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Free public talk on China by Dr George Zhang on 21 May

17 May 2010

Culture Differences from the Perspectives of Languages

Are you:

  • learning Chinese and want to find out how to make the learning easier?
  • interested in the Chinese culture and want to explore how the cultural differences manifest in the language?
  • teaching Chinese students and would like to understand their learning style?
    or
  • teaching Chinese and want to find a better way to introduce Chinese to English students?

Then you will find answers to these questions at our next session by guest speaker Dr George Zhang, Director of London Confucius Institute and Director of SOAS Language Centre.

The talk takes place on Friday 21 May from 12.45 to 1.30pm, in room A112, Samuel Alexander Building.

The presentation will start with a brief review of Chinese culture and society and then look at some key aspects of the Chinese language in comparison to English. The comparative linguistic analyses intend to explore how such linguistic differences underpin the different thinking and behaviour patterns of the Chinese and English native language speakers, and to draw attention to the areas which are important for effective learning and teaching of Chinese in English speaking countries.

You do not need to book a place for the talk, just turn up.

For more information:

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Information on our speaker:

Dr George X Zhang is the Director of the London Confucius Institute (LCI) at SOAS and the Director of SOAS Language Centre where LCI is located.

He did his undergraduate and postgraduate study in China, and later obtained his PhD from the University of Nottingham.

He has over 20 years' experience in language teaching and teacher training in British and Chinese universities (with a full professorship in language education awarded by a Chinese university in 1994), as well as years of involvement in professional cross-cultural business development consultancy and management training in the UK and Europe.

His research interest includes adult language learning and teaching, teacher training, cross-cultural management studies. He has published widely on these subjects and is an author of a number of Chinese language textbooks, including the Chinese in Steps series.