How L1 Learners Learn Chinese Report Writing in Melbourne and Hong Kong – Implications for Global Curriculum Sharing
Submitted by:
Mark Shiu Kee SHUM
Abstract:
Globalisation has resulted in curriculum reform, particularly at matriculation level, in many educational jurisdictions. When Victoria (Australia) and Hong Kong reformed their curricula, both claimed that their reforms were intended to develop students' critical and high-order thinking skills, and to foster their ability to learn independently. The question of whether the almost identical reform rhetoric has been translated into identical classroom practice was investigated in a comparative case study of the implementation of the reforms of Chinese writing curricula, specifically relating to report writing, in one classroom in Melbourne (Victoria) and one in Hong Kong. At a macro level, the aim of the study is to explore how the objectives of the two reformed Chinese composition curricula, which appear to have similar objectives have been implemented in two very different contexts. How are these objectives implemented in actual writing classes? At a micro level, the aim of the study is to focus on the teaching of the genre of report writing which is a common component of the two curricula. How is the report genre taught in senior secondary classes in the two different contexts? The study considered the following aspects: teaching cycles; classroom interaction patterns; teachers' views, goals and strategies; students' expectations and, through an analysis of students' writing, the relationship between teaching and learning. For methodology, the study adapted Christie's (1997) 'curriculum macro genre' approach for analysis of teaching cycles. Sinclair and Coulthard's (1975) model of 'conversation' was used for analysis of classroom discourse. Interviews were conducted with teachers and students following classroom observation. Systemic-Functional Linguistics (SFL) (Halliday, 1994, 2004) model was used for text analysis. Results indicated that despite similar educational objectives and rhetoric, major differences arose when it came to implementation in classrooms with diverse cultural, social and linguistic contexts. The paper concluded by highlighting certain factors which curriculum designers must take into consideration if the goal of global curriculum sharing is to be achieved.
Keywords: cultural context, teaching Chinese writing, LI learning, global curriculum, report genre
Reference:
Christie, F. (1997). Curriculum macrogenres as forms of initiation into a culture. In F. Christie & J.R. Martin (Eds.), Genres and institutions: Social process in the workplace and school, pp 134-160. London: Cassell.
Halliday, M.A.K, (1994). An introduction to functional grammar. London: Edward Arnold.
Sinclair, J. & Coulthard, R.M. (1975). Towards an analysis of discourse. London: Oxford University Press.