A beginning Chinese teacher's development of classroom management skills in a Sydney school : an action research project

Abstract

This Action Research project emerged from the identification of the need for the researcher to improve classroom management skills during collaborative group work when teaching Chinese as a foreign language in Australian primary school classrooms. This issue was central for the researcher who was a beginning teacher with a Chinese background, who had little understanding of classroom management practices in a western educational context teaching English-speaking students. Action Research was conducted to research this problem with the aim of improving teaching and learning practice and outcomes. Data were collected over two cycles using this qualitative research approach. Data sources were an observational checklist, reflection journal, interviews with the classroom teacher, and focus groups with students and the peer ROSETE 11 volunteer Chinese language teachers. Data were analysed and coded and the findings provided evidence of the types of behaviour challenges exhibited by students during group work, the possible reasons contributing to these behaviours and the strategies that were developed to counter these. The findings indicate that student's noise level, talking without permission/off-task conversations and being very easily distracted were the three most frequent problematic behaviour management issues. The reasons for these behaviours are discussed along with the assessment of strategies implemented in Cycles One and Two. This research may contribute to a deeper understanding of successful classroom management practices for beginning Chinese language teachers when conducting group work and, in so doing, may contribute to the literature in the field of teaching Chinese as a foreign language to young children in western contexts.

Date of Award	2020
Original language	English