Mandarin comes to Edu Inc

Gershom Aitchison, host · [00:32]Jenny, tell me how this passion for Mandarin started and where your journey with Mandarin started.

Jenny Liao, guest · [00:37]Right. I come to South Africa in 1992, and I have been volunteer to, teach at the Chinese schools. So it's always been a passion of mine to teach. Over the year, I got, more and more requests from local children's parents to teach their little one this beautiful language. So I went to do a teaching course at the University of Beijing, Culture and Language University. So it's just evolved from there.

Gershom Aitchison, host · [01:13]So I should be starting the podcast by saying 你 好 吗 ?

Jenny Liao, guest · [01:17]我 很 好 , 谢 谢 。

Gershom Aitchison, host · [01:19]So that's a little bit of Mandarin, and I probably butchered the pronunciation of it, but I think that it's one of the, the fastest growing languages in the world and one of the most widely spoken languages. I just want to rewind a little bit and talk a little bit about how you got involved with Edu Inc. it started last term. if you wouldn't mind just talking a little bit about the Global Languages program that you offered at the school and the success of it from an outsider. We know from the inside that it was very successful from, you know, feedback from our students and, our parents. But how did you experience it from the outside, and what kind of value did you, did you see in that space?

Jenny Liao, guest · [01:54]So for me, Edu Inc come across as being a very unique age school, very, tech-driven, and always open to big and new ideas. So for us to try to roll out, language in the educational, facility, we thought about Edu Inc. That is actually the first school that come to mind. It's very small, and the principal and the vice principals are always, have their hands on deck, and it's very IT-driven. So regardless of on-site teaching or online teaching, we know it's not going to be disrupted. So we had a meeting, with Gershon, and then the things just start from there. So we actually had two week of Mandarin, and we also facilitate Spanish and also Arabic, and then the response has been great. The children had a lot of fun learning the language, the culture, and we also make some cultural food. So from that, I already had a great two week with the students, and I'm looking forward to have a proper, lesson next year with them.

Gershom Aitchison, host · [03:03]You touched on something that's quite important, I think, for people to understand that learning a language doesn't happen in isolation. It happens within the context of a culture. Essentially, language represents the culture and the ideas of people. When teaching Mandarin, how do you incorporate the culture of the Chinese people or the Taiwanese people into the Mandarin classes? And we don't call it Chinese. Can you also perhaps just tell us why we don't call it? We speak in Chinese, we speak in Mandarin, just to create some context for that as well.

Jenny Liao, guest · [03:32]So some people know just Chinese, some people also say I can speak Mandarin, some people say I speak Chinese Mandarin, so regardless people know that, what you're talking about. So it doesn't really matter, people will understand when you talk about Chinese or Mandarin, it's the same language. Yes. And culture is a big aspect of language because my principle to teach a language is not for children to have hundred percent, is to have the interest in the language, and by doing that, you have to incorporate the culture, the fun part of it, and that really stick with the children once they grasp the beauty of the language through culture, through the food, through the sports, yeah.

Gershom Aitchison, host · [04:20]I think also there's often a, a conception that language is about getting it perfect, and I think we tend to forget that the focus on language is actually about communicating with each other. And in my experience, people who speak Mandarin, especially Chinese people and Taiwanese people, are very open to the fact that you're trying to speak, even if you're butchering it. It's quite a difficult language to speak with the different tones and things like that, but they, I think most people appreciate you attempting to communicate with them on their level. Is that your experience too?

Jenny Liao, guest · [04:49]Yes. I love the quotes by, Nelson Mandela. He says that when you speak a language that he understands, it goes to their head. However, if you speak a language that is their language, you speak into their hearts.

Gershom Aitchison, host · [05:07]So what are the plans for 2022, 2023 at Edu Inc? I know that we've spoken about introducing it, to the school. It's something that we're really looking forward to doing. We're probably going to start as an extramural, but it's not going to be open just to students, it's going to be open to teachers and parents, so our community as a whole. It's a fun language to learn, and it's a language that does open opportunities, especially if you're traveling in the East. Talk to me a little bit about what your offering is and the HSK certificate certification and things like that, please.

Jenny Liao, guest · [05:38]Thanks, Gershon. I think that, is very kind of you to, open up your facility and then offer the language not for just your school students, but to teachers and also the community. So the plan hasn't set hundred percent. However, I do vision that, we're going to offer our lessons in line with the HSK. So what is HSK is Hanyu Shui Ping Kaoshi. So it's actually the Chinese standard test structure. It's very, very, practical. So for example, HSK actually have six levels, level one to level six. And then level one, you'll learn about hundred to two hundred words, that is, you will be using your daily lives. And then by doing that, you will also be able to write the HSK, exams, and that is, international standardized exams, and you will receive your certificate that you can attach to your CV or use it later in life.

Gershom Aitchison, host · [06:45]And what is the cost for doing the assessment, for example, and where does that happen?

Jenny Liao, guest · [06:50]So HSK is actually being, established in 1984. So they're very established, and then every year they run their exams, through different, facilities. So in Gerberg, I know the University of Johannesburg have a testing center, and then there are few, around the area, and then the exam runs about once every three months.

Gershom Aitchison, host · [07:14]Right, so when you're ready, you can register for the exam and go and write the certificate.

Jenny Liao, guest · [07:17]Correct, correct.

Gershom Aitchison, host · [07:18]And how long is that certificate valid for once you have it? Do you have it, or does it kind of expire, or...?

Jenny Liao, guest · [07:24]from my knowledge, they do expire. However, so for example, right now we do HSK one, and then later on in life, you don't have to write HSK one again. So if you do carry on study, and then you know that your level's at HSK four, so you can actually just write that test.

Gershom Aitchison, host · [07:45]So you don't have to, have qualified for the next level of the test.

Jenny Liao, guest · [07:48]No, you don't. So

Gershom Aitchison, host · [07:49]if you've been overseas for four years and you've picked up the language and you learn it, you can come back and certify yourself at level four or five if you feel that that's the competency level that you're at.

Jenny Liao, guest · [07:58]Yes, that's correct, and you can certify anywhere in the world.

Gershom Aitchison, host · [08:59]Jenny, what's the status of Mandarin globally at the moment? Why is it at the forefront of most people's minds?

Jenny Liao, guest · [09:09]I do believe that we are in the new generation now, in new era. So when I was little, it's all about learning English. So I remember that we are a class of 46, and 42 of us went oversee abroad, so we know how to speak English properly in the English environment. So right now we can see that Chinese economy is globally just, it is huge, and to learn a language that, will be the most spoken language in the world is very, very powerful. So that says that, the stats shows that seventy countries actually officially, incorporate Chinese language teaching in their national education system. So that shows that the importance of the language.

Gershom Aitchison, host · [10:02]And you also mentioned before we started the podcast that the UN has also, it's one of the six languages that they've adopted, if that's not, if that's correct?

Jenny Liao, guest · [10:11]Yes, yes. So Chinese actually being, officially categorized as one of the six official language of the United Nation for the World Tourism in January 2021.

Gershom Aitchison, host · [10:45]I also know that the IAB offers Mandarin as, or Chinese as one of its, metric subjects and offerings, and that you can do Mandarin at an O-level and an A-level through Cambridge. How does that align with the HSK and your, your vision for, for Mandarin?

Jenny Liao, guest · [11:02]So how I see it is the Cambridge A-level, O-level is geared towards children that do speak the language at home, however they do move abroad, or for the children that have been, living in China and have some language, Chinese language background. So where we focus on as the HSK is more of a lifestyle learning, so it just don't stop after metric. So we actually teach you the basic, then from that, you will be able to carry on learning at your own pace, at your own time, at your own medium. For example, we have few students being with us for few years, and what they're doing now is they will watch the Chinese cartoon, or they will watch Chinese series, and then from that, they can continuous learning. So for me, that is more enrich in the language in your life to do that going forward, compared to the Cambridge A-level, O-level,

Gershom Aitchison, host · [12:07]that's... Or the IB metric. Yes,

Jenny Liao, guest · [12:08]or, or the IB metric. For me... I don't encourage parents or students to gear for that unless you have a very solid background of the language.

Gershom Aitchison, host · [12:21]So it sounds like the A-levels, O-levels, the metric IEB language is predominantly for Mandarin home language speakers. It's also got a very strong academic purpose behind it, whereas what you're offering with the HSK is more about access to the culture, access to the media, access to people. It's more about being part of that community and part of that culture rather than having an academic motive behind it. Is that correct?

Jenny Liao, guest · [12:46]Yes, that's correct. And also, going forward, if you do apply for a job, if they do need, the person that to have some Chinese skill, they will ask for HSK.