The Little Red Book: The English Study Leader

In all middle and high school classrooms in China, there are as many Study Leaders as there are subjects to study. Write the words English Study Leader on the blackboard and ask for that person to identify himself or herself.

Cheng Fei Xiang

Meet Fly, the English Study Leader in Class 14, Grade One. His Chinese name is Cheng Fei Xiang and he conducts himself as English Study Leader with pride.

“Please tell me your duties as English Study Leader”, I said.

“I help all the other students with their English studies,” Fly said.

“What things do you do to help them?” I said.

“When we have English study time, I make sure the other students study well,” he said.

“How do you do that?” I said.

“I help the students write down English words,” he said.

“What else to you do to help the others?” I said.

“I help them say the English words,” Fly said.

Fly’s actions are a living display of a Confucius philosophy; “It is pointless to learn merely for the sake of learning. Application must be the end and learning the means.”

The Chinese believe that it is education, which has been responsible for the ascent of mankind and progress in society.