Hu Yi: Building a Bridge of Exchanges Between China and the West
Major: English (International Application)
Graduate School: University College London
With an average GPA of 3.95, a total score of 8 for IELTS, and a title of the Chairperson of Chinese Students and Scholars Association at Kean University during the exchange period in the United States, etc., she has now received admission letters from many prestigious universities such as University College London, King’s College London, University of Edinburgh, etc., and moves on confidently.
“Wenzhou-Kean University (WKU) gave me the courage to take that step and made all the hopeless and unattainable dreams into reality.”
“Many Things Are Worth Being Explored in English Teaching in China”
Hu likes to teach English. In the second term of her freshman year, at the course of Structure/Origins of English, she first learned the difference between Chinese and foreign English teaching methods. Taking grammar as an example, Chinese teachers are accustomed to analyzing the nature and function word by word by disassembling sentences, whereas to native English speakers, grammar is only meaningful in complete sentences. “The difference in teaching thinking between China and foreign countries made me rethink profoundly about English teaching in China.”
With this in mind, she has been actively involved in various teaching activities and internships since her sophomore year, trying to find better English teaching methods that are more suitable for Chinese students. From Wenzhou to Egypt, from XDF.CN to Shinyway Education, Hu gradually developed a set of her own teaching methods: She divided the traditional classroom into two parts, and teach students in accordance with their aptitude to improve their language skills in all aspects. “There is no fixed teaching program in my class. Take IELTS writing as an example. In the first half of the class, I often focus on teaching the test content, such as words, grammar and other basic knowledge. But in the rest of the time, I will only give a topic to lead to free discussion.” It is in this seemingly-casual class that students’ English ability has been comprehensively improved, and they have enjoyed the fun of learning.
Last year, her book A Brief Analysis of IELTS and English Proficiency based on her own experience was published on the magazine Charming China as scheduled, and was well received by the public.
“English Debating Society Makes Me Better”
In 2018, Hu became the president of the English Debating Society at WKU. In the beginning, she habitually took all the work to herself, but soon she found that due to the lack of communication, the members did not understand the specific progress of various activities, and ministers did not know each other’s thoughts. To change the situation at that time, she established a weekly meeting, gradually assigned tasks to each minister, and readjusted the rules and regulations. “The progress of all projects will be regularly announced in the Society, so that everyone can clearly know the process and requirements. This not only avoids the confusion of information, but also gives members a stronger sense of belonging. ”
The transparent operation mode has eliminated the misunderstanding, and with the improvement of tacit understanding among the team members, the English Debating Society also began to regain its vitality. With the help of the English Language Center of the University, the English Debating Society has successfully held WKU campus selection for the “FLTRP Cup” National English Debating Competition, and has won many awards in the East China Regional Tournament.
In addition, at regular seminars, Hu also chooses a variety of topics to stimulate members to think. “We talked about gun control, the Chinese and American governments and their people, as well as college tuition and feminism. In fact, the debate is not about life or death. What we enjoy is the excitement and joy of thinking collision and inspiration burst out of that moment.” In the end, the English Debating Society was selected as the University’s “five-star society”, and won unanimous praise from professors and students.
“See the World and Build a Stronger Sense of Responsibility”
In her junior year, Hu went to Kean University for the student exchange program. As the Chairman of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association at Kean University, she planned many kinds of activities to break the gap between the students of Wenzhou-Kean University and the students of Kean University in the United States.
With the support of the school teachers, Hu led the team to successfully organize activities such as the Mid-Autumn Music Festival and Coffee Tasting. While enjoying the music and food, they talked with the students of Kean University about their interests, hobbies and life dreams, promoting the cultural exchanges between China and the United States.
It was also in a foreign country that Hu felt a strong sense of responsibility. During the Pandemic, she organized and invited former Kean President Dawood Farahi, Senior Vice President Felice Vazquez and overseas students to record a cheering video, encouraging teachers and students at WKU to help each other and overcome the difficulties together. “It is because I am abroad that I can feel a strong sense of patriotism and a strong sense of responsibility,” said Hu.
At this year’s graduation ceremony, Hu, as the representative of outstanding graduates, will share her gains and changes in the past four years. In the autumn, she will go to the UK to study Applied Linguistics, learn more about the differences between Chinese and English teaching methods, thereby making more preparations for her future teaching career.
Alisa LAI(LAI Qiuhong)、Overseas Department(SMDC)
