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Q: Chinese student wants to study English Literature at American college?! Is she delusional?
As stated in the question, this student wants to study English Literature in the USA. Have you ever come across this before? Would you see this as a realistic goal for her to set? I personally think that she probably has no idea about what she's actually signed up for...
8 years 17 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - China
Why not? !
kasuka91:
You guys raise valid points, but even in those cases where you get non-Chinese students studying Chinese literature, the course in itself usually has a unique structure. Alot of the time the course in Chinese literature is offered at a non-Chinese university with most of the students ranging from a diverse mix of nationalities. I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but the idea of a foreigner with no real connections to China, ie Chinese heritage, Chinese-speaking relatives going to read a degree in Chinese literature among other Chinese (no other foreigners, 100% taught in Putonghua) in China is new, to say the least right?
Not any odd person can do that type of thing, why shouldn't it apply to this student who wishes to study English literature in the States?
coineineagh:
I love it! "Why not?“ ”You guys raise valid points..." it reminds me of that South Park episode with the Bloods and the Crips: "Come on." "Yeah man, he's right. Come on."
I heard about a chinese student who went to america and took a subject about Chinese literature because she thought it would be easy. She failed.
Apparently she wasn't capable of analyzing anything other than the pima face plot.
Your student is delusional unless she is one of the mysterious 0.00000001%
She'd best get going on the Norton Anthology of Literature...
I reckon she'll be ready for first-year lit courses by the time she turns 80.
Why not? !
kasuka91:
You guys raise valid points, but even in those cases where you get non-Chinese students studying Chinese literature, the course in itself usually has a unique structure. Alot of the time the course in Chinese literature is offered at a non-Chinese university with most of the students ranging from a diverse mix of nationalities. I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but the idea of a foreigner with no real connections to China, ie Chinese heritage, Chinese-speaking relatives going to read a degree in Chinese literature among other Chinese (no other foreigners, 100% taught in Putonghua) in China is new, to say the least right?
Not any odd person can do that type of thing, why shouldn't it apply to this student who wishes to study English literature in the States?
coineineagh:
I love it! "Why not?“ ”You guys raise valid points..." it reminds me of that South Park episode with the Bloods and the Crips: "Come on." "Yeah man, he's right. Come on."
I am sure she knows what she is doing. I have met non chinese studying Chinese literature so why not in the reverse?
Nothing wrong with this idea... but it is extremely difficult to study English Lit since Chinese students have not yet been taught to analyze and one has to have a very good understanding and knowledge of the English language.
However, I know of a Chinese student who has studied German Lit and even graduated with honors! You never know...
OP has sign ''I'm an 'merican'' written all over his forehead with this post.
'Never think, you're irreplaceable' is my thingy......
icnif77:
Why are you surprised that Chinese is going to study US Literature then? Because, you tried yourself and it was too difficult?
I had brilliant student last semester on IELTS prep. By the end of semester I gave them HW to pick 5 Western Universities or Western English prep schools, which they would like to attend.....
He picked few Schools in Quebec.....and this Semester, he isn't in IELTS/International class anymore, but he's learning first steps in French language..
I'm not sure, when he'll depart to Quebec, most likely very soon (before Autumn). His studies abroad are/will be sponsored by Chinese Gov.
At my classes, he was determined to achieve Band 6 or higher, and I introduced him to Focus English, which he studied by himself.
It never crossed my mind, his Quebec venture will be unsuccessful.
How could I determine that, before I've seen his Quebec grades or exam papers?
That's where my conclusion, that you are full of yourself comes from.
Shining_brow:
"At my classes, he was determined to achieve Band 6 or higher,"
No offense dude, but that's not really raising the bar very high! Especially since minimum entry requirements for most OS universities is around that score.
icnif77:
@kas: Count 'Why not?' comments, and ask yourself about 'interesting' or ''big-'ben''!
@Shinning: He was/is the most determined student last year. After, I told them minimum score for student visa grants and Uni admittance is 5.5, he replied he won't be happy with anything below 6. Student, who always asks for some learning additions, beside the course.
"Delusional"... why?
Sure, for the vast majority of students here, it would be.
But then, for the vast majority of students, they don't want to do literature.
She may well be one of those exrtemely small percentages of students who is going to be really good at what she does with her language studies.
The OP post misses one thing - any indication of the student's current English ability.
I think ppl here need to just step back and stop being so egocentric. (and stupid).
There ARE very good language learners in China. There are some excellent linguists. Just because the vast majority - who are forced into learning English, and who see English as the default 'shop' class or university course - doesn't mean that they all suck!
kasuka91:
I don't really see where the egocentricity is on my part, I'm just putting forward a blunt assessment of it all. It definitely can happen, but yeah, the chances are slim, very slim.
As for her level of English, it seemed okay but clearly wasn't at the level where the thought of her planning to study English literature at an English-speaking university wouldn't surprise me. Essentially, she didn't strike me as someone with excellent English.
They're out there, in fact, I know of one Chinese girl who is planning to study law in Boston who would scrub up quite well in a degree in English literature at most foreign universities. However, she reads heavily into philosophy, at one point wanted to become a writer (in English) and can comfortably converse with me about the concept of solipsism in English. In other words, there's not much of her to share around here in China. Strangely enough, she's actually a college dropout.
Shining_brow:
The ego of 'our language is so much harder for them to understand'. most on here have bought into it.
English is tough in the beginning (grammar, rules, spellings, etc), and we have a lot of idiomatic language (as do all languages).. but after mastering the basics of the grammar and style, it's not that much of an issue!
AS for your college drop-out... are you surprised? Many who are into philosophy and deep thought would be drop-outs of our own countries, where free thought is more readily accepted. Here, it'd be a surprise if she stayed in, given the conformity that is expected
kasuka91:
Yep, I agree with you there, never really viewed English as much more difficult than many other languages either. However, for a speaker of a language which comes from a completely different language family to that of English and probably isn't fluent in our language to begin with, to want to study a degree which requires such a rich understanding of that language, maybe even more so than the average native speaker of that country, is ambitious to say the least right?
I guess that I was just more surprised at how awesome her English was than anything else tbh lol
Apologies for my notoriously long sentences. I'm kind of in a rush 
My wife could do it I reckon. It would be hard but she's a hard worker and her English is great. A real 'pull yourself up by your boot-straps' story. Poor start but grafted for years and made every scholarship. Even won a couple of national English speaking competitions. She could do it.
kasuka91:
Nice, get her on board mate! I'm sure that it'd be quite a challenging, but fulfilling experience for her.
Not any more than the other students who try Brit Lit. In fact, I'd say she probably has a better chance than the Americans trying it.
It's hard. I majored in English at an average American university and the first thing you study is Brit Lit, starting with old English, then moving through middle with Shakespeare, Chauncer, etc, and then modern and American English. And of course I know far more English Literature than most Britons. I hope you didn't discourage her...
How dare anyone choose a major outside of the STEM field! Stone her!
