In just a few weeks, classes will start, which means that English corner will also start up again. Most schools require foreign teachers to participate in some sort of English corner regularly. The point of English corner is to allow students to practice their English in an environment somewhat less intimidating than in a classroom in front of all of their classmates, while also giving them a chance to ask a native English speaker questions and learn about their country. Because English corners are typically open for any and all students to drop in, you will have lots of repeat questions. Below are a few things you can expect to hear, and how to answer/not answer them.
Basic Information:- Where are you from?
- How long have you been in China?
- Why did you come to China?
- What do you do in your spare time?
- What TV shows/movies do you like?
- What do you like/dislike about China?
These questions make up 80% of English corner and are, obviously, the simplest and easiest questions to answer. DO answer them honestly and briefly, but DON’T get too irritated the 10th time you’re asked any of these. These are the questions most students are comfortable asking, and it may be their first time speaking English to a native speaker – pretty intimidating!
Vague Questions that You Could Spend Hours Answering:- How is America different from China?
- Can you tell me about American culture?
- What is the American education system like?
These questions are real vague and you could spend all of English corner rambling about one – DON’T. DO choose one detail about the question that stands out to you (example – talk about the difference in choosing a major in college) and then open up to the question to the group.
Simple, Curious Questions that will Have You Screaming Internally the 12th Time You Hear Them:- Can you use chopsticks?
- Can you speak Chinese?
- Do you like spicy food?
- How do you eat?
- Do you like NBA? Who is your favorite player?
- Do you have a Chinese boyfriend/girlfriend? (usually followed by “Do you WANT a Chinese boyfriend/girlfriend?”)
I hate these questions, a lot. That being said, it’s not very polite to let your eyes roll out of your head when a, likely, well meaning student asks you any of these. Questions like “Can you use chopsticks?” are my least favorite if a student knows I have been living in China – hello, I LIVE here and am a functional human. “Can you speak Chinese?” is also tricky. Either you don’t speak Chinese and you come off looking like an idiot (never mind that it’s one of the hardest languages in the world) OR you say that you do and English Corner quickly turns into people speaking Chinese asking if you understood and asking you to speak Chinese, even though it is *English* corner. So, DO be prepared for these questions, and DON’T hesitate to ask a new question of your own if it’s really getting frustrating.
Generalizations/Statements That are Not Actually Questions:- I thought all Americans were fat/other stereotypes about your home country
- “Cold water is bad for healthy”
- You are so tall/skinny/fat/white/any other statement about your physical appearance
- I LOVE Justin Bieber/Taylor Swift/Linkin Park/Transformers/Two Broke Girls/various other famous thing you may or not care about.
Again, this is annoying/frustrating. It’s also likely someone’s sincere effort to tell you about themselves or their ideas. DON’T linger on any comments about physical appearance, just acknowledge it (somehow) and move on. With other generalizations, DO ask why. Not only is it a chance to gain some insight on what’s going on in your students’ minds, but it gets them talking and explaining their ideas beyond one finite statement.
Totally Inappropriate Questions that Someone Will Ask Anyway:- Anything about Taiwan/Tibet/Hong Kong (it will probably be about Taiwan)
- Anything about voting/democracy/political participation
Not only are these inappropriate, but the students who are bold enough to ask these questions know that they’re off limits. Someone who is asking these questions, especially in a public setting, is likely trying to press your buttons or get a reaction from you. DON’T react, don’t get on your soapbox, and no matter how tempting it is, don’t get into an argument. It puts everyone involved in an awkward situation and could easily cause someone to lose face.
That being said, simply saying “I won’t answer that” won’t satisfy whoever asked and they may continue to press you and ask WHY you won’t answer the question. DO give an actual answer – I’ve found that the best option is to channel your inner politician and give an answer that didn’t really address anything, didn’t make any definitive political statements, and directed things back to something YOU’RE comfortable talking about. This is an art, but if the current presidential candidates can do it, you definitely can too.
These are just a few of the questions you’ll get at English corner, but you will probably get each of these more than once. Any questions you think would be especially interesting or cringe-worthy? Let me know below!
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