Exploring teacher preparation and teaching content of the Master’s degree programmes in Chinese language teacher education: A case study in China

Zhou, Rui (2017) Exploring teacher preparation and teaching content of the Master’s degree programmes in Chinese language teacher education: A case study in China. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)]

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Abstract

The Master of Arts in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (MA TCSOL) programmes have been set up in more than 100 Chinese universities since 2007 (China Academic Degrees & Graduate Education Information, 2010a; Wang, 2013b; Wang, Moloney and Li, 2013). The purpose of this research was to explore teacher preparation and essential teaching content of the MA TCSOL programmes in Chinese language teacher education. This research employed the case study that involved several research methods in order to make an in-depth exploration of the MA TCSOL programmes in two Chinese universities.

The data analysis of this research revealed that the teacher preparation of the MA TCSOL programmes in this research was synthetically affected by the craft model, the reflective model, the rationalist model, the case studies model and the integrative model. Based on the participants’ practicum experiences, the results of questionnaires and the participants’ narratives offered insights into the learning outcomes of the MA TCSOL programmes and the challenges or problems in the teaching of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL). The data supported to explore the important and essential knowledge required in CFL teaching, covering Chinese linguistic and cultural knowledge, the knowledge of teaching Chinese as a foreign language (TCFL), second language acquisition theory, teaching skills, English proficiency, intercultural communication and classroom management skills. The

findings identified the current teacher preparation and the essential teaching content that should be taught in the MA TCSOL programmes, which may contribute to the future development of teacher preparation and teaching content in the MA TCSOL programmes and Chinese language teacher education.

In terms of the teaching practicum, it was viewed as an important component in the MA TCSOL programmes that can facilitate the teacher preparation of MA students. Attention was given to its support for student teachers to integrate the relevant theories that they have learned in the campus-based coursework into CFL teaching in a real language classroom. Also, recommendations are made for future research on the MA TCSOL programmes and Chinese language teacher education. As Chinese language teacher education affects the quality of CFL teaching, it would be interesting to compare CFL teachers’ teaching stories or experiences in a variety of contexts to ensure a more representative reflection of Chinese language teacher education, by using broad sampling methods and multiple research approaches.

Item Type: Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
Depositing User: Gigg, Diane
Date Deposited: 08 Mar 2018 10:54
Last Modified: 13 Mar 2018 10:03
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/50330

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