Teaching in English or ????????????

[VSanhodo]

Hi Folks
I was having a conversation with an old friend of mine the other day. Now let me say before I go on I am very much a student of the Martial Arts as is my friend. He teaches in Japanese whereas I teach in English. He feels you have to teach this way, whereas I feel teaching in a foreign language here in the Us tends to retard learning. Now, more of my view. I feel if you teach in a different language than the native language of the coutnry you live in, First the student has to take the info in, process the info, translate it in their minds to thier native language then execute the action requested. Whereas, in my case I teach in English.
Now he and I have been lifelong friends and John is one of my first instructors. So we go way back. He feels you should teach in the native language of the art.I will agree there are some words which simply do not translate well into other languages. Well, anyway while he and I differ in opinion on this subject. We were both wondering how others feel about this. so my question I think is pretty obvious by now. How do you feel on this?
Remember I dont have to agree with you to respect your opinion, all posts and views are welcome.

Thanks

San

 

[hammer]

Hi Folks
I was having a conversation with an old friend of mine the other day. Now let me say before I go on I am very much a student of the Martial Arts as is my friend. He teaches in Japanese whereas I teach in English. He feels you have to teach this way, whereas I feel teaching in a foreign language here in the Us tends to retard learning. Now, more of my view. I feel if you teach in a different language than the native language of the coutnry you live in, First the student has to take the info in, process the info, translate it in their minds to thier native language then execute the action requested. Whereas, in my case I teach in English.
Now he and I have been lifelong friends and John is one of my first instructors. So we go way back. He feels you should teach in the native language of the art.I will agree there are some words which simply do not translate well into other languages. Well, anyway while he and I differ in opinion on this subject. We were both wondering how others feel about this. so my question I think is pretty obvious by now. How do you feel on this?
Remember I dont have to agree with you to respect your opinion, all posts and views are welcome.

Thanks

San

"I respect the right of choice",

I suppose that is one of the attraction's of American Kenpo, It's your choice to learn a devastating Art in English!

Cheers

Hammer

 

[The Kai]

How long did it take the chinese to start teaching an indian art in the chinese tongue

How about the Okinawans how long were thet chained to the chinese terminology?
Japan?
I think that teaching in the old tongue is a way to seem more credible

 

[hammer]

How long did it take the chinese to start teaching an indian art in the chinese tongue

How about the Okinawans how long were thet chained to the chinese terminology?
Japan?
I think that teaching in the old tongue is a way to seem more credible

You know what I find funny, Is when a westerner say's the word "Karate", and Change their pitch and tone in their voice to sound Japanese.

lol

Cheers Hammer

 

[clfsean]

I teach in Chinese. That's what my sifu holds his classes in, that's his does, his did, etc....

EVERYTHING in in Cantonese. Otherwise, why not just say I'm teaching American "X" if I'm going to remove that integral part from it?? Talking & cutting up is in English of course, but when it's technical related to the art, it's in the language it was developed in.

 

[The Kai]

Don't/Can't we start to interpret some of these words?? If a student were to ask me what Kiai is I answer "Some mudo ken no tsuki, ai ma ai" if he can't make out a word of it that's his problem? After all he did sign up for lessons knowing full well that karate is japanese and he needs to learn the language before we go any further!! After alll this is america speak pigden japanese!!


P.S. The phrase I used is BS. before any translated it for me

 

[clfsean]

I always tell people what the English translation is. I don't hang them out. Sorry if it seemed that way.

But think about it this... if you walked into a place claiming to teachTCMA & all they do is speak English, wouldn't you wonder just a little about what they
taught?
But when I call something like "Churng Sum Toi Churng Sum Jeurng Chop Choy" in line drills, they know what to throw & how to throw it. This as opposed to "Outside crescent kick, horizontal palm strike, punch" to anybody onlooking.

 

[Andrew Green]

Most westeren martial artists that try to teach in Japanese just end up butchering it badly. Missusing words, misspronouncing words, misinterpreting ideas.

Speak the language that everyone in the room is most fluent in, makes things so much clearer.

 

[The Kai]

I always tell people what the English translation is. I don't hang them out. Sorry if it seemed that way.

But think about it this... if you walked into a place claiming to teachTCMA & all they do is speak English, wouldn't you wonder just a little about what they
taught?
But when I call something like "Churng Sum Toi Churng Sum Jeurng Chop Choy" in line drills, they know what to throw & how to throw it. This as opposed to "Outside crescent kick, horizontal palm strike, punch" to anybody onlooking.

So you use chinese not to help your students but to confuse outsiders??

If you translate then why not teach in your native tongue??

 

[rmclain]

I believe it is a good idea to pass along the terminology of your native art. I have the situation that my teacher is Korean and I learn Korean terminology. But, I am learning Chinese Chuan-fa, Shudokan karate (influenced from Okinawa), in addition to Hapkido and Taekwondo.

I really am not interested in taking the time to have my students learn each language/terminology for each technique, from each country - many of the arts have the same techniques. I'd prefer to have them take the time to practice applying it and improving the techniques. If they want, they can look up the other languages outside of class.

I believe that teachers should mostly use the language of the students they are teaching. This way, the information is passed along in the most efficient and understandable way. They should teach the terminology of the art studied, but it shouldn't be dwelled upon unnecessarily.

R. McLain

 

[Gemini]

I feel teaching in a foreign language here in the Us tends to retard learning.

I agree. It doesn't stop it, but it certainly slows it down. I do think learning the original language of the art is important though. Just not at the expense of learning the art itself. Our instruction is in English followed by the same instruction in Korean.

 

[hammer]

I always tell people what the English translation is. I don't hang them out. Sorry if it seemed that way.

But think about it this... if you walked into a place claiming to teachTCMA & all they do is speak English, wouldn't you wonder just a little about what they
taught?
But when I call something like "Churng Sum Toi Churng Sum Jeurng Chop Choy" in line drills, they know what to throw & how to throw it. This as opposed to "Outside crescent kick, horizontal palm strike, punch" to anybody onlooking.

Clfsean, Could you please explain the benifit of,"Churng Sum Toi Churng Sum Jeurng Chop Choy"as opposed to "Outside crescent kick, horizontal palm strike, punch"

Do you teach the movements in Cantonese?

Do you give corrections in Cantonese?

Could you share your thoughts on how this benifits the students understanding of the application and or the execution of the movements?

I think that there is a little mystic of the orient there,

Cheers
Hammer

 

[clfsean]

So you use chinese not to help your students but to confuse outsiders??

If you translate then why not teach in your native tongue??

No I use Chinese to pass it along the way it's taught to me. It's not to confuse anybody watching. It's because we teach a TCMA so we teach it in Chinese. The Chinese locals tend to appreciate if not giggle at us for doing it that way. The non-Chinese seem to enjoy it because they're getting a little language training in something different along the way.

I give the student's the translation for the techniques for ease use & note taking.

 

[clfsean]

Most westeren martial artists that try to teach in Japanese just end up butchering it badly. Missusing words, misspronouncing words, misinterpreting ideas.

Speak the language that everyone in the room is most fluent in, makes things so much clearer.

There are exceptions to every most usage...

Where I teach, not everybody speaks English as a first or even second language.

 

[MJS]

Hi Folks
I was having a conversation with an old friend of mine the other day. Now let me say before I go on I am very much a student of the Martial Arts as is my friend. He teaches in Japanese whereas I teach in English. He feels you have to teach this way, whereas I feel teaching in a foreign language here in the Us tends to retard learning. Now, more of my view. I feel if you teach in a different language than the native language of the coutnry you live in, First the student has to take the info in, process the info, translate it in their minds to thier native language then execute the action requested. Whereas, in my case I teach in English.
Now he and I have been lifelong friends and John is one of my first instructors. So we go way back. He feels you should teach in the native language of the art.I will agree there are some words which simply do not translate well into other languages. Well, anyway while he and I differ in opinion on this subject. We were both wondering how others feel about this. so my question I think is pretty obvious by now. How do you feel on this?
Remember I dont have to agree with you to respect your opinion, all posts and views are welcome.

Thanks

San

IMO, it would all depend on the school. Some are going to be much more traditional than others, so it may be a requirement at the school. I've seen some schools where they give the foreign term for a strike and then say it in English. Again, its all going to depend on the school.

Mike

 

[DavidCC]

I teach in Chinese. That's what my sifu holds his classes in, that's his does, his did, etc....

EVERYTHING in in Cantonese. Otherwise, why not just say I'm teaching American "X" if I'm going to remove that integral part from it?? Talking & cutting up is in English of course, but when it's technical related to the art, it's in the language it was developed in.

So how do you say "fix your feet" in Cantonese?

Or "relax your soulders", or "today we are going to work on ..." or "good class eveyone, remeber next week we will not have the 9am class but you can make it up by coming to the 1pm class if you like" or even "please buy a school t-shirt" LOL

is all that stuff in Cantonese too?

or are you just using the chinese terminology for the technical jargon, stuck inside English dialog?

I would be really hampered if my classes were being taught in Hawaiian. or with a thick New England accent. "Right Flaminger" "leopahd's pawr" haha

 

[Adept]

Personally, I think teaching in a non-english language to an english speaking class is just silly.

After all, the words are just descriptions so that people know what they are supposed to be doing. Why use the Japanese or Chinese words? Why not the Italian or Swedish ones?

Why call it a gi instead of a uniform? After all, gi is simply the japanese word for a martial arts uniform. Why wouldn't we translate it?

So the art may have been developed in Japan or China. How is that relevant?

 

[mj_lover]

personally, i like using a different language in the dojo/dojang keeps my mind off of outside thoughs and misc. soreness from the workout. besides, its kinda cool to be able to comunicate with others in your style, regardless of nationality. one system, one language.

 

[clfsean]

Clfsean,

1) Could you please explain the benifit of,"Churng Sum Toi Churng Sum Jeurng Chop Choy"as opposed to "Outside crescent kick, horizontal palm strike, punch"

2) Do you teach the movements in Cantonese?

3) Do you give corrections in Cantonese?

4) Could you share your thoughts on how this benifits the students understanding of the application and or the execution of the movements?

5) I think that there is a little mystic of the orient there,

Cheers
Hammer

Sorry for the delay. The board decided to not work for like the last hour or so at work, then I had to go to class. I typed a nice response up & lost it the first time the board quit responding, so the second time, I emailed it to myself. I numbered your question make it easy to read. Here ya go...

**************************
1) When my sifu or sigung visits or they visit them, that's what they will hear. If I were teaching a MA that was not traditional, I wouldn't use another language or if my teacher said not, I wouldn't. Otherwise they learn like I learn.

2) For the names & technical items related directly to a technique, yes. I don't speak Cantonese except for what is used in CLF.

3) See #2.

4) It gives them more to think about than step, block, punch, kick, etc... When I call out "Hak Wu Jin Chi", they know to perform a certain motion a certain way. When I say let's do 30 Sow Choy's, they know what punch to do & when they hear Sam Sup, they stop. It gives them a small peek into a different culture that may inspire them to bigger things. Then again it may just be a mental exercise, who's to say?

5) A little, but no more so than how the techniques were first recorded to hide them from the Qing government or to help a person remember certain motions because of motions physical appearance or lack of education. Poems/lyrics are easily remembered in a sing song fashion.

 

[clfsean]

So how do you say "fix your feet" in Cantonese?

Or "relax your soulders", or "today we are going to work on ..." or "good class eveyone, remeber next week we will not have the 9am class but you can make it up by coming to the 1pm class if you like" or even "please buy a school t-shirt" LOL

is all that stuff in Cantonese too?

Nah nah... all that stuff is in English.

or are you just using the chinese terminology for the technical jargon, stuck inside English dialog?

Bingo.

I would be really hampered if my classes were being taught in Hawaiian. or with a thick New England accent. "Right Flaminger" "leopahd's pawr" haha

I haven't figured if there's a Cantonese version of "y'all" yet, so I'm just sticking with what I have to know to teach.