Making Chinese Making Chinese Learning EnjoyableLearning Enjoyable

---A Case Study on a Chinese ---A Case Study on a Chinese Community CollegeCommunity College

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

1) How is CLT (Chinese language 1) How is CLT (Chinese language teaching and learning) conducted in this teaching and learning) conducted in this college?college?

2) What are students’ attitudes to CTL? 2) What are students’ attitudes to CTL? 3) How is teachers’ work? 3) How is teachers’ work? 4) What has the school done to assist 4) What has the school done to assist

CLT? CLT?

Key characteristics of Key characteristics of Chinese teaching and Chinese teaching and learning culture learning culture

1 Teachers: highly-respected / controller1 Teachers: highly-respected / controller

2 Students: diligent / attentive 2 Students: diligent / attentive

being disciplined being disciplined

taking notes/ doing exercises/ homework taking notes/ doing exercises/ homework

3 Serious learning/teaching atmosphere 3 Serious learning/teaching atmosphere

4 Learning / teaching by drilling/ imitating/4 Learning / teaching by drilling/ imitating/

memorising / doing exercises memorising / doing exercises

5 Teachers’ beliefs5 Teachers’ beliefs : : Practice makes perfect/Practice makes perfect/

Quantity decides qualityQuantity decides quality

General Beliefs

* Chinese is very difficult * Chinese is very difficult

* Chinese learning is time-consuming* Chinese learning is time-consuming

* Chinese teachers lack training and * Chinese teachers lack training and

work experiences work experiences

* Chinese teaching pedagogy conflicts* Chinese teaching pedagogy conflicts

with locals’ learning habitswith locals’ learning habits

Research ContextResearch Context

Introduction of the Community College Introduction of the Community College

1) History (NPO / 20 years’) 1) History (NPO / 20 years’)

2) Goals 2) Goals

3) Organisation3) Organisation

4) Teachers4) Teachers

5) Students 5) Students

Introduction of the collegeIntroduction of the college

***Organisation ***Organisation

Community Association

CMC PMC

Principal

Teachers

Introduction of the collegeIntroduction of the college

****Teachers: 22****Teachers: 22

*Language Background*Language Background

(none with English as L1)(none with English as L1)

Madrin

Cantonese

Malay

Introduction of the collegeIntroduction of the college

* Education Background * Education Background ( EB) / Language ( EB) / Language Education Background Education Background

Australian EB

Non-Australian EB

Australian LanguageEB

Non-AustralianLanuage EB

Introduction of the collegeIntroduction of the college

* Working Experiences* Working Experiences

(all with language teaching experiences) (all with language teaching experiences)

(three of them work at WA government or (three of them work at WA government or private schools) private schools)

Introduction of the collegeIntroduction of the college

*****Students: 330******Students: 330* (range from Kindy to (range from Kindy to

Year 12 plus one Year 12 plus one adult class) adult class)

( few with 3+ years’ ( few with 3+ years’ education experience education experience in a Chinese in a Chinese speaking speaking

area or country) area or country)

Students withChineseBackground

Non-ChineseBackground

Research MethodsResearch Methods

* Interviews * Interviews 1) teachers 1) teachers 2) student groups2) student groups 3) parents 3) parents 4) principal and community leader 4) principal and community leader * Questionnaires * Questionnaires 1) to teachers 1) to teachers 2) to students 2) to students 3) to parents 3) to parents

Findings 1Findings 1

Responses from Students and Parents Responses from Students and Parents 1Although some are pushed by parents, they show a favourable attitude to 1Although some are pushed by parents, they show a favourable attitude to

learning Chinese. learning Chinese. 2 They can feel a sense of achievement. 2 They can feel a sense of achievement. 3 Chinese is interesting but difficult in reading and writing.3 Chinese is interesting but difficult in reading and writing.4 Chinese classes are interesting. 4 Chinese classes are interesting. However, when asking to compare to their daily school L2 class,However, when asking to compare to their daily school L2 class, there are differences:there are differences: a textbooks a textbooks ( There are few conversations! )( There are few conversations! ) b fewer activities/ games b fewer activities/ games (One word after another, one sentence after (One word after another, one sentence after

another.)another.) c learning atmosphere c learning atmosphere ( Teacher does not smile. ) ( Teacher does not smile. ) d simple teaching strategies d simple teaching strategies (Please follow me read three times!(Please follow me read three times! copy one word three times!copy one word three times! drill/ imitate/ memorise/ dictate/recite… drill/ imitate/ memorise/ dictate/recite… e teachers’ English e teachers’ English ( I can’t understand! )( I can’t understand! )

Findings 2 Findings 2 Voices from teachers:Voices from teachers: 1 They love and enjoy their work.1 They love and enjoy their work.

2 They think it quite challenging. 2 They think it quite challenging. 1) Different class culture 1) Different class culture (They often ask for games, more games! )(They often ask for games, more games! ) 2) Different views on language teaching2) Different views on language teaching ( I am not only teaching knowledge but a skill! ) ( I am not only teaching knowledge but a skill! ) 3) Different teaching-methods 3) Different teaching-methods (Should have more interactions)(Should have more interactions) 4) Class management 4) Class management ( So noisy, out of control!!!) ( So noisy, out of control!!!) 5) English proficiency 5) English proficiency (Yes, sometimes I can’t explain clearly or make myself fully (Yes, sometimes I can’t explain clearly or make myself fully

understood )understood )

3 Their strategies/effort to adapt to the work 3 Their strategies/effort to adapt to the work 1) self-reflection ( 1) self-reflection ( I adjust according to students responses! I do reflect my teaching after I adjust according to students responses! I do reflect my teaching after

each class)each class) 2) getting advice from colleagues 2) getting advice from colleagues ( Discussing with colleagues help a lot!) ( Discussing with colleagues help a lot!) 3) learning from students 3) learning from students (They are all teaching assistants! I often ask them for advice) (They are all teaching assistants! I often ask them for advice) 4) further education to improve 4) further education to improve ( I have enrolled in diploma in teaching )( I have enrolled in diploma in teaching )

Findings 3Findings 3

Responses from CMC and PMCResponses from CMC and PMC

1 School goals1 School goals2 Problems: qualified teachers / teaching resources2 Problems: qualified teachers / teaching resources3 Efforts/measures being done:3 Efforts/measures being done:

1) Recruitment : three key factors considered-- Australian school work experience / 1) Recruitment : three key factors considered-- Australian school work experience / language proficiency / language education experience ) language proficiency / language education experience ) 2 ) Teaching resources 2 ) Teaching resources 3) Professional training programs 3) Professional training programs 4 ) Teachers meeting each month 4 ) Teachers meeting each month (‘school teachers’ play a key role)(‘school teachers’ play a key role) 5 ) Parents meeting each month5 ) Parents meeting each month 6) Seeking assistance from CLTAWA6) Seeking assistance from CLTAWA

Implications Implications

Changes can be made to make CLT enjoyable:Changes can be made to make CLT enjoyable:

* Teaching methods * Teaching methods

* Class management * Class management * language proficiency* language proficiency * Language teaching pedagogy : ( For communication, not for * Language teaching pedagogy : ( For communication, not for word recognition competition) word recognition competition)

Necessary support to make qualified teachers of Chinese Necessary support to make qualified teachers of Chinese * Education organizations * Education organizations

* School* School * Teachers themselves* Teachers themselves

THANK YOU : ) THANK YOU : )