Mandarin For “Dummies” – A Proposal
Way back in junior high school, I had read an article which profiled the skill sets of students admitted into Ivy League universities, most notably Harvard and Yale. It was determined that a significant number of Ivy bound American kids had learned Mandarin, a language that was, as the article conveyed, reserved for only the smartest of youngsters, those shining stars who had been destined for academic elitism since birth. As I had perceived it, Mandarin- like Harvard or Yale- was definitely not in the cards for people like me.
But, truth be told, my preteen life was showing signs of hope. I’d moved up in the world, no longer confined to the “retard room” with a thick stack of gray tracing paper, a gum-slapping aide and a hydroencephalitic boy who drooled constantly. In fact, I’d been placed into a gifted program, where I was instead encouraged to dream up inventions, classify rocks, and attempt socializing with a few other “special” youngsters. I was also scribbling poems, reams of them, for in-class recitation. Still, I was a gangly, left-handed thumb-sucker and a behavioral nightmare from a broken, chaotic home in an isolated town. I was also attempting to compensate, in the worst ways possible, for a learning hurdle which was initially known as “she can’t write” and much later revealed to me as “a form of dyslexia.” No way would I ever go to college. No way would I learn Chinese.
In 2010, most of us hopefully know that those who are labeled learning-disabled or behaviorally challenged- whether it be autism, ADHD, dyslexia, OCD, etc.- aren’t necessarily “dummies” or “disabled” at all. In many cases, it’s just the opposite. For instance, one family relative of mine has Aspergers, and while he may not be able to hold down a good job or lengthy conversation at this point in his life (although I believe otherwise), he can take apart your entire computer and put it back together again with incredible speed. He is, by some measures, a genius. So, it is 2010, and we are evolved, aware human beings now, right? Back in the late 1980s, not so much.
High school, as the saying goes, was torture. By eleventh grade I was batting straight Fs, earned the most in-school suspensions in my class, and had already enjoyed a vacation at a boot camp for troubled youth. Things quickly went from bad to worse. By senior year, I’d been kicked out of my father’s house and was informed quite directly that I would likely not graduate with my class- or at all…
It took one random person to believe otherwise- a retired teacher who single-handedly pulled me toward that diploma- and my life began to turn around. Under his tutelage, I developed new systems of learning in the quiet of a library while being encouraged to focus less on my shortcomings and more on my strengths. Against the odds, I graduated with my high school class while living independent of my parents and working full-time. Still, college was definitely not happening. And Chinese? I’d probably have better luck digging a hole to Beijing.
As life would have it, I made it to college- albeit a few years later than some of my peers and not without bumps along the way- excelling across the board while working as a bartender and writing tutor in Manhattan. The irony. It was in college, at a public university, that I decided to give the “Ivy-league only” Mandarin Chinese a try- a language that had appealed to me as kaleidoscopic symphony, an opera of angles and lines. And, much like the poetry I had grown up reading and reciting, Mandarin felt instantly right. It calmed anxieties, fueled curiosity and, within my personal framework of learning, made perfect sense. Sure, Mandarin was very difficult for me- I’m still struggling to learn it. But, I could never say the same about French. French was impossible. Eventually, I made the move to China and then, to grad school. In Mandarin, as in poetry, I had finally found my own path through memory, cadence and tone. Through the rhythm of a character.
Much like other common learning disabilities, dyslexics are visual thinkers who have a unique relationship to sound and an ability to perceive using all of the senses. Right-brained people in general are known to be visual-spatial learners- unfortunately, they are also the ones who most frequently live with negative labels attached to their minds. It is also often said that dyslexics have great difficulty processing language. But, if you consider it another way, that assumption would have to depend solely on the context in which “language” is defined. For instance, if language is conveyed in rhythm and metaphor- like it is in Dickinson’s “Hope is a Thing of Feathers,”- a dyslexic or other learning-disabled person may come away with a very rich and uncommon understanding of the poem itself. I would also argue that the same applies with Chinese- a language revealed in a series of logographs, delivered like a poem or a song.
If it wasn’t for that retired high-school teacher who had encouraged the exploration of possibility instead of insisting that I be and do like everyone else, I probably never would have made it to college. Come to think of it, I probably wouldn’t have made it to thirty. And, if it wasn’t for gravitating toward two unlikely subjects- Mandarin and poetry- I certainly wouldn’t have continued on to China, to grad school and… at some point in the future… hopefully…a doctorate. I love learning now. Lately, I’ve been thinking about this narrative a lot- it is one that has managed to define my life before, now, and after. In doing so, I often find myself considering the kids out there today who, even in 2010, may find themselves living under names like “learning disabled” or “special” or “dumb” or “crazy” or “hopeless.” Where will they end up? Will they all be as fortunate as I have been?
It is more than apparent that we need to boost our Mandarin programs in this country. But, who are the BEST candidates to actually grasp the language and stick with it? Is it the so-called Ivy League-bound Einsteins hidden away at $40,000 a year prep schools? Or, the overachieving math whizzes in Sucktown, USA? Or, could it be the kid with Aspergers or dyslexia or autism- the kid who thinks in pictures and remembers in pitch? I don’t have the answer, nor could I find a single study examining the correlation between right-brained, so-called learning disabled individuals and their ability to comprehend Mandarin or at least, their ability to like studying it (the second point- to like Mandarin- is very important). What if we threw those kids a few Chinese characters instead of simplifying their options both in school and in life? What if we gave it a shot, the old college try? What if we’re confusing ineptitude with aptitude?
Who knows what’s possible?
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Update 2/2/10
There appears to be some promise to my tentative conclusion. Check out this study from 1971, “American Children with Reading Problems Can Easily Learn to Read English Represented by Chinese Characters”. It is, however, the only concrete research that I’ve been able to find so far. Dissertation, anyone?
Great post.
After studying Japanese and Chinese, taking linguistic classes, and teaching English for two years in both China and Taiwan, I noticed the way we teach languages can be demeaning and discouraging to adolescents and adults. The ego plays an important role in language learning, which is one of the reasons why children are so apt at picking up another linguistic set. The result of frustrating students is that less people attempt learning another language and ultimately say “I’m not any good at learning languages.”
I think there’s a way to bridge this gap using rhythm, kinetic movement, and technology that allows students to learn the way their brain processes and removes the need for unnecessary vocabulary/phrase patterns. As a gamer, I’ve been looking at the way previous language games have failed and how touch screens in the home can bring new ways to teach and learn. I think there’s a realm of untapped possibilities just on the horizon!
Oh Aimee, what a path! I so empathise. Though I studied Chinese with a bunch of privileged ivy league kids, I really didn’t fit in with them, and I must say that some of them had an incredibly difficult time with it, so much so that it was painful to be in classes with them, in spite of their amazing academic and family backgrounds. I love your proposal!
A beautiful story amidst the flow …
loved your story and think you have great hopes and ideas. just wishing you would stop calling it the retard room. as the mom of a child who does have an intellectual disability, I just think the word retard is dehumanizing to my child.
@mike
Dear Mike,
Thanks much for your comment and apologies if you were offended by my reference. Your point is well taken and I have decided to remove the second instance in the last paragraph. The reason I call it the “retard room” in this post- and in quotes- is because that is what it is often erroneously referred to in real life. With language, I was hoping to point out both the falsity and pain involved in this term. Like you, I believe it is extremely dehumanizing. But, I am also of the mind that the entire system needs a major overhaul, especially now with autism rates skyrocketing. These labels are severely limiting and imprecise. But, they still exist.
@Rachel
Hi Rachel,
Thanks so much for your comment. I completely agree that we haven’t been so successful in encouraging young people to learn languages, possibly because all foreign language educational options have been lumped together under one umbrella. For instance, someone who may be extemely well suited to learn sign language or Mandarin may not be so suited for Spanish. But, how can we better assess this? How can we give kids more options to explore?
Technology may just have the answers. I’d love to hear more on this from your perspective as a gamer… So many possibilities!
@Susan
Thanks, Susan! Why force them to take something just because of the prestige if they find it unbearable, impossible? I know a few of those prep school kids who took Mandarin throughout junior high, high school. I don’t think they remember a word of it.
@BOKE
Thanks for the comment!
Great story. I agree with you; learning Chinese seems to require a different kind of teaching than what’s in mainstream classrooms, and it could be a great option for people you describe as “behaviorally challenged.” When I decided to move to China I knew no Chinese. (I had spoken Spanish my whole life, and studied a semester of Portuguese, and I think these were tangentially helpful for unlocking the language part of my brain.)
I moved to a small-by-Chinese-standards city in Zhejiang province, where few people spoke English. I learned basic vocabulary from vegetable vendors. They would quiz me before selling me anything. I also traveled alone, chatting with taxi drivers and migrant workers on the train. I think that learning Chinese like a child rather than in a strict classroom setting has been very helpful in terms of day-to-day communication.
Now I study with a tutor and can talk about a much wider variety of subjects. I’ve never really tried to learn to read and write, and I’m OK with that at this point.
Great post.
I am not sure about others but for me you need a reason to learn a language. Schooling in the UK we are taught French and German from the age of 13, which was not the most academically focused part of my life. Unlike much of Europe who start teaching at a much younger age and where being multi-lingual is the norm, Britain suffers for many reasons. It was not until I began travelling extensively with work that I felt the enthusiasm for language, noted how closely tied our European languages are and felt the gilt that my European peers could often speak a minimum of 2 or 3 languages (e.g. French could speak & understand Italian & Spanish). Unfortunately my visits were brief and my language skills only developed to the stage of being able to read menus and say hello/goodbye/thanks in a dozen languages.
Things changed when I had the opportunity to live in China for 6 months, I was captivated by the characters and the fact that no one spoke English was a massive incentive to learn. The Chinese are extremely welcoming and with an new language people really appreciate the effort you make however small.
Learning Chinese is unlike anything I have studied before, I feel that fundamental changes have occurred in the way my brain works. To be truthful I don’t think I would have been successful in studying Chinese from the start in a classroom – this is not what a language (for me) is about. It is about interaction, hearing, seeing and feeling what people are talking about. I did spend a semester in Xiamen University (highly recommended) which achieved my objective of bringing my written Mandarin up to a similar level as my oral skills. For me the key to learning has been a flexible private tutor, lots of Chinese friends, lots of time & persistence.
I wish anyone who is studying any language all the best, it is an amazing skill which will open many new doors. I hope as in Aimee’s post, our schooling systems change to make language more accessible and fun.
Best wishes
James
PS – If anyone is ever in Shanghai please look us up @ http://www.wanlingteahouse.com – you are always welcome.
As someone living in Asia who deals with language teaching issues on a daily basis with plenty of special needs experience who grew up in an isolated town and as a lover of good writing I love this post all the way around.
It’s been shown in studies that Mandarin fires up different parts of the brain due to its logographic nature. And you might be interested to know that my involvement with the drumming community has shown me that there seems to be a prevalence of dyslexia among the rhythmically inclined.
Its peculiar just to contemplate for a minute where you would be today without that retired high-school teacher who saw the potential in you and without whom you would not have found your way.
Reminds me of Marva Collins, who also wrote a fantastic book. I bet you would love it.
@Leslie
Hi Leslie-
Moving to a smaller city is definitely the way to go- I love that you had the veggie vendors quiz you! Immersion is crucial. it has been incredibly challenging for me to keep up with my spoken Mandarin at a working level in the US- even though I spend so much time in Chinatown. I am opposite from you- much stronger in reading and writing (simplified only). My speaking is very rusty nowadays. Good to hear that you’ve taken the initiative to get a tutor there. Thanks for your comment and continued visits to this blog!
@Thomas Rippel
Hi Thomas,
Thanks for the comment. I try not to contemplate where I’d be if it were not for him (and my high school guidance counselor, who approved this solution), but I am always thankful and count myself extremely lucky these days- no matter how “bad” things may seem sometimes (the negative is always relative, right?) Most likely, my situation would not be pleasant at all.
Thanks for the recommendation- I will have to check out Marva Collins.
What a fantastic post, Aimee — it’s so refreshing to hear from someone like yourself who should not have been a success with Mandarin (or schooling). Your story is so inspiring, so real.
I have to wonder if Mandarin could be a better language for people with dyslexia — I thought I once read somewhere that dyslexia doesn’t really exist in China because of the way the language is set up, as characters and not w/ letters making up words. In any event, it would be good to realize that people don’t always learn in the same way and one learning disability is another learning advantage, depending on the circumstances.
Please keep up the awesome writing, Aimee.
Very nice. Glad you turned out to be the “you” we know and love.
I’m here via Haomama.com Thankyou for this wonderful post. Isn’t it amazing how just one person with a more open vision can help one onto a completely different track in life. I don’t have the problems you dealt with, but did have such a person as a young adult. Thankyou for your take on mandarin and chinese characters. I indeed am learning it as I enjoy learning it (though I am both good at math and art), but am hoping my son, who has some learning disabilities, will continue learning with me. He already knows some characters and it is true it is a very different process from sounding out letters. You give me optimism and encouragement.
Thank you for sharing your experiences with the world. It’s really moving and inspiring. I wish all students, regardless of what “talents” or challenges they may have, could hear your story. I’m an American who speaks Mandarin after years of study (and having married a Chinese spouse) and I’m so glad the language is “doing it” for you
Jia you! (Incidentally, I was sent here from Haomama.com–a great blog too)
Aimee;
I happened upon your article in Linkedin and had to comment. This is a great piece of writing and a wonderful and touching story sharing your journey out of the world of the learning challenged to excel where few have truly succeeded-learning to speak, read and WRITE Mandarin!
Although far removed from academia and definitely unqualified to make any definitive statements on how the brain works, even my own, I think you are on to something here. Learning in general is so contextual and mysterious and even more the case when the subject matter is language. I have met people who could speak all seven major Chinese dialects but unable to read a basic menu in Chinese. I myself, a seriously challenged Mandarin speaker never able to predict what will exactly emerge from my mouth, have learned to read and write at a competency level far greater, thanks in part to an ability to rapidly memorize characters and the associated Pin Yin, a skill I should not have based on those batteries of standardized tests used to define my boundaries in the past. Even more paradoxical for me is this is all happening at the stage in life where my brain has already exhausted its language learning capacity. There are of course thousands of other persons with similar examples as well.
The only conclusion I have every been able to accept is that the experts still have hardly a clue of the possibilities and capacity for learning that exists, and because of this, I don’t pay too much attention these days to those so-called limitations I, or anyone else for that matter was cursed or gifted with at birth. What matters most is my interest and my passion to learn, and having someone to guide me along the path to fulfilling that passion. Your fascinating story is yet another affirmation.
Great article. New York Times ran an interesting story a few weeks back about many elementary schools around the US dropping most foreign languages, but adding Mandarin. Maybe Chinese is a language for the average Joe (or Aimee) after all.
It’s hard to learn Chinese, especially learning reading and writing. But as a Chinese native speaker, I also found it’s difficult to learn English. I have been learning English for 10 years, but I can never be as good as an English native speaker.
I built an English website for my company Neatnest Co., Ltd and please review whether the English is good enough.
A great story. I need to share with my 17 year old daughter. Thanks.