@Aurora
Your post should read the 22nd of June, not the 22th.

I avoid English corners as I have found they consist of (as described above) lots of Chinese, a few foreigners, and lots of introductions. I can see why some people only go once every few months as I find them exhausting.

If the English corner has a theme for the evening they work much better. But as most people don't organise anything, and others could not organise there way out of a paper bag, the default conversation starts with "Nice to meet you, where are you from...?"

Additionally, English corner is not really a good place to practice your Chinese. They are not really meant for that.

Sorry if this sounds negative, but that is why I don't participate.

My reason for posting?

Perhaps this information may help those who run English corners to avoid this major pitfall.

@tigertiger, I agree. You can't have an English corner without a topic and goal. There needs to be groups divided according to level otherwise it will be chaos. It needs to get pass introductions and 'where are you from?'.

The only one I've been to was the Green Lake menagerie. I got corned by an eight year old girl who spoke amazingly good English. I got the impression that she was trying to line me up with her mother.

Ha! Ha!
Smart 8 year old.

tigertiger

Yea, I know this situation. I guess I am talking about the English Corners at schools, private colleges in particular. I guess I go in unprepared and hoping a theme will develop as the students should also be prepared. Problem becomes who is going to come (if anybody) and what will their level be. I suddenly realized the reason for the shifting faces was because each week the Students master teacher selected certain students to go and it changed each week.

I later began to have a few familiar faces and that was great but even that was not predictable. While a theme or topic is best it can also be a bit of a struggle when you may have only 2 students and neither one even wants to be there.

I have never done any of the English Corners at places like Greenlake or Nordica but have heard from some of my students. My impression is same as yours; a bunch of Chinese students wanting free English lessons and bombarding the EC teacher with questions like: Where are from? How long have you been in China? What do you do on the weekend? Do you like Chinese food? They do not use these Qs are gateways to conversation and after they exhaust the standard half dozen or so Qs they want the teacher to entertain them or them them about "your culture". Unless there are a couple high level students the only one practicing English winds up being the EC teacher themselves.

And an English Corner does not seem like a place to really practice Chinese. Wouldn't that be a Chinese Corner (sometimes which are not free to foreigners the way English Corners are to Chinese)? it is true that in English Corners students tend to speak Chinese more than English but I don't think that is the aim.

Dan

I remember the days when I just started learning English and tried to find as many English corners as possible to participate. Howere they didn't do a lot to improve my English. *How could I improve if everytime I only had to listen/do an introcution?*:p However I do like English Corners: making friends and getting to know people very quickly.

I think it would be a lot BETTER that you prepare what you want to say before you go! Brainstorm some topics you want to discuss, google some information about them( if you don't have any about the topics), and bring a bright mood. If possible, get some beer! :)

ShanShan7c : Your experience and observation is true of many English Corners. Not getting past the 'introduction' stage is of no value to you and boring for everyone. I avoid English Corners since after attending only several times I tired with: "Hello, what's your name, where do you come from, do you like China [what answer is expected!] and do you like Chinese food?" All fired off in quick succession and without the interrogator waiting - let alone listening - for a reply. And then the more bizarre and loaded questions: 'What do you think 5,000 year Chinese culture and U.S. hamburger culture?'

Perhaps smaller, open 'clubs', with a hardcore of regular attendees would be more productive and ultimately more satisfying.

I heard rumours that the English Corner on Green Lake is being affected by the "beautification" of the nearby roads. I want to bring 15 Aussie visitors along next week. Can anyone confirm that it's still running (Thursday, 7ish onwards?) and in the same place?

I think the area where it was held has been fenced off by a 2 metre high blue metal fence. I'll have a look tomorrow night and see if it's being held nearby.