A 'self-study' of a Chinese teacher-researcher's practice of transnational knowledge exchange : stimulating students' Mandarin learning in Australia

Abstract

Learning about the local educational context and then making decisions about teaching goals, methods and contents according to that context are the priorities for a foreign language teacher. This research thesis addresses the issues of a beginning teacher-researcher's reflective professional learning while engaged in "transnational knowledge exchange" to stimulate Mandarin teaching and learning in Australian public schools from Stage 1 to Stage 4 classes. In this self-study research, data was gathered from researchers' self-reflection journals. Three classes of primary school student, and a range of high school classes from different faculties, were involved in an 18-month Mandarin program of teaching and research. They contributed to this study through work samples produced during Mandarin lessons, in accordance with ethical procedures, ethics and parental approvals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three teacher participants: classroom teachers who supervised the Mandarin lessons. The findings suggest that foreign language lessons in Australia do not always serve communicative purposes, so that the prevailing approach of "communicative language teaching" is questioned. It is suggested that what students "do not know" is a missing link between this language teaching method and making significant connection to students. In this study, the teacher-researcher found through reflection that the priority for teaching these Australian students was to stimulate students' learning of Mandarin, and to eliminate their "ignorance" of modern China. This thesis argues that teaching Chinese knowledge and 21st century Chinese culture presents a possible way of eliminating students' ignorance and stimulating their motivation to learn Mandarin. For the language teacher, this requires knowledge of Australian educational culture, so as to manage Mandarin classes, while also engaging prior knowledge about Mandarin teaching and research.

Date of Award	2009
Original language	English