Academic cultural expectations and second language use : Chinese postgraduate students in the U.K. : a cultural synergy model
With a rising percentage of overseas students in British universities, it is important to ascertain the nature of any cultural gap in academic expectations between students and tutors. This research investigates the academic cultural orientations of the case of Chinese students and British supervisors through the analysis of 211 samples of questionnaire and interview data. The focus is on examining the influence of the socio-psychological and academic cultural background of Chinese students - as advanced second language learners/users - on their use of English for academic studies in UK universities. This background includes the major features of Confucianism, Taoism and modem Chinese intellectual development. In the context of a review of second language acquisition models, a Cultural Synergy Model for second language acquisition and academic language use is proposed which extends considerably Schumann's Acculturation Model. The findings suggest that the bigger the gap between orientations and expectations of British and Chinese academic cultures, the more difficulties Chinese students have in the use of academic English. This gap is examined in detail under the headings of social, psychological and academic
Jin, Lixian
Education & training
Academic cultural expectations and second language use : Chinese postgraduate students in the U.K. : a cultural synergy model. With a rising percentage of overseas students in British universities, it is important to ascertain the nature of any cultural gap in academic expectations between students and tutors. This research investigates the academic cultural orientations of the case of Chinese students and British supervisors through the analysis of 211 samples of questionnaire and interview data. The focus is on examining the influence of the socio-psychological and academic cultural background of Chinese students - as advanced second language learners/users - on their use of English for academic studies in UK universities. This background includes the major features of Confucianism, Taoism and modem Chinese intellectual development. In the context of a review of second language acquisition models, a Cultural Synergy Model for second language acquisition and academic language use is proposed which extends considerably Schumann's Acculturation Model. The findings suggest that the bigger the gap between orientations and expectations of British and Chinese academic cultures, the more difficulties Chinese students have in the use of academic English. This gap is examined in detail under the headings of social, psychological and academic
academic cultural expectation second_language use chinese postgraduate_student cultural synergy model rise percentage overseas student british_university important ascertain nature cultural gap academic expectation student tutor investigates academic cultural orientation case chinese_student british supervisor analysis sample questionnaire_interview data focus examine influence socio psychological academic cultural_background chinese_student advanced second_language learners users use english_academic study university background include major feature modem chinese intellectual development context review second_language_acquisition model cultural synergy model second_language_acquisition academic language_use propose extends considerably acculturation model finding_suggest big gap orientation expectation british chinese academic culture difficulty chinese_student use academic_english gap_examine detail heading social_psychological academic