What do Teachers of Chinese as a Foreign Language Believe about Teaching Chinese Literacy to English Speakers?

Abstract

This study was motivated by a recognition of the difficulties of teaching literacy in Chinese as a foreign language (CFL). CFL teachers deliberate over pedagogy, content sequencing, goals for literacy learning, and the use of authentic materials. These issues are complicated by the long history of Chinese literacy practices and the cultural significance of the writing system. The teachers bring rich personal histories and expertise, shaped by this cultural background, to their teaching. The study aims to gain a better understanding of teacher cognition on teaching Chinese literacy, to inform the discussion on improving CFL literacy instruction. The participants are five teachers raised and educated in China who are currently teaching in U.S. K-12 schools. This qualitative study employs semi-structured interviews, triangulated with lesson plans and classroom observations. The conceptual framework is based on Borg’s model (2003) of four sources of language teacher cognition—schooling, professional coursework, classroom practice, and school contexts—extended to incorporate the role of surrounding cultures of learning, as conceptualized by Jin and Cortazzi (2006). The analysis of the data foregrounds the stories told by the participants, examined using a modification of Labov’s scheme. VAB (Values, Attitudes, and Beliefs) Coding is used to identify common themes among the participants. The themes are then examined within the wider perspective of CFL literacy teaching in the United States. The findings are further examined through the lens of “Sponsors of Literacy” (Brandt, 1998), to view CFL teaching from a socio-eoconomic perspective. The data in this study suggest that CFL teachers believe in the importance of teaching fundamental, bottom-up skills in Chinese literacy. The teachers are also committed to nurturing an appreciation for Chinese literacy, including the writing system, among their students. They draw on the traditional Chinese model of an expert, caring teacher to meet the needs of their students. This means modifying the traditional Chinese model of bottom-up literacy teaching. These modifications sometimes include student-centered learning and top-down reading strategies. The findings suggest that future efforts in CFL pedagogy research, teacher training, and curriculum development take into consideration the cultural and personal backgrounds of the teachers.