The Cultural Context of TESOL — A Review of Research into Chinese Classrooms

Abstract

Ways of teaching and ways of learning differ from one community to another. Yet most discussions of methods of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) and research into second language acquisition do not take these differences seriously. This ar ticle examines research of the author and others that provides evidence for distinct teaching and learning styles for Chinese teachers and learners of English as a second language (ESL). Studies are ex amined of Chinese teachers and learners in China, Hong Kong, and in immigrant communities in the United States which show that Chinese students of ESL pay greater attention to their teachers and other adults in comparison to students from other ethnic groups, and that they do not require an integrative motivation in order to succeed in language learning; Chinese teachers, on the other hand, prefer a more teacher-centred style of classroom management than do their Western colleagues. The conclusion which is drawn from this evidence is that many classroom techniques which work successfully in a Western cultural context will not work when applied to TESOL in a Chinese context. Since educational achievement is increased when characteristics of learners and characteristics of teaching envi ronments match, we need to know more about how the culture of the Western classroom affects the way we teach, if we are to adapt our teaching style to the learning styles of different ethnic groups.