This post describes the weekly class schedules of two of my Oral English classes: English Major 1502 (these are Freshmen, ie 1st year students) and Double Major - International Trade 1403 (2nd year students).
I also asked the students to comment on College life - see tables below.
English Major 1502
I have two Freshman English Major classes this semester: 1502 (15 students) and 1503 (11 students). All girls. I’m used to having much larger classes, so will have to adapt my teaching activities for these smaller numbers.
They have 14 classes (28 contact hours) a week.
Weekly class schedule
for English Major 1502 (Freshmen)
Monday
|
Tuesday
|
Wednesday
|
Thursday
|
Friday
|
|
8 – 9.50am
|
-
|
Computing
|
Comm
English
|
-
|
Comm
English
|
10.10 – 12 noon
|
English listening
|
English reading
|
Comm
English
|
Computing
|
Comm English
|
2 – 3.50pm
|
Chinese culture
|
Oral English
(my class)
|
-
|
PE
|
-
|
4.10 – 6pm
|
Marxism
|
-
|
-
|
Marxism
|
-
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7 – 8.50pm
|
-
|
-
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Military history
|
-
|
-
|
Notes:
Comm English = Communicative English. Apparently this is a combination of reading,
writing, listening and speaking. Purpose is to ensure that students don’t only know the
theory, but can actually communicate in English.
The textbook for English Reading this semester is “Stories
from the Bible”.
Chinese culture, Military history and computing are taught
in Chinese language, the other subjects are all taught in English (by Chinese
teachers, except Oral English which I teach them).
Freshman students attend a ‘seminar’ 8 – 9.50am on Saturday
mornings, to discuss various aspects of College life.
All Freshman students do 18 days of full-time ‘military
training’ when they start university.
The National Day holiday was Week 4, so their academic studies actually
started in Week 5. From Week 6 to 12
they all have to get up at 6am and do 30 minutes jogging around the campus.
About half the students said that English was not their
first choice – most wanted to do finance/trade-related subjects – but their Gao
Kao scores were not high enough to get them into other majors.
Some comments about “college life” (Freshmen)
English name
|
Comments on “College life”
|
Iris
|
College is very different from High School. The 18 days of military training were
tough. We are busy and face various new situations every day. But overall I
am positive about this new life.
|
Aurora
|
My teachers all talked up college life and I dreamt about it. But it’s not nearly as easy or relaxed as I
expected. Actually, I have difficulty
finding my way around this big campus, and often get lost.
|
Sally
|
I don’t like college – really miss my family – and I find English
totally boring. The military training
was a drag and a waste of time.
|
Alice
|
This is the first time I have lived in a dormitory. At first I found it uncomfortable sharing a
small room with 5 strangers; but now I’m getting used to it, and am enjoying
making new friends from all over China.
|
Jasmin
|
It’s too busy – we always seem to be running from one class to the
next. Studying English is difficult. I miss my family, especially my mother -
I’ve got to wash my own clothes now!
|
Evelyn
|
I’ve been going to sleep around 1am, and then have to get up at 6am
to go jogging. I feel tired all the time. The military training was hard, but
I was able to makes several new friends so that was good.
|
Julie
|
I am very busy. Apart from our classes we have to attend many
meetings (such as the Volunteer Group which I joined). The Freshman will put
on a concert next week, and we are busy rehearsing for that show.
|
Chany
|
I volunteered to be the class monitor (captain), and am busy from the
time I get up to when I fall into bed.
Sometimes I don’t even have time to eat.
|
Kelly
|
I hate getting up at 6am to run, and I hate climbing up 5 floors for
classes. Also, the food isn’t great –
I found an insect in one of the dishes last week. Still, I think college life
will be colourful and interesting, but not perfect.
|
Penny
|
I don’t like the communal shower, where we have to be naked in front
of all the other girls. I’m from
Sichuan and miss hot and spicy food. But my dorm-mates are nice, the weather
is nice, and the teachers are nice.
|
Alyssa
|
We are almost as busy here as we were in High School. I found the
military training hard, learning to march for 10 hours a day. Now I don’t like having to get up at 6am to
do exercise. But I love your oral English class (she’ll get on!).
|
Ivana
|
It’s my first time living in a dormitory and we have to use the shared toilet and washroom on each floor. I now realise how comfortable my home was, where I had my
own bedroom. But my dorm-mates are nice and it’s making me learn how to get
along with people.
|
I asked them for their recollections of doing the Gao Kao -
the National College Entrance Exam – which they took on 7 & 8 June 2015, at the end
of their 3rd year of Senior High School. Here are some
of their comments.
Recollections of the
Gao Kao, June 2015 (almost 5 months ago for these students).
Iris
|
The last year leading up to the Gao Kao was a
nightmare. Just study, study, and more
study. We only had one night off a
fortnight. By the end of the first day of the Gao Kao I was mentally and physically
exhausted; don’t know how I got through the second day. When it was over I slept for 24 hours.
|
Aurora
|
I lived in a dormitory and it was study from early morning
to late at night every day. We’d wake
at 5am to wash, then do some exercise and reading. Breakfast at 6.30m. In
classroom by 7am for private study.
Class started at 8am. 12 noon lunch, then a nap. 2pm more classes.
5.30pm dinner, then self-study from 6 – 10.30pm. Lights out at 11pm. Crazy
schedule.
|
Ivana
|
I try not to think about that last year of High
School. Intense pressure to
study. We had regular ‘practice exams’
based on previous Gao Kao papers which added to the stress.
|
Alyssa
|
The last year of High School, leading up to the Gao Kao,
was a torment, but in a strange way I miss it. We were all in the same boat, which gave us
a strong feeling of friendship and togetherness.
|
Chany
|
It was awful, so much pressure. I grew to hate those text books and never
want to see them again. There must be a better way of achieving our dreams
than going through that torture.
|
 |
| Students in English Major 1502. They are Freshmen (1st year). My first all-girl class. From left: Kelly Mo Ya Qi; Ivana Sun Yan; Carol Li Le Nan; Sylvia Wu You; me; Aurora Chen Li Min; Penny Xiao Yue; Leighton Zhang Yi Fan; Alyssa Yang Lu Yao; Sabrina Liao Si Qi; Iris Yu Lu Yao; Chany Chu Ya Xin; Alice Yin Ya Ting; Violet Qu Ya Nan; Jasmin Wang Mi; Sally Xing Lu Yuan. |
Double Major - International Trade 1403
I have a combined class of Oral English with Double Major/International Trade classes 1403 and 1404. These are Sophomores (ie, in second year). 32 students in total.
These are Double Major students so will end up with two degrees: International Trade and English.
Double Major students have a very busy schedule, with 25 classes (50 contact hours) a week. They are also expected to take at least one optional class, usually held on Saturday afternoon or taken online. Optional subjects include: Physics; Career planning; Internet; Architecture; Deportment; First aid; etc
I really don’t know how they manage – they have classes from 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday. When do they do homework/study? When do they socialise and relax?
Weekly schedule for
Double Major/International Trade 1403
Monday
|
Tuesday
|
Wed
|
Thursday
|
Friday
|
Saturday
|
|
8 – 9.50am
|
Oral English
(my class)
|
Comm English
|
English listening
|
English writing
|
Comm English
|
Western Culture
|
10.10 – 12 noon
|
Marketing
|
Comm English
|
Inter Trade
|
Inter Trade
|
Comm English
|
-
|
2 – 3.50pm
|
Math
|
Marketing
|
PE
|
Math
|
English Translation
|
-
|
4.10 – 6pm
|
Marxism
|
Economics
|
English Translation
|
English Literature
|
-
|
-
|
7 – 8.50pm
|
Inter Trade
|
English writing
|
Marxism
|
Economics
|
English technical reading
|
-
|
Notes:
Comm English = Communicative English. Apparently this is a combination of reading,
writing, listening and speaking to ensure that students don’t only know the
theory, but can actually communicate in English.
Inter Trade = International Trade.
I asked them what they thought of their college life
now. Here are some of their comments.
Comments about
College life (2nd year Double Major students)
Bob
|
I’ve made many new friends, including some foreign
students. We have fun sometimes by
going to dinner and KTV. I was in a student club, but had to leave it - just too busy with all the Double Major classes.
|
Lisa
|
Our High School teachers said that College would be easy
and everyone has a boyfriend. But the
double major course is very busy and I haven’t found a boyfriend yet. I
attend so many classes every day, but sometimes at the end of the week I wonder what I have actually learnt?
|
Cathy
|
College life is certainly different from High School and
I’ve made many new friends. I have
many classes, but often feel that a lot of what we are learning is not really
practical or useful. I was in a Student Association, but now that I am the
class monitor, I have had to give up all extra activities.
|
Spring
|
I have four wonderful dorm-mates who have brought me out
of my shell. I feel pretty optimistic
about the future.
|
Toni
|
Things are good and bad this semester. I am learning a lot, but doing a Double
Major is so busy. I have to get up
early every day, and sometimes get jealous when my room-mates can sleep in.
|
Enya
|
High School was boring, just studying the same old things
time and again. But here we do so many
different subjects, it’s busy but stimulating. It’s good to challenge
ourselves. Like the others, I have resigned from various student Associations
because there is just not enough time – pity.
|
Celina
|
College is like living in a village where everyone is kind
and nice. But of course the real world
is different. Making friends is important, and we can do that here. I would have loved to study another
language, such as French or Spanish, but the Double Major course is too busy
and doesn’t allow time for other interests.
|
 |
| Students in Double Major/International Trade 1403. My Oral English class is 1403 and 1404 combined (total 32 students). From left:Nancy Ren Cui Cui; Vivian An Wei Wei; Celina Chen Hong Jing; Don Wang Liang Jie; Bob Zhang Pei Liang; Russo Wang Ruo Xi; me; Cathy Lu Yi; Toni Liu sha; Spring Zhou Chun Yan; Lisa Zong Yan Yan; Angie Wang Hui Min; Enya Liu Ya Nan; Kira Zhang Xiao Yi (Absent: Sherry Xian Hui). |
