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Q: What isn't being taught in Chiense schools that should be?
Manners.
Visco8:
Yeh sure manners, I totally agree
. The loud yawns, coughing/sneezing with no hand over their mouths etc From the guys & girls!
But, is it the school's/college responsibility? Where did you (all of us) learn basic manners? At home, by our parents!!!
I teach 19-21yr old College students, and it really pisses me off, so I mimic them & say is this a bloody zoo or classroom?? They do kinda get it. But to be really civil...they have to work at it.
Common sense!
Any concept of health and safety (see common sense above)
Kaiwen:
Classic chicken and egg. To introduce common sense into the curriculum would require common sense. Where would the common sense to introduce common sense come from?
Kaiwen:
But asking an ESL teacher to introduce the subject would require common sense, wouldn't it? 
royceH:
And if someone had the common sense to introduce cultural awareness classes the students would be able to understand about as much of that as they would of the ESL class. Which is zero, or close enough to it as not to matter.
So finally what we've got is zero, which is where we started.
The ability to analyze a situation and form your own opinion.
Critical thinking
Creativity
Respsect for other people
English that is actually used to communicate and not Chinglish B.S.
icnif77:
I spoke to Mill's manager (with pretty good English. He was in USA few months) about Chinglish yesterday.
We drove off the big official building (flags and things) with 'CITIZEN HOME' displayed below Chinese characters.
It is PSB building, where Chinese can apply for permits, passport and similar.
It is translation to English from Chinese name of the building. Gov. wants to tell (in Chinese), that this is the place, where residents can apply for Gov. permits, passports, DL and similar..
They translated to English Chinese name of the building (low English level in China).
He understood, English meaning for the building isn't right, but on direction from Beijing Kaifeng had to choose 'pleasant name' for it even in Chinese.
I argued, why they just don't call it Public Security Bureau. He replied, that name is used in big cities as Zhengzhou (40km away), Shanghai, Beijing, but our city is smaller, so Beijing asked them to choose 'light/pleasant name'. It is more 'cultural thing' than wrong English translation.
Same is in Urumqi CMB, where they name 'special assistance' window 'LOVE WINDOW'
, and tellers in the bank all look like Fashion models.
For correct translations, you need person who's fluent in both languages. We lack one Chinese, fluent in English.
Over the years I've been asked many times...'what's the difference between Western Educ & the Chinese system?'
We can go through alot of factors.
But I kinda put it this way: ' In the west we get taught HOW to think ( generally, of course) whereas in China they are taught...WHAT to think!!
I use this answer freqently now when asked this question by many Chinese students. Its succint & they actually get it! More or less....haaa
Hotwater:
I research this a few years ago on a teaching course.
Many basic conclusion on the difference between Chinese and "western" education could be boiled down to two people. Socrates and Confucius! Basically same as you are saying.
Like in most countries - history from the other's perspective.
Logical argumentation - and thus, logical fallacies and how to spot them. (similar to 'critical thinking' above)
Manners.
Visco8:
Yeh sure manners, I totally agree
. The loud yawns, coughing/sneezing with no hand over their mouths etc From the guys & girls!
But, is it the school's/college responsibility? Where did you (all of us) learn basic manners? At home, by our parents!!!
I teach 19-21yr old College students, and it really pisses me off, so I mimic them & say is this a bloody zoo or classroom?? They do kinda get it. But to be really civil...they have to work at it.
That there are other people in the world except for ME ME ME
Tolerance, that people from other races do not exist for the sole purpose of entertaining the simple minded. Staring is rude, so is catcalling. Making rude comments in foreigners' faces is a no no, because increasingly more non-Chinese can also speak Mandarin so don't cry when they kick your ass after you've make rude comments thinking that they couldn't understand.
The basic set of social skills to interact with other people in a "normal" way. As said above catcalling is a no no even if the intention is friendly. Talking to people that you call "friends" with the sole purpose of personal gain is unacceptable, if you want to do business with me, let me know and state your offer. Witholding personal details while investigating on other people is not a good way to gain their trust. Talking about trust there is a strong problem with it in Chinese society.
That the interest of society should prevail above personal greed, China can't have nice things because Chinese always take advantage of any loophole and ruin common goods for their own interest. My city has public bicycles that are constantly being "borrowed" by people who just keep them in their homes instead of returning them to the bicycle station for other people to use them, public bicycle, not your personal bicycle, you get my point.
the ability to engage in a meaningful dialogue with another person that is not just all questions.
English for the purpose of actual communication rather than as a useless mass of grammatical constructs, the use of which they are denied any practical exercise of.
Dignity and confidence.
The ability to shift perspectives can also be trained over time. It is not innate to all personalities, but our 'western' system teaches the need for some basic interpersonal consideration.
RandomGuy:
Yep, confidence and not arrogance, plenty of young Chinese have oversized egos, but that's not confidence, these egos are based on rather shaky facts (e.g. racial or national pride) and are easily crushed, these people also often seek troubles, then go apeshit when faced with the truth because they've lost face.
