Close this Advertisement

What is your e-mail address?
My e-mail address is:

Do you have a password?
Forgot your password? Click here
close

Lectern

By Steve Kelman

Blog archive

The Lectern: China and The Voice of America

I don't know if this blog has any readers who work for the Voice of America, but I heard a story recently that I think should make Voice of America employees, and probably Americans in general, pretty proud.

A Chinese student recently told me that when she was studying English, her teachers recommended that students listen to the Voice of America to practice their English. What a sign of changes in China (and credit to VOA)! In an era not so long ago, the Chinese government jammed Voice of America broadcasts to prevent people from listening. Now, teachers are encouraging students to listen. And, in improving their English through VOA, Chinese listeners are also learning about American culture, society and values.

This student also told me that there is a Voice of America broadcast that is especially popular among beginning students. The station does some broadcasts in English that is spoken very slowly and uses a simple vocabulary. It is a good chance for these students to hear good English, but spoken in a way that is easier for them to understand. I wonder who the creative person was at the Voice of America who came up with this interesting, innovative idea in the first place.

Any Chinese readers who want to comment on listening (or not) to the Voice of America — or VOA employees?

Posted by Steve Kelman on Jan 15, 2009 at 9:18 AM


Related Blogs

Reader comments

Fri, Feb 6, 2009 Siyu beijing

Yeah. In my first and second year in Renmin University of China, when I still had to take English courses, my teacher used VOA English reports as frequent material of dictation. Frankly, VOA is becoming one of the most popular English learning materials of Chinese universities.

Fri, Jan 16, 2009 Joan Mower Washington, D.C.

The Voice of America (VOA) is delighted to hear stories about the popularity of its programs that teach English to international audiences. In fact, VOA's Special English (www.http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/about_special_english.cfm), which communicates with people who are not fluent in English, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Started in 1959, Special English programs quickly became some of the most popular on VOA. They still are, with millions of people improving their English skills by tuning into radio or television or accessing the Internet. Special English also helps people learn about American life, and stay informed about world news and developments in science. It provides listeners with information they cannot find elsewhere. In addition, VOA's China service (http://www.voanews.com/chinese/) also has English-language lessons for people in that country. Thanks again for the praise.

Sincerely,


Joan Mower
director, public relations
Voice of America
202-382-7164

Fri, Jan 16, 2009 William Flatt

VOA has been using "Special English" for decades in select programming. I first heard it in the mid 1950s. This includes special phrases such "nation's highest law enforcement officer" for "Attorney General".

Thu, Jan 15, 2009 mdc Maryland

This is the genius responsible for Special English, referred to in your column: CHINA and the VOICE OF AMERICA: In Memoriam: VOA's Top Gun Henry Loomis Henry Loomis, who died Nov. 2, 2008, at age 89, was an outstanding director of the Voice of America spanning three administrations from 1958 to 1965. It was a much different Voice of America back then and Henry Loomis surely would not recognize the bureaucratic behemoth his once administratively-lean agency was at one time. Language divisions that once supervised up to twenty language services on his watch were carved into north, south, west and east each with its own administrative structure. Dozens upon dozens of budget analysts now populate the building, Offices of Personnel and Administration proliferate, each with its own bureaucratic and high-graded structure, and the halls and offices are filled with special advisors and special assistants and deputies to all. In the olden times, when there was a problem or an issue to be solved, the VOA was flexible enough to resolve it without outside consultants charging astronomical fees and multi-million-dollar studies, follies ultimately subsidized by the long-suffering U.S. taxpayers. An example of his creativity was the creation of Special English with its slower pace of delivery and a 1,500 word vocabulary. In the face of internal and external opposition, the creative and astute Loomis prevailed with his idea for Special English to make VOA more accessible to its international audience. History has proven him right as the innovation was and is a great success. Another wise Loomis decision: the support of Willis Conover's jazz programs, an invaluable global export which the BBG conveniently chooses to ignore. During his tenure, the VOA Charter was written and technical facilities and programming expanded. The VOA Charter was signed into law in 1976 by President Ford. As spiritual godfather of the VOA Charter, Henry Loomis would be appalled at what has happened to that venerable document in the ensuing years especially with our current programming to the Middle East. Director Loomis resigned as VOA Director in 1965 after a squabble with the White House during the Vietnam War when President Lyndon Johnson demanded that VOA remain silent about U.S. involvement in Laos. Believing correctly that VOA was obliged to report the news, Henry Loomis resigned. In 2007, Henry Loomis joined 10 other former VOA Directors in co-signing a letter to implore Congress to ignore the BBG's suggested cuts at VOA including cuts to VOA English. A marvelous legacy. Thank you, Director Henry Loomis.

Please post your comments here. Comments are moderated, so they may not appear immediately after submitting. We will not post comments that we consider abusive or off-topic.

Your Name:(optional)
Your Email:(optional)
Your Location:(optional)
Comment:
Please type the letters/numbers you see above

Editorial Webcasts

More Editorial Webcasts

Federal Computer Week eNewsletters

  • Subscribe to Newsletters Subscribe

    Federal Computer Week's eNewsletters deliver the latest policy and management news to your inbox.