Home Linguistics & Semiotics Chapter 9. Chinese language teaching in Australia
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Chapter 9. Chinese language teaching in Australia

  • Shen Chen and Yuzhe Zhang
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Learning Chinese in Diasporic Communities
This chapter is in the book Learning Chinese in Diasporic Communities

Abstract

Located in the Asian-Pacific region, Australia is a unique example an English speaking country which has progressive language policies to promote Asian languages, Chinese in particular. History has witnessed three stages of development of Chinese language teaching. In the first stage, Chinese language learning was initiated and organised by local Chinese community schools featured with different curricula decided by various sub-groups. Secondly, the Australian government’s multicultural and language policies have further promoted and supported Chinese language learning in community schools. Finally, the Chinese language teaching has expanded to the mainstream schools on the basis of state-based curricula. A national unified curriculum is being developed in order to meet the needs of the fast growing number of learners of Chinese in schools all over the nation. The research described in this chapter on Chinese language teaching in community schools and mainstream schools is based on a policy study of Australia and a case study through qualitative investigations at three universities in the state of New South Wales. The research has revealed some pedagogical problems of Chinese language teaching in the social and cultural context of Australia and provided some suggestions to improve the current performance of Chinese language teaching and learning.

Abstract

Located in the Asian-Pacific region, Australia is a unique example an English speaking country which has progressive language policies to promote Asian languages, Chinese in particular. History has witnessed three stages of development of Chinese language teaching. In the first stage, Chinese language learning was initiated and organised by local Chinese community schools featured with different curricula decided by various sub-groups. Secondly, the Australian government’s multicultural and language policies have further promoted and supported Chinese language learning in community schools. Finally, the Chinese language teaching has expanded to the mainstream schools on the basis of state-based curricula. A national unified curriculum is being developed in order to meet the needs of the fast growing number of learners of Chinese in schools all over the nation. The research described in this chapter on Chinese language teaching in community schools and mainstream schools is based on a policy study of Australia and a case study through qualitative investigations at three universities in the state of New South Wales. The research has revealed some pedagogical problems of Chinese language teaching in the social and cultural context of Australia and provided some suggestions to improve the current performance of Chinese language teaching and learning.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Contributors ix
  5. List of figures xiii
  6. List of tables xv
  7. Introduction 1
  8. Part I. Family socialization patterns in language learning and literacy practices
  9. Chapter 1. Language socialization into Chinese language and “Chineseness” in diaspora communities 13
  10. Chapter 2. Family language policy 35
  11. Part II. Complementary/heritage Chinese schools in diasporas
  12. Chapter 3. Chinese complementary schools in Scotland and the Continua of Biliteracy 59
  13. Chapter 4. Chinese heritage language schools in the United States 81
  14. Chapter 5. Learning and teaching Chinese in the Netherlands 97
  15. Chapter 6. Language and literacy teaching, learning and socialization in the Chinese complementary school classroom 117
  16. Part III. Bilingual Chinese educational models
  17. Chapter 7. Chinese Education in Malaysia 139
  18. Chapter 8. Conflicting goals of language-in-education planning in Singapore 159
  19. Chapter 9. Chinese language teaching in Australia 181
  20. Part IV. Chinese language, culture and identity
  21. Chapter 10. Speaking of identity? 203
  22. Chapter 11. Chinese language learning by adolescents and young adults in the Chinese diaspora 219
  23. Index 239
https://doi.org/10.1075/aals.12.10che

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Contributors ix
  5. List of figures xiii
  6. List of tables xv
  7. Introduction 1
  8. Part I. Family socialization patterns in language learning and literacy practices
  9. Chapter 1. Language socialization into Chinese language and “Chineseness” in diaspora communities 13
  10. Chapter 2. Family language policy 35
  11. Part II. Complementary/heritage Chinese schools in diasporas
  12. Chapter 3. Chinese complementary schools in Scotland and the Continua of Biliteracy 59
  13. Chapter 4. Chinese heritage language schools in the United States 81
  14. Chapter 5. Learning and teaching Chinese in the Netherlands 97
  15. Chapter 6. Language and literacy teaching, learning and socialization in the Chinese complementary school classroom 117
  16. Part III. Bilingual Chinese educational models
  17. Chapter 7. Chinese Education in Malaysia 139
  18. Chapter 8. Conflicting goals of language-in-education planning in Singapore 159
  19. Chapter 9. Chinese language teaching in Australia 181
  20. Part IV. Chinese language, culture and identity
  21. Chapter 10. Speaking of identity? 203
  22. Chapter 11. Chinese language learning by adolescents and young adults in the Chinese diaspora 219
  23. Index 239
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