Imitative Writing

 With the introductory statement that almost any subject could be included in this Blog, I have decide to share part of a conversation with an overseas senior student about T.E.S.L., and encourage, perhaps, controversial comment. 

Hi;

I knew that it would be hard to change the subject from “Teaching”.  But I’ve been reading through earlier comments and this one escaped my reply,:

“I focus on writing in my class. I usually ask my students to write short passages, like imitative writing. They like to do it and they gradually become more confident in English. I think it works well. And the class becomes not so tiring for me.?”

Note:  (a). The British have been teaching English for hundreds of years. 

(b)  I studied T.E.S.L. at a Canadian college. 

(c). I’m wearing my boring teacher's hat instead of my humorous penpal hat. 

Imitative writing is just copying … a chimpanzee can do that.  Write in early Egyptian hieroglyphs and they can do that equally well, but they’ll not become fluent in Arabic … only how to copy meaningful characters, without understanding the meaning.  Of course, “they like to do it”.  They’re just kids.

Also, thousands of books have been written on this subject, and most end up with concern for fluency.  In China, those books are published by the Propaganda Department of the CCP and do not contribute to a fluent use of the language.  Even the renowned Oxford University Press is based in Hong Kong!  Did you know that?  

There was an English Language Competition on CCTV whose hosts were British/Chinese from BBC TV, together with a Canadian called Dashan (I think).  They were the only Chinese, that I ever knew who were “fluent”.  

[My friend], don’t be annoyed.  I am very (very) aware that you are just following the “book”.  It must be extremely frustrating.  

I’ll finish, as I often do, with a humorous example.  Imagine the U.S. removing all the Chinese teachers of Chinese, ruling that Chinese must be taught by American teachers. [China has, in fact, dismissed all foreign teachers].  Take this idea to Europe and rule that the French language must be taught by German teachers, etcetera.  I may be displaying humour, but it’s very (very) serious humour.  

Bernie

Snippets 16 (a), (b) & (c)

 When there appears to be more than one item of serious interest each day, it seemed that this format is suitable -- I hope that you agree, and follow with comments.

U.S. Secretary of State - Michael R. Pompeo

(a)  U.S. capitals on edge for armed protests as Trump presidency nears end.

“The FBI warned police agencies of possible armed protests outside all 50 state capitol buildings starting Saturday through President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20, fueled by supporters of President Donald Trump who believe his false claims of electoral fraud.”

“The scramble followed the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington by a mix of extremists and Trump supporters …. “

Toronto Sun

[Linking “armed protests” to President Trump is fake news.  Writing that the peaceful protesters were “armed” instead of saying “extremists” is, again, fake news.  The President’s claims of a conspiracy of electoral fraud are absolutely not false.  Finally, “extremists” deliberately wearing MAGA hats, until proven, are not “supporters.”]

(b)  Pompeo: The “True Face” of the CCP Has Been Exposed.

“We took our eyes off this enormous threat and now — it’s now upon us, it’s now inside the gates, the Chinese Communist Party is here in America.”

The Epoch Times

(c)  Over 432,000 Votes Removed From Trump in Pennsyvania, Data Scientists Say.

“We did not see the same type of negative decrements to any of the candidates that we saw with President Trump’s tallies, and they happened repeatedly with no explanation.”

Data Integrity Group

Snippet 14 -- China Ties to US Riots Exposed

BY ELLA KIETLINSKA & TREVOR LOUDON

Most of the riots that racked the United States within the last few months were organized by two socialist organizations which have close ties with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), said Trevor Loudon, author, and filmmaker, who has been researching radical and terrorist groups and their covert influence on mainstream politics for more than 30 years.

The Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) based out of Minneapolis, an openly pro-CCP organization, and Bay Area-based Liberation Road, with very close ties to the Chinese consulate there and the Chinese Progressive Association (CPA), are behind the recent riots, Loudon said in a recent interview on Epoch Times’ Crossroads program.

Total article click here.

Religion 9 - Religion or Cult?

Like, so many people, I have been involved in private conversations regarding the question of fundamental Islam.  While conversation can be interesting, it is limiting in individual scope, such that I felt the need to expand the specific subject of cultism to an Internet discussion amongst my circle of friends, et al.

Thus, this Blog discussion desires your participation.

Obviously, there was, initially, a conversation regarding the development of ‘Daesh’ (A derogative term for the illegitimate organization called ISIL), that changed its focus into the question defining a cult.

One friend introduced a suggestion that the numbers of asylum seekers from the Middle East into Canada should be reduced to 10,000 per year and, then, balanced by increasing the numbers of Asians (Specifically from India and China) on the basis that Asian people had a historic antipathy towards Muslims.  India’s democratic government allows Islam to flourish ... for the moment.  China’s Marxist (Communist) government, otherwise described as “democratic with Chinese characteristics”, seems able ... at the moment, to avoid fundamental Islamic problems.  In fact, in my opinion, there is no fundamental Islamic problem in China.  The whole Muslim culture is a problem according to the government.  It seems that many countries believe that China is correct on this question.

The subject became one of cultism by suggesting that China itself was a cult society.  I had to disagree with this misrepresentation.  China, as a Communist country, bans all forms of religion (Other than that mismanaged by the CCP) and this creates a belief, to the outsider, that religion thrives underground in small groups resembling cults.  In my experience, most Chinese people are very spiritual, almost naive (As may be observed at any Buddhist temple) but not religious in a Christian sense.

Thus, there was a statement that Islam is a cult, to which I disagree.  ‘Daesh’ on the other hand, could be described as a cult, because of its religious veneration, sinister practices, misplaced admiration for a particular person, and being fashionable among a particular section of society.

Now, therefore, the question extends to Christianity, is it also a cult?  I believe that, even though there are small cults within Christianity, it is a religion ... Islam too.  On the other hand, Buddhism would, more accurately, be defined a cult (It does not believe in superhuman controlling powers).

Should cults be banned?  Are we all religious in one way or another, or simply spiritual?  Is it a matter of defining terms?

Please join the conversation.

Education 6 - GCSE and the Chinese Language

Foreign language learning is an interesting subject at the best of times, notwithstanding the misunderstanding between a foreign and a second language.  But, I find the examination of foreign language courses quite thought-provoking.

For some time, I have been studying language schools in the U.K.  At least, those progressive schools that include the Chinese language within their curriculum.

As with many European schools, the emphasis of ‘academia’ and ‘language’ is to resist change for various reasons.  In the U.K., French and German are popular with both teachers and students because of the relationship of their shared origins.  In other words, they are easy.  But, if one raises one’s head to look, globally, it is not difficult to notice the increasing Chinese presence.  Business is beginning to notice this but, unfortunately, many schools have not ... yet.

All schools teach the French language, just as they did 60 years ago when I was at school.  Interestingly, not as a foreign language but, just because ... “we always have”.  The German language may be introduced in sixth grade for the same reason, together with Spanish (For some obscure reason).  But the slow acceptance of introducing Chinese is narrow-minded.

Originally, the Chinese language was not part of the GCSE and, fortunately, that has changed.  But, recently, I have noticed that some schools are teaching the Cantonese dialect instead of Mandarin.  Cantonese was the language of Hong Kong and may be heard in most Chinese restaurants, but even in Hong Kong today the CCP mandates the use of Mandarin.  Therefore, one wonders if some schools feel that their students will rarely visit China preferring, instead, to visit the local Chinese restaurant.

There is something to be said for the influence of the Confucius Institutes.

Politics 1 - Why Does The CCP Survive?

Are the Chinese people affected by myths that surround their understanding of the Communist Party of China?  Let us examine that hypothesis.

An entire generation has grown up since the 4th June, 1989, a date etched on the minds of all people.  Yet, today, the country remains paralyzed under the iron grip of oppressive rule.

The government has not only failed to make any real political changes, but is now repressing dissidents more severely, such that we must wonder whether a revolution is possible soon.  Are the Egyptians, Libyans, etc., more courageous than the Chinese?

Deng Xiaoping chose to create a path leading to economic development, and the people have been bought by this economic liberalization.  He was very perceptive in securing one-party rule by promising prosperity in exchange for people’s political rights.

The Party has built a huge propaganda machine, which is used to mislead and confuse people.  There are two aspects of this;  It makes people believe that the Party alone has brought prosperity, rather than the people’s skill and hard work.  It promotes the idea that the country would be lost and in total confusion without the Party, creating a fear of chaos, forgetting that the Party has been the root of chaos during the past sixty years.

Deng has been quoted as saying, “Nip the dissident voice in the bud.”  And, now, the current leader, has not only continued Deng’s policy, but has developed additional means of creating terror.

World pro-democracy leaders believe that the Party can be reformed, and that dialogue is the way to deal with the problem, but this displays a limited understanding of the Party, by hoping that changes may happen from internal influences.

Is there any hope?  Of course there is but, first, we must do away with these myths.  In other words, China’s economic development is not due to the Communist Party.

Taiwan and Hong Kong created economic success for themselves decades ago ... without the assistance of a communist government.  Russians and Eastern Europeans have removed communist rule without any chaos.  It is quite humorous to hear that the leaders believe that China has a democratic system of government with a harmonious society, but a system with “Chinese characteristics”.

It is now the turn of the Chinese people, the ordinary people, to heed the words of a famous Greek philosopher, “The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom is courage”.

I was emboldened to write this piece, and gratefully acknowledge a similar piece by Cao Changqing, a political commentator in the U.S., as it occurred to me that the content of his original comments would not survive the Chinese ‘firewall’.  Perhaps, my own comment will suffer the same fate.