University of Nanking - Linguist Yearbook (Nanking, China)

Page 95 text:

92 THE LINGUIST The pace for the day's' study is set by the Chinese teacher' who presents the new words orally to the students. Chia Sain Sen, our Principal, cleverly and energetically presents the new words by the use of acting, story. gesture and only in terms ofthe words previously learned. Students repeat phrase by phrase the Chinese sentences spoken by the teacher. At no time is English resorted to except at the end of the new word class when the Dean, C. S. Keen, clears up any misunderstanding and writes on the board the phoneti- cized new words for copying in note books. Then when the sounds are still fresh in the students' minds they are rehearsed audibly under the leadership of a qualified teacher until their pronunciation and use become habitual. In the review classes and in the. conferences with the individual teachers no- Chinese teacher is permitted to introduce into the reviewing any word that has not been previously given in the new word classes.- Certainly a remarkable discipline. In the conversation classes the student is made to construct sentences in reply to questions in Chinese. The sentence is the minimum unit. The consistent following of these simple principles prepares the student in an academic year to understand and use--if imperfectly at times--most of the common idioms of the spoken language. The course in Chinese is continued for five years, the first year in residence at the Language School and thereafter at the stuclent's station, by correspondence and the use of a private teacher. The Chinese spoken language is terse, forceful, logical and beautiful, but it is difficult. Given a right attitude, however. proper conditions and modern trained teachers it would seem that any intelligent person with the patience to apply himself may acquire such degreeof progress in the use of the Chinese language as will enable him to express himself with acceptance to the Chinese as well as with some small satisfaction to himself. C. S. K. W. C. L. ,

Page 94 text:

LEARNING CHINESE 91 LEARNING CHINESE The Chinese language has the reputation of being very difficult to learn. The difficulty has been exaggerated. Consider that a quarter ofthe inhabitants of the globe speak one or another dialect of Chinese, and the vast majority of these people are illiterates. As a pre-requisite to the study ofChinese, students must free their minds of this prejudice. But nothing is gained by underestimating the seriousness of the task. The Chinese language offers one of the greatest intellectual challenges that ever confronted a keen-minded student. In the early days the method oi learning Chinese from a private teacher was universally employed. The private teacher served the best that he knew, but he was unacquainled with the scientific methods of pedagogy. His day is largely over for starting a student in the knowledge of Chinese. A new clay has arrived. The Language School at Nanking has put into use practically all the tested pedagogical methods of teaching spoken language, In a word the direct or natural method is used. It attempts to make it possible for the student to acquire the language as the native does. It is in harmony with the latest findings of psychological research and experiment. It is limited in its application only by the ingenuity of the teacher. The teacher is the crux of the language study. And it has taken years to discover this fact. It has remained for the child to point the way. The program of the numerous classes, new word class, review, individual teacher, group conversation, writing and public speaking classes .is designed to throw about the student those conditions that a child faces in learning its mother tongue. But while the principles are simple the methods are varied and often complex, five hours per day in close association with Chinese trained teachers who will speak no English soon does wonders for the student. The danger of monotony is overcome by weekly reversal of classes and by a rotation of individual teachers.

Page 96 text:

THE DAILY CHAPEL SERVICE 93 THE DAILY CHAPEL SERVICE ouiz nENoM1NA'r1oN AL -'MEL'r1No Por Aside from helping us begin our day aright, the daily Chapel service is one of the greatest factors in the promulgation of harmonious fellowship among the students. This service brings us into a verit- able forum where the numerous and inevitable problems are often helpfully solved by the rich experiences of those older in the Service who have forcefully and eloquently attested to the riches of grace in Christ Jesus. One could no more afford to be absent from Chapel than from the New Words class, for this period of quiet morning worship is, in very reality, another kind of New Words class. From the lips and hearts of the students and distinguished Veterans in the Service whom we are privileged to have visit us occasionally, come messages which guide and sustain, as well as inspire and challenge us to a better fulfillment of our task. u - The business of being a Missionary is an enormous realityy intertwined with as many problems as there are temperaments, there- fore we are very grateful for the many helpful solutions which set us aright in our thinking and strengthen our hearts for the task. The ideals which motivated our coming to China are held aloft in these Tervices and we are constantly reminded of our great purpose in this and. VVho could express our gratitude for the insight of Chinese religious thot as given to us by such earnest and prominent Chinese Christians as Dr, Herman Liu, Pastor Ding Li May and Dr. Timothy lliu? Tho engaged in different fields of work, they each one emphas- 1SQCl the necessity of training Chinese leaders so effectually that they be able to direct the affairs of the Chinese Church according to Chinese conception. Urging the cultivation of Chinese friendships and a more intimate knowledge of the Chinese people in their home life, Miss Rachel Lee, a charming and 'cultured Chinese girl of Nanking., bespoke for her-own people the joy which she has had in her friendships with foreigners. We would not know where to begin or end were we to attempt to present to our readers the thots which have come from those who have given years of faithful service to the land of their adoption. Time and space do not permit of such a review but we want to share with you some of the especially helpful messages. Miss Rouzee of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, a brilliant and eloquent exponent of the Bible now teaching many classes m Nanlcing, stressed the necessity of a Philosophy of Religion--a philosophy which would makelour lives radiant. Bishop Birney of the M. E. Conference, whom we so love to have visit us made this stabilizing point in one of his messages, V At times one's life is God' centered but ,it very easily becomes self-centered, therefore it bee hooves onealways to place God at the center of one's life. Dr.