Post CET6 exam thoughts

(The Yeti: June 19th 2006.)

The tragedy of an exam-oriented education system is that many people are concerned only in passing the exams, but not in getting a real education. When you have only 30 minutes to come up with something that makes sense, and have to write it in a language you are unfamiliar with, what would you do? What would you do if your university degree depends on passing this test? If you are not one of the privileged few who went to a school with the best English teachers, or that you do not foresee ever needing to use the language at all, would you spend the time and effort in attempting to write a creative piece, and risk running out of time? I don』t think you would.

What it comes down to, for most people, is "the lowest common denominator." For the writing part of those CET4 and 6 tests, that means prefabricated building blocks writing: putting together as many blocks as possible and to hell with it.

Earlier today, I came across an item in one BBS entitled "英語四六級高分作文中使用率最高的基本句式." This is one of the many popular articles found in Chinese "Learn English Forums" that encourages people to memorize "standardized" building blocks of essays. The number of articles that advocates "memorizing this sample essays" (most often having mistakes in them), "memorizing these N sentences", and their siblings far outnumber any other types of articles that teaches people how to think and write originally and well.

I often compare these 30 minutes essays to Cao zhi』s peril of having to write a poem within 7 paces. For literally millions of Chinese students, the CET exams are their modern version of produce or die. Little wonder that for many, they have few choices other than memorizing the most frequently used words and phrases and putting them together like a jig-saw puzzle from hell.

Some 36 years ago when I started teaching full time, I was given a book on behavioral objective by the Science Dean. We, the new faculty members, were asked to structure our course outlines in terms of behavioral objectives. Exams should be clearly defined in what they are supposed to verify. So what is the objective of the written part of the CET4/6 exams?

Is the test for finding out how well a student can carry out a point of argument? If so, that can be tested in his/her own native tongue. Is the test for finding out how well a student can write in English? If so, then the emphasis should be on writing and not on having to spend time in coming up with ideas for one single topic. In this case, it would stand to reason that students be given 3 topics to choose from.

Many years ago, when one professor decided to let students bring to the exam an index card with whatever they want written on it, I was horrified. But a few years later, I adopted the same method. Because, you see, it is not the formulae and definitions that one tests in Physics, but your understanding and knowledge of how to use them.

(By The Yeti: June 19th 2006.)
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Can't be said better.

I don't recall ever having learned to "write by formula." When I was in high school back in Hong Kong, there was no lessons on "how to write." We had classes on Grammar, Literature (actually reading), and Composition. In composition, the teacher comes in, puts down some topics (usually 3), and we just write. There were individual comments on the graded work, but there was never any "prescription" on using "set forms" or "set sentences" to write something. In our school, the strength of the English program lies in that we are all prescribed "additional reading" materials (books and poetry) that we all must read.  On top of that, ours being a "rotestant" , we had "Bible Classes." Having read many passages from the Bible, and knowing the religion definitely help in learning the language. Religion, myth/legend, children's fairy tales and rhyms, and literature are all essential to learning a language well. Some students in China are under the impression that all one needs is to memorize the 4 volumes of New Concept in English. There is even one BBS (a university related BBS) in which the moderator told his flock that if one memorizes all 4 volumes of NCE, one can even teach English in an English speaking country. What a load of BS!
  At U1, the first composition course I took talks about how to write well and what pitfalls to avoid. The emphasis is on "creative writing" and "what not to do." There is no "1000 sentences to memorize", or "sample essays to recite." There are sample works from great authors to analysis, but not to recite.

Well put, The Yeti, I agree with you. Our current English education system doesn』t fit the needs for the language learning. It is just like a compulsory course at college we have to take but never needed for most of us after graduation.

My original title at Rainlane is "ost CET6 exam thoughts." Somehow it gets garbble up when I post it here. I thought there is an edit function but I cannot locate it today.

Very well said indeed! That is why I think sometimes it is better to be a self-taught learner.

There is even one BBS (a university related BBS) in which the moderator told his flock that if one memorizes all 4 volumes of NCE, one can even teach English in an English speaking country. What a load of BS!

It's a clear no brainer.