English as 1st language and as 2nd language (#210, Topic L)

This morning, I attended a breakfast briefing at the Carneige Endowment for International Peace, on US-China Interparliamentary Exchange, by the chief of staff of a House committee responsible for this home-and-home exercise. He made many points worthy of separate blogs. For this one, let me focus on language education in USA and in China. (His children were home-schooled, reflecting his assessment of the quality of primary/secondary education in USA.) Though he had not visited China until some five years ago (when he was given this assignment), he seemed to have a good impression of China when he did visit, several times (in each visit, he was given a free rein as to where to go and which speciific house to knock to gain admittance). At one point, somewhat agitated, he said that students in China are learning English as a second language better than students in USA learning English as their first language! For emphasis, he repeated this observation. I certainly occur. Indeed, it reminds of an incident some four decades ago. When I was a lowly assistant professor at the U of Southern California, one year, our department chairman wanted to include a test of English for seniors as a graduation requirement. At one of departmental faculty meetings, he produced a sample test for attendees to review. Upon seeing it, I could not believe my eyes. The test, designed for university seniors ready to receive their baccalaureate degrees whose first language was English, was easier than tests of English given as entrance examinations for high-school graduates applying for admission to colleges in China! Still, that sample test our department chairman prepared reflected the competence level of these college seniors. At another point, our speaker this morning expressed the concern that, some day, USA might not be able to retain its number 1 spot. If language competence is an indication of countries' competitiveness, I certainly share his concern.