Students often want to practice their English outside class. One of the best ways to practice your English is to speak to a foreigner. This week’s question comes from a student who is eager to start a conversation with the foreigners he sees every day. One student asks, “Is it Okay to try to talk to foreigners I see in the street?”

The answer is yes or no, but probably no! If you see a foreigner who looks lost, it is polite to ask him, “May I help you?” But, otherwise, you should probably let them get on with their business. Situations, however, do exist (存在) where it is quite all right to talk to foreigners. If a foreigner enters your school, office, shop or restaurant, for instance (例如), feel free to ask him (for example):

— What is your name?

— Where do you come from?

— What do you think of Beijing?

— How long will you stay in Beijing?

There are also situations where it’s Okay to talk to foreigners in public places. If you see a foreigner alone in a restaurant, bar or coffee shop, it may be appropriate (合适的) to ask him or her:

— Is this seat free?

— Do you mind if I talk to you in English?

You can probably help them if they are new to China and if they are alone. You may be able to make them feel more welcome.

After a few such questions, you should know whether this person wants to talk to you or not. If they ask you similar questions, or if they give long, informative answers, you’re in luck. If not, then give them their privacy (独处). Talking to strangers is fun if you choose the right time and place.

How do you feel when your teacher asks you to work on a group project with other students? Do you like to work together with others or work alone?

The Programme for International Student Assessment, or PISA, carried out a survey of students’ ability to work together in groups. They found that students who do well on tests by themselves are also likely to be better at working with other people. This finding was true for many countries. Students in Japan, South Korea, Finland and Canada, where test scores are high, also did well in working together to solve problems.

But this was not the case for every country. Chinese students, who have high scores as well, displayed just average collaborative skills. “One reason might be that Chinese parents and teachers focus too much on grades,” said Zhao Zhongxin, former vice president of the Chinese Family Education Association. “Students have a lot of exam pressure, and they see schools as places for competition.” “However, collaborative skills are very important for preparing students for today’s society,” he added. “Luckily, more Chinese parents and teachers are realizing the importance of this and are thinking of ways to help students improve this skill.”

Another interesting finding from the PISA survey was that girls can be better than boys at working together. They said girls show more positive attitudes towards relationships, which means they are more willing to listen to other’s opinions.

PISA also found that the classroom environment can influence how well students collaborate. In classes where there are a lot of activities that require communication such as class debates, students might have better attitudes towards collaborating.

It used to be that parents and teachers had set days and times for parent-teacher meetings, but 【小题1】 . With the help of QQ, Wechat, school website and so on, parents and teachers can communicate with each other more easily and often. But some parents still don’t want to connect

with their child’s teachers. That's not right! Because【小题2】.

Be sure to call your child's teacher if 【小题3】. When a child who used to love going to school, but now cries and fights getting on the bus, 【小题4】 Your child’s teacher can pay more attention to something bigger happening.

For example, you may find the teacher's notes on the test paper. They are often helpful for parents to understand what your child’s problem is. If they are unclear to you. 【小题5】.

A good working relationship between parents and teachers is good for everyone. Keep communicating, ask questions and solve problems before they become too big. They are all ways to build a strong relationship.