Why UAE students are learning Mandarin
CHINESE ACADEMIC PRAISES THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN NEW LANGUAGE
Hundreds of Emirati schoolchildren are saying ni hao (hello) to Mandarin and learning the language rapidly, thanks to their uninhibited approach to trying new things in life, a Chinese academic said.
“They do well [in Mandarin learning] despite a lack of parental and social pressure to excel in it. Emirati children enjoy a more relaxed life than that of their Chinese peers,” Wei Du, associate director of the Confucius Institute at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi, told Gulf News in an interview.
Some children who are not under pressure to excel in studies may lack the competitive spirit to succeed in a hypercompetitive world, but Emirati children are blessed with an unusual quality to overcome any such disadvantages, she says, adding “they are exceptionally bold in trying new things, especially in speaking a new language like Mandarin.”
The Confucius Institute, which promotes Chinese language worldwide, has a branch in Dubai as well.
No inhibitions
Du said Chinese children excel in learning due to tremendous parental and social pressure. Despite their high academic performance, Chinese kids mastering English are too inhibited and shy to speak it in the initial stages of learning.
“They are afraid of making mistakes. However, Emirati children don’t worry about making mistakes, so they pick up the language very fast,” she said.
Compared to Chinese children, Emirati youngsters are less competitive, given that they are citizens of a resourcerich nation. But Chinese teachers are trying to take advantage of their other qualities.
“They are also very techsavvy and use electronic gadgets very well. Therefore, we use a lot of digital tools in teaching,” said Du, a UAE resident for two years.
Mandarin is expected to become the third most important language after Arabic and English in the UAE in the future, thanks to a UAE government initiative, she said.
As Gulf News reported earlier, the initiative to teach Chinese in 100 UAE schools is underway, on the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
The first batch of 20 Chinese teachers has already started teaching in 11 schools.
Du said she was part of the selection process to pick Chinese teachers for the UAE and getting constant feedback from them about their teaching experience.
Growing bilateral ties
Mandarin learning is relevant in the wake of growing political and commercial ties between the UAE and China — it is now the UAE’s largest trading partner. “These Emirati students who learn Mandarin will take these relations forward.” she said.
A Chinese lecturer told Gulf News that he was surprised to see that Emirati students knew many things about Chinese culture. “They ask me about Kung Fu, Chinese moon cakes and the mid-autumn festival,” said Guanyang Zhang, 32, who arrived in the UAE just a week ago.