Talking About Learning English
Shanghai recently removed English as a mandatory exam subject in elementary schools through its education policies. For parents who can think independently, this is actually a good thing. It forces us to seriously consider: Why should kids learn English? Or more bluntly, what’s the point of learning English?
I’ve studied English for over 20 years, and my English is still quite “rough,” yet I’m still interested in it. So, I thought I’d share what English means to me. Naturally, my views on learning English will also influence how I think about my own kids’ English education.
Language isn’t just about conveying information, thoughts, or emotions. It has an inherent beauty. There’s rhythm and melody in words, sentences, and paragraphs. And then, there’s the emotional resonance that arises from cultural heritage, life experiences, and situations. Whether I’m reading ancient Chinese texts and poetry or the English Bible, I often feel this beauty and am moved by it. This doesn’t mean I have profound knowledge in Chinese or English language and literature. On the contrary, I’m still a beginner. Even at this basic level, with a quiet heart, you can appreciate the beauty that language offers.
To gain an objective, comprehensive understanding of things—whether it’s everyday affairs or national or international politics—relying on just one language or a single perspective is inevitably biased. This is especially true in a place like China, where information is filtered. Don’t be lazy. The simplest way is to find some way to access English information outside China’s internet. While the world increasingly descends into chaos and degeneration, it’s not necessarily true that having more information makes you wiser, but it certainly beats making judgments based on a single viewpoint, right?
The outstanding works of language, literature, knowledge, and technological research throughout history have predominantly been recorded in English. I narrow-mindedly believe that our time is limited. If we’re going to select some of the finest elements of human civilization to study—even if it’s just for appreciation—why limit ourselves to one nation’s culture? Why not consider the entire world? Compared to identifying as the “descendants of dragons,” I’m more interested in being a better, more rounded “human.”
I’m a user experience designer. Starting from my second or third year in college, my engagement with design and online industry information has been in the English-speaking world. It’s provided me considerable benefits. It’s no exaggeration to say that the best professional resources are available in English. Unless, of course, you’re interested in studying traditional Chinese medicine or cuisine. But even then, some of the professional information might still be in English. (That’s just my wild guess. I don’t believe in traditional Chinese medicine, despite being forced to take numerous herbal concoctions as a child.)
Finally, there’s a practical reason for my engagement with English—it helps me better understand the Bible. When I find the translation in the Chinese Union Version Bible difficult to grasp, I cross-reference and compare it with some English versions.