Professor Martin Wolff
I have often said that when a teacher stops learning, they should stop teaching. I want to thank my SYSU Fall 2009 post grad students for introducing me to a new term, “MUTE ENGLISH.” I had never heard this before and it has piqued my interest. A Google search revealed many student comments about MUTE ENGLISH but a Google Scholar search turned up not a single scholarly paper published on the subject.
ABSTRACT
“Mute English” is a unique Chinese phenomena ignored by linguistic scholars but derided by Chinese students. It is a communicative language taught as if it were a dead language, like Latin. We explore the origins, as well as the cause and effect of this phenomenon.
Read the article on the download page.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
WHY SHOULD IT MATTER IF THE AUTHOR IS CHINESE?
THE ARTICLE IS WRITTEN BY THE CHINESE AUTHOR IN ENGLISH FOR AN ENGLISH JOURNAL.
I think the reason why the comment is in Chinese is probably that either the reviewer’s English skill is not good as to do the comment in English or the regulation of the journal’s comment must be in Chinese. But I think no matter what the reason is the reviewer should write another comment in English edition. Because the author is not Chinese.
About the CET committee, I have no idea because this matter relates to political issues and the leader of the CET is too powerful.
I am sorry to hear about that., but I agree with the editor’s decision. Because according to my experience, we should learn English by ourself when we go to the college, and whether to continue learning English depends on the students’ decisions. The existence of CET is appropriatable on the point. However, the CET also has many faults just as the article referred to. So, I think the CET should be improved, but not changed totaly.
After reading the suggestion, I find it ridicules! As we all know, because of the CET, we put more emphasize on it and after a long time, we began to believe if we pass the CET, we are good at English. That’s of course wrong! We don’t care the oral English, we don’t care how to use English, even we can’t write a good English paper after twelve years’ English learning. Maybe CET is not the only reason that we can’t use English, but we should be put another real aim and right direction to learn English!
The phenomenon that you have told us so Inconceivable. The only English language journal published in China about teaching English in China. But the reviewer’s comments are all in Chinese. Why the reviewer’s do not use English. The reviewer’s English is very poor.I think not.It’s an English language journal that will have no English poor worker. They do it is an insult to their work.also unrespect to the foreigner. I think this is a serious breach of the purpose of holding this publication.They set a very poor example. Even though making changes in the article maybe get it published in China,It’s lost the primary sense. I think not everyone is too afraid of the powerful CET committee to criticize CET.I have pass the CET-4 and CET-6.But now I can’t read the aticle fluent. I think this test is only form, rather than consider to learn English well .
As a graduate student, I think we should not spend too much time on English, and we should spend it in their own research. But nowadays English as a tool that you communicate with others, it becomes more and more important than ever before. There is a very common phenomenon in the university campus, which is mute English. Although we have study English about ten years, and we can not talk about with others in English. It is a pity. So I have to think why. By considering, I find there are two reasons. First our country is still a developing country, we don’t have enough money buy computers and furnish multimedia classrooms for students. Second China’s education system ask us to get high scores is ok, when anybody can get good mark that his English is well, even if he can’t say a complete the sentence.
First,I am so sad to hear that your article was rejected by the journal.Then,I spent some time on reading your article and the reviewer’s comment.Frankly speaking,I disagree that the reviewer is objective or an apologist for and avid supporter of CET.The phenomena of mute English can be caused by most reason,for example,the condition of English teaching,the culture difference and so on.So, we can’t simplely use CET as a scapegoat for the mute English.In my opinion,the real reason is eudcational system.It guid our English learning to the wrong region.At the same time, we should realize the CET is useless for our English,it only action that make our English more worse.I hate the CET,but I can’t escape it in my undergraduate.Lastly,I think your article can be published if you choose a better jounal rather than the journal”Teaching English in China”.Best wish for you!
it is a pity that many Chinese student must pass the cet-4 or cet-6. for my part, I didn’t pass the cet-6 and I took so many my spare time to prepare it. And in china , it exists a vast many of training organizations to help student pass some exams apparently ,but make profit actually. we know,English is very important for the developing china and us student. But I think we have put so many time on it.however, we can not use it to communication with others, share our opinions with other . last week, we talked with a beautiful foreign girl. she is very amazing that we have learned English for nearly 10 years. she encouraged us to use it ,practice it . but when the talking is over ,we still use our putonghua to communicate with our classmates as before. under so many pressure ,our teachers and our parent urge us to learn English . in order to compete with other person , we should learn so many things . maybe , it is the condition of our country.
I am happy to hear that this will be published abroad.But I am afraid what the editor said is reasonable to some extent,although he should be blamed for not having written his commenta in English,he doesn’t have good manner to this point!So I don’t think that making changes in the article will get it published in China.
On the other hand,about the CET committee,they are critized all the time,I remember that when I at my university all of my English teachers scolded that the CET committee have nothing to do so they frequently change the types of questions.And we can do nothing but to follow and research the new questions. In short,I don’t think the CET committee is too powerful to critized,and I hate CET though I don’t have trouble to past it,I hate it just because it is useless to improve our English or to prove our English level.
Firstly, I think, it’s unbelievable that the editor of this journal which is published in English can response the comment in Chinese. As an editor of English journal, he (she) should reply to the contributor in English. Secondly, some of the comments are objective and judicial. In China, everyone can express their opinion on CET. I don’t think there is someone who is too afraid of the powerful of CET committee to criticize CET. We all have the right to express our views. A lot of students and teachers are dissatisfied with CET. Me too. Although there is still lots of people don’t realize the unsound of CET, we have become increasingly aware of the importance of spoken English. The phenomenon of ME will disappear gradually.
It is indeed unbelievable that the editor of an English journal reply you – a foreign author in Chinese. I wonder if he forgot his work and duty. In fact, I really can not understand his behavior. But meanwhile I want to say that his opinion about the reasons for mute English is not without any reasons. There is not just one reason of mute English, and CET examination is only one of them. As a student, I dislike the CET examination at all. I am eager for some changes on the methods of English testing. So, I think, we must make efforts from all aspects only can change this phenomenon.
As far as I am concerned,the grammer and the word study is also dispensable for us when we study english at first.At the same time,the oral english study can not be neglected.CET examination is a way to force us to study english as well.The emphasis should be made on enhancing speaking english rather than leaving the responsibilities to CET.
I am sorry to hear that your article was rejected by the journal.I didn’t pass the cet-6 anf recently i am preparing for it.CET is a important indicators of english level in china.It is not a best method but is a most useful methord in china.I t has many shortcomings but i think we should find ways to overcome them.Or we can think other way that better then cet.
We speaking english not well must have lot reason and cet just one of them.If we want improve our speaking english we should caert a new phenomenon of english.
In my opinion, perhaps the surrounding environment (the students, teachers or school policy you come in contact with) can affect you and make you become a victim of the Mute English. But it is undeniable that, if you are a Mute English, the main reason is that your own personal problems. If you can said in public , not afraid of shame to say that everything you want to say, no one will make you a Mute English. Two days ago, in the subway I saw three girls who are in secondary school students talking with each other in English very crazy, at that time I listened a monent, there are many obvious syntax error. But no one will laugh at them, instead of feeling they are very hard and doing very well. Of course, they speak English just because they want to say ,at that time I promise no one forced them to run. If you are a Mute English, if you want to change the status quo, do participation of English Corner as soon as possible!
I am so sorry to hear that your article about Mute English was rejected. Every coin has two sides, so we should treat with CET objectively. In my opinion, we could remember many words by attending the examination, and raise the speed of reading. We were not to remember words if we did not study English. So I think it is very good to attend the examination of CET. However, there are only listening, reading and writing. We do not practice our speaking when we prepare for the examination. No practice, no improvement. We could not find a comfortable word to express our idea. So we are shy to speak with others in English.
We must practice our speaking English if we want to improve the level of English. English corner is a good choice. We could listen and speak with others in English. we can express our idea fluently if we practice much. we also could watch English movie. We can learn daily English and know the pronunciation.
We have learning English for many years. We have to pass the exam and the cet-4 or cet-6. Our teacher teaching us the skill that how to get the high marks in the exam, so, our oral English was ignored. Though we pass the exam or get high mark, we don’t know how to talk about with English. This is a unique Chinese phenomenon. If we want to exchange this situation, we should speak English loudly. Don’t shy! After all, we use the language to communicate with each other.
The test of CET-4 and CET-6 will help us to improve our English? Impossible. I don’t understand why so many students spend much time in preparing for the English tests. It is a waste of time and it doesn’t help to improve their English. What’s more, some students who can use fluent English may fail in the CET examinations, while many other students who pass the CET tests fail to use it in their communicative life. It is interesting. As a result, we are walking on the wrong way and education reform needs to be put into practice.
I’m sorry to hear that the journal reject your article,and at the same time,I am shocked by that the editor of the journal gives an Chinese reply to you as they’re the only one English language journal in China.I must say that I have such an doubt why they really are skillful in English,and also do they really treat foreign writer respectfully.
Towards the attitude about the CET examination in China,like most of our students,I also do not like it,but as it is seen as an important evaluation standard of our study by most of our universities,almost every of still need to try our best to past it.But I think the best way to improve our English is not by examination,only by our efforts such as more speaking,writing,listening that we can get an improvement on it.I hope that in future days this situation can be better.
In my point of view, an English standard test is necesssary for a student because nothing other than a test or an examination can more effectively push one to work hard to learn something or to purchase some skill. The days when we are preparing CET-4 or CET-6 are the days that we spend most of our time on English study. However, there is some mistakes in the test policy. The test should be a standard ranking our complete English using skills including reading, writing, listening as well as speaking. I think the test is necessary, but the CET center should try to improve the test quality.
They should not reply in chinese! This was the first thought appear in my mind. No matter how the article was and no matter who was sending the article to the press for publishing, they, as editors, should have the thought that they should speak or write in english in their work time and job fields. We do it as our way and it does not matter, but what we do will be assessed by other people and will affect some persons. As the only one press publishing in english in China, they must pay more attention to its reputation.
First of all, I do not know whether the article will be published or not, because I have little knowledge about the journal and the field of English teaching in China.
Secondly, I believe almost everyone in China is afraid of the powerful CET, especially the college student. As you know, we are not allow be graduate if we do not pass CET-4. A good mark in the CET transcript may not help us a lot, but a bad grade in CET will bring us tons of trouble. But how to assess is another thing. Actually, we do criticize CET, but the thing is that we have not found an alternate yet.
After reading the reviewer’s opinion,I know this poor man doesn’t catch the point of the article—or he pretends not to catch the point of the article.He keeps talking about the details,doesn’t answer the author’s main opinion.Unbelieveable,he even seems to misunderstand the way how CET influences us.If so,he should be fired.Otherwise,he just makes this well-designed comment which seems quite right,to cover his real intent.
At the beginning of his review,he forgets that the these comments from “several students”,are choosen from the 670 ones who represent 195 undergraduate colleges and universities.Their opinions seem quite important.Then,he ignores the topic this article had talked—if CET becomes our main reason for studying in the university,and this motivation destroied our English studyding—he just keeps blaming we Chinese students,thinks us lazy and not try our best.But if a big language exam which ignores the speaking part,what will we do?what will the teachers teach us?The CET is one of the same kind exam in China,but it is the most powerful one, because it is the most difficult exam that everyone is almost compelled to attend.Finally,the reviewer gives the key to the whole education system.It is just a scheme.Because we can’t change the system,but we can change one unreasonable exam.
The review is afraid of any change of today’s exam system,since this change may reduce some ones’ vested interest,he can’t take that responsibility.If everyone thinks the article all by himself,it is so easy that this article should be published,even if only for discussion!
It’s my second post on the “Mute English”. I have read the viewer’s comments(ShenGaoYiJian). The writing in the viewer’s comments is not welcoming, but some of the reasons of rejecting the paper are true in my opinion. I personally hate CET and I really think CET should be improved or reformed. However, just changing CET can hardly make the English study any better in China. The viewer’s comments point out there are many other aspects in English teaching need to be changed, and I think professor would agree with that. Besides, CET qualifications are becoming less important when we are trying to find jobs. So, CET plays important role no more. Students in good university find no difficultys in passing CET, and many so-so universities do not require passing CET.
And what I’m saying next, maybe the real reason for rejecting the paper. Changing CET is a very very serious thing. If it really needs changing, it should be changed cautiously. The Chinese leader will not let a foreigner to tell him what is wrong about his policy (CET). Maybe someday he realizes CET should be changed, then he will say “I MYSELF, find there is something wrong with the CET, and I will correct it by MYSELF.” And now, CET has just reformed (more like pBT of TOEFL), and the leaders seem to like it very much. So they will not change it now and they will not allow others saying something bad about CET. Maybe that’s why the “Mute English” has been rejected.
I think it is common that people criticise the english test which make our students to be memory machines and lack of creative thinking ability. We complain this year by year but it do not change. Why? Change is not so easy especially in china where we have so many people with so many opinions. CET or other tests are indeed the root of mute english but it is the most fair way in which we chose students to come to colleges or to works at the same time. Untill we find another method that most people think is both fair and effective, mute english will continue. The other cause of mute english might be that there is a small chance that we can use oral english in our daily life. So both teachers and students dn not emphasize speaking english. In this situation, all we should do is to learn the language and pass the exam.
The journal “Teaching English In China” sets an very poor example in China. In fact it is a true situation of the English education: most educators think in a Chinese way, not an English way. That’s one of reasons why we Chinese speak poor English. Many foreigners amazes that most college students whose English is poor have being learned it for more than 10 years, which is no doubt. Now it seems that every postgraduate makes effort to pass the CET-4 and CET-6, which is accepted by almost every companies. It seems we have no power to prevent the tend ,although it is improper. I think the government should put more energy on it to improve all the nations’ English level.
After I read the reviewer comments, I think some doubts are justified. In my opinion ,it is too serious to say “CET is the bane of EFL acquisition in China ”. Of course, CET led many student learning english to be mute english on some extent.However,CET also can help students work hard on english. CET is not the only reason of mute english. The reviewer of the journal “Teaching English In China” write the reviewer comments in Chinese to be a bad example. As a reviewer of the english journal ,he ignored this matter.
I am so sad to hear that your article was rejected.I do not agree with all of your views in that article,but I also think some views is reasonable.
Many students in china learn english so many years but can not speak English fulently,maybe they know mang words but do not know use. A lot of students learn English only in order to pass the exam such as CET4、CET6、examination of college.in the other hand I think it is a way make student learn english.if no exam I think mang students will not learn English.
It is very necessary to reform of english education,for example provid english invironment as soon as possible,add oral exam and so on. And I think some of Martin’s method is useful to enhance oral English.
There is nothing wrong with CET itself, what the wrong is that to publish it as a only indicator and threshold to measure the proficiency in English of students. What’s more, some colleges even require students to pass this exam to obtain the degree certificate. This leads English to a task and test, not a language. Articles about the criticism of EFL should be published and the lack of which need to be reformed. I hope that one day, the Chinese students learn English is because we are really like this language, rather than to deal with CET.
I have learned many years English, but I can not speak the English very fluently. What I said is mute English. There are many reasons. From small to big, my English teachers teach the mute English. We have many English exams, but they are only written English and listening English. Everyone has the psychological of inertia. So my speaking English is very bad. I think it is time to implove my speaking English what is the most important.
Mute English is new to me before,but I think it is very common among our students. To the truth we seldom speak out English in our dairy life, except the time when we must recite the paragraph in the textbook. Of course this problem may have several causes, and some of them we even can not change. For example we must past CET 4, in addition we’d better past CET6. others judge my English level from the CET. So what will bring to me if I can’t past the exam. As the result the Mute English was born. Even that we can do something to save our oral English. Elementarily we can practice our oral English by reciting our textbook loudly. And I think most of us would like this way. Secondly we should dare to speak out, because we just practice, no right or wrong. In the future the situation of ME will change.
I think “mute English” is a unique Chinese phenomena caused by a series of tests all the time.
The aim all of the students study English is to pass the tests, so they ignore the spoken English.
In that case, all the student can get high scores in the tests, but they can’t communicate with
foreigners freely. CET is considered as an important test that can give you a good chance to find
a good job. I hope CET can be reformed, in that case, CET can improve our not only written English
but also spoken English. Gratifyingly, Chinese English environment is being improved. Now, more and
more Oral English Competitions are held which can improve our spoken English.
In my opinion, the most benefit of CET is not a examination you must pass, and you can choose weather take the examination or not. Although some companies are concerned about the mark of CET in your resume, my friends failed in CET also could find jobs, including in traumatisms. To some degree, the result of CET4 or CET6 can be used to measure one’s English level. But the issue how to change the situation we almost speak mute English we must consider about.
I have talked about MUTE ENGLISH once and I now I have some other words. That is speak English is both easy and uneasy. How to say? In fact , you can make yourself understood by others easy if you know how to pronunciation . but I think speak suitably and appropriately according to his or her culture manner is not easy at all. When we make a meeting or introduce something rightly to foreigners rather than a chat , we must acquire much more English words than now. So ,in my opinion , we must accumulate some authentic words and learn the speak skills of foreigners gradually and don’t be a mute English when we talk more than 5 minutes with a foreigner.
“Mute English” is a unique Chinese phenomena ignored by linguistic scholars but derided by Chinese students. I am very sorry to hear about that, but I agree with the editor’s decision. In china, it is a typical phenomena. We all have studied English for more than ten years, but we can only understand it when it is written on the paper. Our listening and oral English are both very poor. It is the shared flaws for all Chinese. There are two main reasons for it. Firstly, we have little time to speak English, there are all Chinese around us. We do not have the environment to practice our listening and oral English. If we have the opportunity to go abroad, we will learn English better. Secondly, It is our own reason, we are afraid of speaking English. In summarization, we must practice more ,speak more.
CET is important in China, especially to find a job. I have a friend, he, a senior student, wants to find a job recently. Because he doesn’t pass the CET4, he found that to get a job is difficult. Although, in our opinion, CET can’t be the standard of your English ability, especially oral English, the company in China seems like using CET to be your English lever standard, even if English is no use in their company. In fact, CET can’t improve our oral English, and always make mute English. Purpose of studying English is communication. But now we study English and pass the CET just for finding a job easier. It’s ironically.
I am a little shocked to know that the journal “Teaching English In China,” is published in English, but all of the editor’s email communications are in Chinese and the outside reviewer’s comments are all in Chinese. I though that they use English in their work. They talk to each other in English, they email to each other in English. All the things they do, they do it with English. So there must be something wrong with their systems.
Also that, I think that are something wrong with the English teaching system. We do not care who really need to study English, how we should learn English. I do not know why there are so many Chinese people learning English, why some jobs have nothing to do with English but still require the applicants’ English skill.
Besides, We also do not pay attention to use it. Most people try very hard to get a high score in the exam and think that a high score can represents their high English level. Actually, they can not use it at all. Who are going to be responsible for this phenomenon The CET test may has some responsibility, but what about our English teaching systems? We really need to think about seriously.
When I first heart this news, I feel very sorry of you and thought pity of our Chinese English magazine. But when I have read the suggestion, I found it make sense and point out your paper’s biggest fault. In the thesis, the research method is not sufficient to get the end conclusion. The paper want prove that the CET caused the poor English performance, but the reason is not one. So the other variables must be controlled. So I hope you modify you thesis to make it more creditable. And for the editor’s Chinese reply, I think it is the high time to change.
As a Chinese college student, I am more familiar with CET than the others, I just hold agreement with “whatever is, is right.” I can’t tell you why it exists in China, but if it is there must be a reason even though it is unreasonable. I do not believe that people can make any progress if there is no wish to make it. The one who get a faith to improve their English will win the award. So what about the others, who do not like English or even a little rejected. For them CET as well as other English testing program is suffer.
In my opinion, CET which just sets a standard is justice for every one of our students. As for whether it is right or wrong, is out of our business. However, as a program of China’s education system, it plays a role that obstructs the English teaching especially the oral English. And as an obstacle, it will be replaced one day.
The word “Mute English” is a satire for learning English by Chinese. However, thinking for a while, I think this argument is right to some extent, which may be caused by China’s education system, for Chinese students, test scores always be the first one, if you can get a high score, you can have a lot of things, such as entering to a good university, getting a good job. However, as more and more the exchanges between China and other countries, we know that high score is not enough; we also need an excellent ability. I think that this phenomenon” Mute English” is becoming less and less in China, because we know what we need.
MUTE ENGLISH
I strike a idea about your comments for the MUTE ENGLISH in China, after I read the reviewer’s comments. I partly agree with rather your comments not the reviewer’s comments, However, there is something right, such as his words that CET is necessary for Chinese students , CET is the one of the reasons for the bad English of Chinese students.
I think the main idea of Martin don’t deny CET thoroughly, He just suggest we Chinese students should make English better by more listening , more reading and more writing and so on. Thus I agree with Martin. what’s more, the condition where we get on is that the English scores is the only standard to measure the English level of everyone, that is to say , it is why the examination is paid more attention to. So we should improve the proportion of listening, speaking to improve the English level truly and essentially and it is the driving force to advance the students to learn English. Because it connects with the true Chinese condition.
I don’t think people are too afraid of the powerful CET committee to criticize CET, but CET is the only way to distinguish our English proficiency which is widely recognized. Many students learn English for passing CET4 and CET6 to get high marks to make their resumes pretty. And I think the article won’t be published after making changes in the article. The articles to criticize the policy are not easy to publish in China. The reviewers consider that if they publish the article, it means that they agree with your views, so they won’t publish it.
Maybe it is a pity that the article couldn’t be passed.There is no doubt that mute English is the common phenomenon in China,especially for the college students.What leads to this reality.In the college we take lots of time on studying English,just for the examination such as CET.If passing the CET,we may have a higher standpoint to find a job insteading of communication.Besides,we have no enough chances to speak it.this is the external factor.For ourselves,if we really want to improve our spoken English,we may create the environment of speaking English,for example in the dormitory.On the other hand,because of the CET,we should study the new words and reading more articles,in my opinion which improve our vocabulary.maybe it is the basis of studying English.In the conclusion,we must spend much time on English for CET,so we have little time to exercise our spoken English.I agree with that CET is the important reason to lead to mute English.So we must have obvious purposes of studying English,which is not only for the examination but also for communication.
I think it can be understand that the reviewers made the last decisions . From my pespective , after attend the HE class , I have different ideas in English learning , but this is different before. Though we should call for the HE is the most effective way to acquire the language, it is hard for the whole Chinese education. That is ,if the boat is too big, it’s hard to change its direction in short time . Maybe it needs more time for China . I am against the test in my own view, but it helps China a lot traditionally at the same time. So the HE should be called for ,and the way should be change gradually .
In my point of view, an English standard test is necesssary for a student because nothing other than a test or an examination can more effectively push one to work hard to learn something or to purchase some skill. The days when we are preparing CET-4 or CET-6 are the days that we spend most of our time on English study. However, there is some shortcoming in the test policy. The test should be a standard ranking our complete English using skills including reading, writing, listening as well as speaking. I think the test is necessary, but the CET center should try to improve the test quality
I think the revolution of English teaching in China is a big progress,and of course,CET qualifications are really very important when we are trying to find jobs. And everyone take CET very serious.But just as what the viewer’s comments said,there have a lot of problems in English teaching in china,not only the CET.There are many other aspects in English teaching need to be changed.And he also admit that there is something irrational in the CET. So I think the reviewer was objective,and if you make some changes in the articles(it doesnt means that do not talk about CET ) to let the evidence more reliable,maybe it will get published in China.
There’s no doubt that the reviewer is a bit evading the problems now existing in China, He was trying to protect the English systems working today and say words for both himself and the educational government, it’s the common problem you can find in the Chinese protectors. However in another hand , I think he point something that was true and significative. If we discard the CET ,that’s imaginabale that we can’t even write and read ,that’ a terrible phenomenon to be thought about . reform should be taken step by step ,it’s impossible to ruin the CET system in a time ,I think it’s more practical to make some change in CET rather than to dump it.
Frankly speaking,I am not surprised to hear that Martin’s article was rejiected by the journal “Teaching English In China”. Even it is accepted and published in that magazine, it will change nothing to the enforcement of CET-4 or CET-6. China is a country with exam-oriented education system for so many years. It’s hard to change the status of presence. Although we all know that English is a tool for communications,we cann’t help to judging the excellent of one’s English by their score of their CET-4 or CET-6.It is just a habit. So in my opinion, It will be a long way for ue all to change this situation. But on the other hand, I think the compulsory pass of CET-4 or CET-6 will give us power to learn English. Because there will be less English learners for people’s laziness. New we should deny CET-4 and CEt-6 completely or not, it is not conceivable.
First , I’m grateful the professor’ s new idea ,I think you spent much time to think about the Chinese education ,maybe you can’t change this condition ,but you put forward your view .Many college students must through CET, but when we go abroad ,we also should through many test ,such as TOEFL ,IELTS, so if we should change the mute English , CET isn’t the key , even if I fail to the CET-6 , I also try my best to learn English , and hope current exam will pass, we can learn more knowledge ,the writing , reading .Mute English is a problem, we need time to solve it, maybe one day ,we find we can’t communicate with other ,we must speak English ,we entry a country only speak English ,the circumstances require speak English ,I believe everyone can speak fluent English .
“MUTE ENGLISH”, is absolutely a funny term, which I have heard long time ago. In China, it is beyond dispute that many Chinese learn mute English, which it’s more normal for the elder. Father of one of my good friends, for instance, is good at reading English, but totally incapable of speaking English. So are some students in my same age, who are able to get high scores in English examination, but speak rather bad oral English.
In my point of view, the most significant reason for the phenomenon above is our traditional education system. No matter Chinese or English, examinations of them are taken on paper. Answers we write are the most decisive judge on our results of learning. As to College English, besides English exams held in university, CET Examination is one of the leading factors. And our English teachers without qualified oral English bring about passive influence, too.
However, it is exciting for us, teachers and students, to recognize that, our oral English is better than before. More and more schools show more concern about oral English teaching, from middle schools to colleges. Hence, practicing speaking English as much as possible is an effective means, and creating an oral English environment is a must to promote the process.
The phenomenon of MUTE ENGLISH exiting in China is not a strange thing but normal. We learn English as a language makes us to communicate with foreigners. We may read English book and newspaper frequently, but we have little chance to talk with foreigners directly. That’s also the editor’s opinion. Indeed, the CET is no use for us to improve our English except for giving us a certificate. However if there is no CET, our English is still Mute English. It is irony that we spent much more time in learning English, but in final we still not to use it flexibly. Unless we knew this issue, the next step is to resolve it. The only measure of changing this situation is practicing more and speaking more.
I read the article and agree with your opinion. I am one of millions of Chinese students who have learned English nearly 16 years. And I also found it difficult for me to speak English freely even I had gotten good marks in many kinds of English exams of China, of course including the CET-6. Why? I think “mute English”is the key figure to this common phenomenon. So I can understand your original purpose of this article. And I also believe that it really needs to do some changes to this problem. But enough time is needed to this problem. I think effective measures will be taken in the future.