English Names out of the Classroom

I never bother with English names because you can't find anybody by their English names. They don't always know each others English names so asking Where's John doesn't help you. Where's Liu Jun is much more helpful.

Agree 100%.

I had an interesting experience this past term when I used Chinese names only. A (vocal) minority of the students felt a bit slighted by this, as they enjoy being called by an English name in English class. Other students said they wished we had at least talked about English names so they could find out if their English names were stupid or not.

Anyway, I won't use English names next term, but I'll at least let them run the English names past me.

I had an interesting experience this past term when I used Chinese names only. A (vocal) minority of the students felt a bit slighted by this, as they enjoy being called by an English name in English class. Other students said they wished we had at least talked about English names so they could find out if their English names were stupid or not.

Last year one student surprised me by saying emphatically she hated her Chinese name. She was so insistent that I made an exception in her case and addressed her by her English name. Such a thing had never happened to me before.

I've had kids in schools who insist on both sides of the issue. I just ask kids what they prefer. On exams, I have them give me both (if they have) AND their ID number

I had one kid recently whom I taught at another uni previously. Sure enough, she had changed her English name

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all you white foreign devils are too dull to remember simple Chinese names...it makes my job easier"

I can remember my first year here (when we ate the last of the dinosaurs) all the foreign teachers at our sausage factory language mill were getting Chinese lessons from the Chinese teachers. One young woman who was assigned to us had a name that most of us couldn't, for some trivial reason, remember, but her adopted English name was easy. It was somewhat unique, it fit her, and it was pretty without being saccharine in that post-80s way that seems to dominate local pop culture. (As a teacher, I liked working with her, so of course you can take what I say with a grain of salt). One of my foreign collagues told her that her 3 chinese names were too difficult to remember. "Most of us only have two names, a first and a last", she added. I looked at my colleague and thought, "how do you remember your own name, which has seven syllables?"

OK, the reason wasn't trivial, but it had everything to do with us and nothing to do with her. 

I think instead of them changing their names, we should jsut learn how to say their names

I'm struggling enough with learning their English names, let alone their Chinese names! With something like 70 kids a week it's hard to keep track (at least to begin with).

I've chatted with a couple of my kids about their names and they've changed them - Jet Li changed his name to Jack Li (his autograph won't be worth as much anymore). But there's a few cases where the kids are really attached to their names but their names are completely inappropriate - like Computer. I get that its a laugh, but seriously!

70 kids a week?

That's pretty easy mkate. 70 kids a class is a little tougher.

70 kids a week?

That's pretty easy mkate. 70 kids a class is a little tougher.

I wouldn't sign up to teach that many kids, and yes it would be tougher I'm sure. However it's my first time teaching and the first time in a new country, 70 also doesn't include the one on one's. Combine that with different levels, teaching material, plus trying to navigate life in general, 70 names is a lot - for me. Kk 

Also, a fair share of our kids are intending on studying abroad, their parents want them to have English names.

I'd like to have a Chinese name, different argument though.

I never had any problem with learning Chinese names versus adopted English names of students (my problem is just remembering names at all). There is a very good reason for us to encourage students to adopt English/Western names in class. As teachers, we need ensure that students are accustomed to the sound of the names and recognize if a name indicates a man or woman. I still run into this problem teaching ESL in the US. Some students still don't understand the names.

As teachers, we need ensure that students are accustomed to the sound of the names and recognize if a name indicates a man or woman. I still run into this problem teaching ESL in the US. Some students still don't understand the names.

China-matt, that is the best explanation I have heard

Dragonsaver, I also like to point out to students that I have changed my name in three other languages.