Cross‐cultural adjustment of Native‐speaking English Teachers (NETs) in Hong Kong: a factor in attrition and retention

Abstract

This paper argues that, despite government support in financial and contractual matters, ongoing problems of retention of Native‐speaking English Teachers (NETs) in Hong Kong stem, in part, from problems of cross‐cultural adjustment. The paper reports a small‐scale qualitative investigation into the experiences of NETS in Hong Kong and finds problems of cross‐cultural adjustment of the NETs themselves, the host schools and the government’s induction practices. The paper reports a diversity of problems in cross‐cultural adjustment and a variety of ways in which NETs handled them. The argument is made for increased and differentiated attention to be given to the cross‐cultural adjustment of NETs, for greater social networking and for reducing the isolation and cross‐cultural stresses that they experience. It is suggested that this might attenuate the problem of high NET turnover in Hong Kong.