Awareness of Chinese Early Writing System among Chinese L2 learners

By Dr. Tingzhu Chen

Chinese characters are always difficult for Chinese L2 learners. If they want to improve their Chinese proficiency and use it as a tool of communication, they cannot just skip this part. The sooner learners understand the nature of Chinese early writing system, the better they will be aware of the whole picture of Chinese characters. One of the obvious characteristics of the Chinese writing is its visual complexity. How do Chinese-as-a-second-language (CSL) learners develop their reading and writing ability? The awareness of Chinese early writing system among CSL learners is evaluated in terms of degree of consciousness, sensitiveness and contiguity about the Chinese writing system and then to benefit their reading and writing of Chinese characters.

To help Chinese L2 learners become aware of the Chinese writing system which is about pictographs, there are two steps we do in the classroom. First, students would learn Chinese characters like blocks. According HSK1~3 (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi), we have 52 key radicals. They are 亻、女、疒、页、目、口、讠、扌、攵、 (足)、辶、 (忄)、月、力、纟、衤、巾、米、饣、酉、阝(右)、门、宀、广、穴、彳、车、舟、火(灬)、刂、革、礻、贝、日、雨、氵、土、山、阝(左)、鸟、鱼、虫、犭、马、牛、艹、木、禾、 (竹)、钅、石、 (玉). Second, we attempt to create meaningful learning experience for Chinese L2 learners through oracle-bone inscriptions. For example, means mountain, means people, means female, and means eyes.

We also try to evaluate and make sense of our own teaching by seeking mid-term feedback from students. One of them appreciated that students were encouraged to organise and explain key radicals of Chinese characters in class by themselves, which made their learning participatory. Another mentioned that the classroom atmosphere is relaxed and interesting. Some think that the course not only taught them new knowledge about Chinese characters and Chinese culture, but also inspired them to think about the relationship between Chinese characters. Overall, the course has broadened their understanding of the writing ideas and helped advance their learning in other Chinese courses.

Dr. Tingzhu Chen is an associate professor of Shanghai Jiaotong University. She can be contacted by email at tingzhuchen@sjtu.edu.cn.