Lessons from China: Understanding what Chinese students want

Stanley, P

Abstract

Students from the People's Republic of China are the single largest cohort of international students in Australia, and although attempts have been made to understand their needs and desires in situ, few scholars have considered the recently reformed and highly political Chinese education system itself as a source of understanding. This article addresses that gap, considering two important issues in Chinese education: the positioning and performance expectations of 'Western' English language teachers, and the differentiation between product and process approaches in education in general and language education in particular. These matter to English language course providers in Australia and beyond, as students' expectations may be informed by previously constructed, and often reified, notions of Western teachers' 'authenticity'. In addition, an understanding of the Chinese 'product' approach to education may help teachers and academic managers understand and manage Chinese students' needs and wants. Concrete suggestions and advice are also offered to those working in the classrooms and staff rooms of Australian and other international education providers.

Citation

Stanley, P. (2013). Lessons from China: Understanding what Chinese students want. English Australia Journal : the Australian Journal of English Language Teaching, 28(2), 38-52

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 1, 2013
• Publication Date: 2013
• Deposit Date: Feb 18, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 20, 2019
• Journal: English Australia Journal
• Print ISSN: 1444-4496
• Publisher: English Australia Ltd
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 28
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 38-52
• Keywords: English language teaching, Chinese students, product approaches, process approaches, Confucian-heritage learners.
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/1556849
• Publisher URL: http://www.englishaustralia.com.au/page.php?id=178
• Contract Date: Feb 20, 2019