The Heat of learning Chinese

Just watched the Sunday Report 2006 someday ago about the Heat of learning Chinese in the West, due to the effect of Beijing will host the Olympic Game 2008.

In America, there are over 600 universities and 100 middle and primary schools already have or going to have Chinese as academic subject. Some schools in Washington D.C. have even set Chinese course as compulsory. Chinese became a subject of the Advance Placement Program for high school from this autumn, and will be included in examinations in some universities next year. If a Chinese imported Chinese teacher can pass both Putonghua and English level test, the monthly salary ranking will be from over HKD20,000 to over HKD30,000. After 3 or 4 years, the first group of local university trained Chinese teachers will graduate to ease the short of Chinese teachers. Someone of the educational circles stated that, the 21st Century will be the world of China and Putonghua will replace Spanish to become American's second language.

In addition, as China is becoming powerful and influential, Chinese nannies who are proficient in Putonghua are now hot property. Some parents like Jim Rogers, founder of Quantum Fund, pay high salary for them, because they want their kids to learn the most difficult language at early age so that they can have predominant role when they grow up.

According to a nanny agency, there is a strict standard of choosing Chinese nanny. The nanny should adore children, be proficient in Putonghua and experienced with rising up child. However, not many nannies can fulfil all requirements. That is the reason why the annual wage of an ordinary Chinese nanny is about 60,000USD and can reach up to 100,000USD for a senior.

Apparently, it is easier for a Mainland Chinese teacher to receive high pay for teaching Chinese in America, than the teachers from Hong Kong. Nevertheless, as Hong Kong people's rising Putonghua standard, the advantageous position of familiarity with Western culture and higher English level, those experienced teachers and nannies may take the proficiency test and get a 2:1 for teaching qualification, then seize this golden opportunity for good.

I am a Hong Kong Chinese, with fair English, Putonghua proficiency test pass, okay well, I do think I need to introspect and, keep it up.

Originally posted at http://gertie-yunis.blogspirit.com/ on 1st Dec, 2006