Spanish major and she also has completed her Teaching English as Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate. The TEFL program consists of a series of five classes that show students how to effectively teach English to non-native speakers.

I wanted to hear her perspective of OPIE students as an RA, but also as someone who knows how to teach English as a foreign language.

Communication

I am not an RA, but I know that it can be a challenging job, and RAs need to be able to communicate with their residents. Krys has studied in Mexico and she said she knows that “lost helpless feeling” when students struggle to communicate, she said. I asked her how she communicates with her residents who have trouble with English.

“You learn how to get around the communication barrier,” she said.

Resident Assistants in Scott Quad do that in a variety of ways. It begins with being patient with residents. Some of the students speak English well and so they can translate for other students from their country. The RAs even have students translate some of the English signs hanging in the dorm into Chinese, so that the Chinese students can understand.

The RAs also focus their programs and activities within the dorm on things that will help international students.

“We try and do more culture based activities,” Krys said.

For example, they set up study tables to help students with their English homework. If students need a study break, they can play Apples to Apples. The game is all about words so it helps with vocabulary and teaches students about popular culture, Krys said.

Adapting

The RAs have had to make other adaptations. It is a different dynamic of students because most of the Chinese students are only children. There are also rules in the dorms that students don’t understand, Krys said.

There are not many problems with alcohol or marijuana like with many American residents, but there are problems with smoking in the building. Krys said that she has to explain over and over again that no one can smoke in the buildings. She caught one of her residents smoking and his punishment was to make a bulletin board about the university’s policies. It is hard for the students to understand this rule because smoking is so popular in China, she said.

In the spring residents of Scott Quad can paint parts of the wall as a fundraiser. One of the OPIE residents saw this and assumed that students could paint the wall anytime. So he painted a graffiti mural on the wall. Because the damage was already done, one of the RAs made him pay for painting the wall.

Krys also said that she receives gifts from the residents all the time. She tells the students that it is part of her job, but they still give her things like fans and scarves from home.

“You learn to expect the unexpected,” Krys said.

Resident Perspective

Krys said that there are a few American students living in Scott Quad and a few more are moving in, but the dorm is comprised of predominately Chinese students and a few international students from other countries. The Chinese students whom I have spoken with said that they talk to the Americans who live in the building; however they have trouble meeting other Americans. I spoke with Li, Jiang Tianchi, Lu and Pan. They have conversation partners, but they don’t meet with them often. They told me that they hang out with their Chinese neighbors and do not see Americans much.