Causal talks encourage students and faculty to learn a new language

By Marie Mikols ’16

As the Chinese population continues to grow in the United States, more people are beginning to take an interest in the Chinese language and culture. Many students at Moravian College have expressed a desire to learn how to speak the language, and Chia-Ling Yeh, adjunct professor of foreign language, has begun offering free Chinese lunchtime talks where students, faculty and staff can begin an acquaintance with the Chinese language and explore the rich cultural heritage of China.

Yeh has been teaching Chinese at Moravian College for two years. During her lunchtime talks, she helps to lessen the anxiety of learning a new foreign language by putting the emphasis on interactional conversations. Participants learn simple Chinese phrases on poster boards. Handouts are also distributed for reference, and conversations in Chinese are encouraged to facilitate immersion.

Yeh explains that although the linguistic form of Chinese may be unfamiliar to some, once one gets acquainted with the grammar, it is very simple. There is not a lot of variation within the context, and, as one learns characters, it becomes easier to understand. “It is not a difficult language,” says Yeh.

While teaching the rudiments of the language, Yeh also speaks to students and faculty about various cultural aspects of China. She hopes participants will be able to pick up on simple phrases during the lunchtime talks as well as gain an understanding of the dynamics of the country in order to aid them in their travels if they should visit China in the future.

To ensure that everyone is on the same page, Yeh includes a review of the previous lunchtime talks at the start of each session. She encourages people to join at anytime even if it’s just to see if they would be interested learning about the Chinese language. “Everyone is welcome and everyone can participate,” said Yeh. Through her lunchtime talks Yeh hopes to create a welcoming environment and encourage students and faculty to explore the uniqueness of the Chinese language and culture.

If you are interested in attending a Chinese lunchtime talk, sessions are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:45a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the HUB. Please feel free to bring your own lunch. For more information please contact Chia-Ling Yeh at yehc@moravian.edu.