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Teaching English to Chinese Students

Voices from UK Higher Education

by Clare Watson (Author)
Monographs XVI, 196 Pages

Summary

This book shares a narrative inquiry study that explores the voices of Chinese students and unveils how they understand their study of English for Academic Purposes (EAP), as part of their higher education (HE) journey in the UK. The book foregrounds the neo-liberalisation of the university and considers visiting Chinese students in this commodified education space. While challenging common misperceptions of Chinese students that result in the negative labelling and homogenisation of this international student cohort, it links the discussion to aspects of Orientalism applied to East Asian students, reportedly still evident in Western universities today.
For contextualisation purposes and the encouragement of a meaningful understanding of contemporary Chinese students, the book includes an exploration of Chinese Education Reforms. The core argument sees a need for an increasing understanding of contemporary Chinese students in the UK HE academic community in relation to social, historical and cultural considerations, in order to enhance their Western education experience.

Table Of Contents

  • Title Page
  • Copyright Page
  • Dedication
  • Contents
  • Tables
  • Preface/Acknowledgements
  • Abbreviations
  • Chapter 1: Introduction
  • 1.1 Aims of the Study
  • 1.2 Professional Context
  • Chapter 2: The Positioning of UK HE in the Globalised Arena
  • 2.1 Globalisation and Neoliberalism
  • 2.2 Human Capital Theory (HCT), the Knowledge Economy and the University
  • 2.3 New Public Management (NPM)
  • 2.4 The Purpose of Education
  • Chapter 3: China’s Education Context
  • 3.1 Background
  • 3.2 Specific Tensions
  • 3.2.1 Western Perceptions of Teacher-Student Relationship in China
  • 3.2.2 Oral Communication
  • 3.2.3 Critical Thinking
  • 3.2.4 Writing
  • 3.2.5 Memorisation
  • 3.2.6 Motivation
  • 3.3 The Chinese Learner
  • 3.4 The Confucian-Heritage Culture (CHC) Connection
  • 3.5 Cultures of Learning
  • 3.6 Small Cultures
  • 3.7 Social and Other Justifications
  • 3.8 Periods of Chinese Education Reform
  • 3.8.1 Transformation One: Interactions between the East and the West
  • 3.8.2 Transformation Two: A Rejection of the Confucian Education Tradition of Interpretive Reading of Classics
  • 3.8.3 Transformation Three: The Influence of the Soviet Unions’ Centralised System of Education
  • 3.8.4 Transformation Four: Standardisation of Chinese Education
  • Chapter 4: English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
  • 4.1 EAP: Background, Purpose and Approaches
  • 4.2 Tensions in the EAP Arena
  • 4.3 The English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Module
  • 4.3.1 Introduction to the Module
  • 4.3.2 Academic Writing
  • 4.3.3 Curriculum and Integration of Critical Thinking
  • 4.3.4 The Development of Listening, Speaking and Reading Skills
  • Chapter 5: Methodology
  • 5.1 Narrative Inquiry
  • 5.2 Participant Selection Process
  • 5.3 Ethical Considerations
  • 5.4 Method of Data Collection: The Narrative Interview
  • 5.4.1 Narrative Interview Questions
  • 5.5 The Transcription Process
  • 5.6 Narrative Analysis
  • 5.7 Thematic Analysis
  • 5.7.1 Phase 1: Familiarising Yourself with the Dataset
  • 5.7.2 Phase 2: Coding
  • 5.7.3 Phase 3: Generating Initial Themes
  • 5.7.4 Phase 4: Developing and Reviewing Themes
  • 5.7.5 Phase 5: Refining, Defining and Naming Themes
  • Chapter 6: Findings and Discussion
  • 6.1 Theme: Motivations
  • 6.2 Theme: Experiencing Education: China and the UK
  • 6.2.1 Making Meaning of the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Module
  • 6.2.2 Challenges of Oral and Written Communication
  • 6.2.3 Teacher-Student Relationship
  • 6.3 Theme: Critical Thinking and Chinese Students
  • 6.3.1 The EAP Module’s Approach to Critical Thinking
  • 6.3.2 Returning to China with a Critical Mind
  • 6.3.3 Tension with International Peers
  • 6.4 Narrative Analysis Findings
  • Chapter 7: Implications of the Findings and Research Opportunities and Recommendations, Reflections on Data Collection, Inquirer’s Journal, Limitations and Concluding Remarks
  • 7.1 Implications of the Findings and Research Opportunities and Recommendations
  • 7.1.1 Review and Potential Re-orientation of the EAP Module
  • 7.1.1.1 Curriculum Development
  • 7.1.1.2 A Re-thinking of Approaches to the Development of Oral and Written Communication
  • 7.1.1.3 Critical Thinking
  • 7.1.1.4 Teacher-Student Relationship
  • 7.2 Reflections on Data Collection
  • 7.3 Inquirer’s Journal
  • 7.3.1 Initial Stages of Interviewing
  • 7.3.2 Thoughts on the Transcription Process
  • 7.3.3 Data Analysis
  • 7.4 Limitations of the Study
  • 7.5 Concluding Remarks
  • Bibliography
  • Appendix: Thematic Analysis Final Themes and Subthemes

Abbreviations

Ac Lits

Academic Literacies

BANA

Britain, Australasia and North America

BALEAP

British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes

CHC

Confucian-Heritage Culture

CPD

Continuing Professional Development

CEFR

Common European Framework of References for Language

CEAP

Critical EAP

CV

Curriculum Vitae

EdD

Doctorate in Education

EAP

English for Academic Purposes

EFL

English as a Foreign Language

EGAP

English for General Academic Purposes

ELT

English Language Teaching

EP

Education Permanente

ESL

English as a Second Language

ESP

English for Specific Purposes

ESAP

English for Specific Academic Purposes

HE

Higher Education

HEFCE

Higher Education Funding Council for England

HCT

Human Capital Theory

HRD

Human Resource Development

IELTS

International English Language Testing System

IC

Intercultural Communication

MOE

Ministry of Education

NPM

New Public Management

OECD

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

PE

Permanent Education

PMP

Pre-masters Programme

RE

Recurrent Education

SELMOUS

Special English Language Materials for Overseas University Students

SFL

Systemic Functional Linguistics

TESOL

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

TA

Thematic Analysis

UFP

Undergraduate Foundation Programme

UK

Details

Pages
XVI, 196
ISBN (PDF)
9781803748061
ISBN (ePUB)
9781803748078
ISBN (Softcover)
9781803748054
DOI
10.3726/b22411
Language
English
Publication date
2025 (May)
Keywords
English language English for Academic Purposes Internationalisation Chinese Students Chinese Education Reforms China Narrative Inquiry Thematic Analysis Stereotyping Orientalism New Public Management Knowledge Economy Educators Liberal Education
Published
Oxford, Berlin, Bruxelles, Chennai, Lausanne, New York, 2025. xvi, 196 pp., 1 fig. col., 6 tables.
Product Safety
Peter Lang Group AG

Biographical notes

Clare Watson (Author)

Clare Watson is currently a Centre Director for a pathway education provider at the International Study Centre at the University of Aberdeen, UK. She has worked in various English language teaching environments around the globe, in teaching and leadership capacities. Her research interests include teaching English to Chinese students, EAP and international education.

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Title: Teaching English to Chinese Students