Welcome 欢迎 Intercultural Chinese teaching Macquarie University Dec 9 th 2011 Robyn Moloney Jianlian Liang

An intercultural approach What does it mean to me? How does it challenge me? How do I do it? Feedback- thankyou for survey Wide range of experience, diversity of background and ideas, different levels of knowledge and confidence

Our program for today Housekeeping

Breaking the ice Find someone who…

Why an intercultural approach ? The problem? Orton’s report Andrew Scrimgeour’s research SA traineee teacher voices : the challenges of teaching in Australian context

Teacher voices (In China students).. are engaged by themselves, and they think the more knowledge they learn the better. In the classroom, teachers speak more than students. (Teachers) need not to think over about how to work out many interesting activities that attract students and engage students to learn. Students accept everything the teachers teach them.

Teacher voices Firstly, I can't assume that Australian kids have the equal motivation as Chinese students have in learning English (of course some kids are highly motivated). Thus when I teach Chinese, I need to think about more interesting and entertaining ways to engaged students, since an excellent content do not always guarantee an expected result.

Teacher voices Due to different cultural backgrounds, Australian are more independent during the process of growth, while most of Chinese including me were growing in an environment where we could always get the standard answer. (Jun)

Teacher voices I feel so hard to make teaching plan. Totally different from mainland of China, teacher do not to make teaching plan, the educational department have already got the exact document to say which you should to teach. I think you know in China, class do not have such activities as brain storming…I have no idea to design the activities.

Teacher voices That is a complex problem. I know this is a school culture which students never do homework or review. So I always rethink what a good teacher is in such public school or in Australian school and now still have no answer. (Shuhong)

Teacher voices In summary, to teach Chinese in Australian school is a very challenging task for me. A lot of issues here are involved: my teaching strategy, my language competence, my energy, school culture, school community, students learning attitude and students type, etc. (Man)

Our K-10 syllabus

The important words: using, connections, moving between Why ? It is an active role for the kid in using language themselves It involves the kids’ past knowledge and life It involves both kid and teacher in critical thinking (engages brain and heart) and curiosity Its about enriching and motivating kids’ meaningful language acquisition, performance and mastery => greater retention and success Engages kids together, collaboration This is the type of learning kids are experiencing in other subjects, the kind of learning Australian kids now engage with: QTF intellectual supported by significance and environment.

What is the culture that is part of language?

Food, celebrations, decorations, customs Beliefs, values which lie behind behaviour, historical, social

Our beliefs about how teaching and learning should be Australian kids’ beliefs about teaching and learning

The i in intercultural Interrogate Investigate Inquiry Imagine Implication Interesting Involving Implicit- explicit Inextricable Invaluable Interact Identity 6 groups, sort your 2 words, make up brilliant sentence explaining why this word is relevant to intercultural – start the sentence with “I”

Identity : risk and reflection Robyn Jianlian

What is weird / different about Australia, through Chinese lens?

Looking back to look forward … Point(s) of your life which have challenged you? Been othered? What does it show you about your own values, beliefs? things you hold important?