Business Chinese from the learner’s perspective

This chapter offers a view from a US student of Mandarin Chinese who is also a banker and business professor. It discusses some of the instructional techniques used in classes for learning to speak using pinyin and learning to read the hanzi characters. The author questions the goals of teaching and learning business Mandarin based on his own experience with several languages. Assuming that only a small percentage of students will become fluent enough to use Mandarin at a professional level, in conversation or in reading, teachers should recognize this reality. They should focus more attention on the attainable goals of 1) encouraging their business and professional students to appreciate Chinese culture and history, and 2) helping them to see the value in being flexible enough to make the attempt to learn another language.