Saturday, June 13, 2020
Cultural Essay Topics That Can Be Used by Chinese Students
Cultural Essay Topics That Can Be Used by Chinese StudentsStudents often struggle with writing Chinese culture essays. As a professor, I have had students ask for advice about what to write, how to write, and where to begin. The majority of my students seem to be well versed in the basics of Chinese culture, but have trouble finding the appropriate essay topic for their chosen grade level.During my years of teaching, I have conducted several workshops on cultural studies. In most of these workshops, I have been surprised by the lack of interest in writing the actual essays, even when the topic is primarily about Chinese culture. My comments to them about their essay topics were met with incredulity and derision. The problem seemed to be that students often understood the value of cultural studies, but did not feel that they could apply it to their essays.Of course, one reason why Chinese culture essays are so difficult to write is that the subject matter is so broad. There are countl ess numbers of topics and aspects of the culture of China that students must comprehend. The student's ultimate goal, of course, is to develop a well-rounded and well-written essay that will encourage academic and personal growth.As an essayist, I find that most students are aware of the value of cultural studies, but simply do not feel that they can apply what they have learned to the Chinese culture or society. Some feel that they can just skim through the material found in text books and will not be left feeling comfortable. Unfortunately, this often leads to the student seeking guidance from me and other instructors, only to be met with accusations of being 'too intellectual' or trying to 'outsmart' the professors.This lack of confidence in the topic and historical perspective can actually work to the student's advantage. In addition to being confident about the overall tone of the essay, the student will be more comfortable knowing that he or she has many opportunities to expre ss his or her views and opinions. Instead of holding back to avoid having to prove his or her intelligence, the student can express himself or herself as freely as possible, allowing him or her to grow as a person by reflecting upon his or her own ideas and opinions.Cultural differences will continue to exist throughout history, but as a result of technology and communication, students should not be afraid to discuss them. They should be able to learn from the differences without being threatened by the unknown. By presenting both sides of the argument in the essay, the student will be much more likely to reach an informed decision about what exactly the Chinese culture means to him or her.Because there are so many different perspectives in China about the Chinese culture, there is no single approach that will satisfy everyone. However, by providing students with a wide range of different viewpoints, the student will be more likely to feel that they are gaining something from the le arning experience. Instead of having one side of the debate, the student will be able to hear many different perspectives and to understand the history of the Chinese culture.The most important aspect of choosing good essay topics is to select the topic that fits the student. By giving the student many different options, students will be able to select topics that best fit their level of understanding.
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