title: Teacher Development for English Language Teaching in China: Based on English Language Teachers' Beliefs and Practices in New Zealand

authors: Gao, Suxia

subjects: teacher development

abstract: This study inquired into English language teachers’ beliefs and practices in China and in New Zealand, and explored the process of using New Zealand English language teachers’ beliefs and practices as a stimulus in promoting and developing Chinese English language teachers’ understanding of English language teaching and their practices in the classroom. Interviews and questionnaires were conducted respectively in both China and New Zealand from May, 2007 to November, 2007. An action research was conducted in China, which lasted about four months with three cycles from March to July in 2008. Two English language teachers with the students in their class participated in the action research. The goal of the study was to identify the role that New Zealand English language teachers’ beliefs and practices played in helping Chinese English language teachers develop their teaching beliefs and practices so as to promote their students’ communication competence in the target language. On investigation, it was found that New Zealand English language teachers’ beliefs and practices played a positive role in helping Chinese English language teacher participants develop their teaching beliefs and practices. They provided Chinese teacher participants with new angles to think and reflect their own teaching beliefs and practices, and provide teacher participants with implications to be creative in the construction and reconstruction of new beliefs and practices. However, it was also found that in learning and using New Zealand teachers’ beliefs and practices, Chinese teacher participants had to consider the contexts within which their teaching occurred. It was proposed by this research that during the cross-cultural transplantation of teaching beliefs and practices, cultural congruence and pedagogical reconciliation had to be achieved. Without regard to the Chinese educational culture, values, expectations, and Chinese teachers’ expertise, the change would be superficial. This study embraced a positive attitude toward using beliefs and practices from other culture(s) in Chinese English language teacher development and proposed it as an effective teacher development mode for China’s English language teacher education programme.

text: Teacher Development for English Language Teaching in China: Based on English Language Teachers' Beliefs and Practices in New Zealand This study inquired into English language teachers’ beliefs and practices in China and in New Zealand, and explored the process of using New Zealand English language teachers’ beliefs and practices as a stimulus in promoting and developing Chinese English language teachers’ understanding of English language teaching and their practices in the classroom. Interviews and questionnaires were conducted respectively in both China and New Zealand from May, 2007 to November, 2007. An action research was conducted in China, which lasted about four months with three cycles from March to July in 2008. Two English language teachers with the students in their class participated in the action research. The goal of the study was to identify the role that New Zealand English language teachers’ beliefs and practices played in helping Chinese English language teachers develop their teaching beliefs and practices so as to promote their students’ communication competence in the target language. On investigation, it was found that New Zealand English language teachers’ beliefs and practices played a positive role in helping Chinese English language teacher participants develop their teaching beliefs and practices. They provided Chinese teacher participants with new angles to think and reflect their own teaching beliefs and practices, and provide teacher participants with implications to be creative in the construction and reconstruction of new beliefs and practices. However, it was also found that in learning and using New Zealand teachers’ beliefs and practices, Chinese teacher participants had to consider the contexts within which their teaching occurred. It was proposed by this research that during the cross-cultural transplantation of teaching beliefs and practices, cultural congruence and pedagogical reconciliation had to be achieved. Without regard to the Chinese educational culture, values, expectations, and Chinese teachers’ expertise, the change would be superficial. This study embraced a positive attitude toward using beliefs and practices from other culture(s) in Chinese English language teacher development and proposed it as an effective teacher development mode for China’s English language teacher education programme.

year: 2011

title: The changing structure of the Chinese hotel industry: 1980–2012

authors: Gu, Huimin

subjects: China

abstract: This paper describes the structure and challenges facing the domestic Chinese hotel industry at the start of the second decade of the twenty-first century. It notes the progress that has been made and the increasing internationalization of the industry and Chinese chains as they commence to raise capital overseas and begin a period of mergers and acquisitions of foreign based chains. An analysis of the balance between demand and supply is provided for different cities throughout China. The challenges facing the Chinese domestic industry and for foreign chains operating in China are classified and a commentary is provided for each of these categorisations.

text: The changing structure of the Chinese hotel industry: 1980–2012 This paper describes the structure and challenges facing the domestic Chinese hotel industry at the start of the second decade of the twenty-first century. It notes the progress that has been made and the increasing internationalization of the industry and Chinese chains as they commence to raise capital overseas and begin a period of mergers and acquisitions of foreign based chains. An analysis of the balance between demand and supply is provided for different cities throughout China. The challenges facing the Chinese domestic industry and for foreign chains operating in China are classified and a commentary is provided for each of these categorisations.

year: 2012

title: Co-constructions of gender and ethnicity in New Zealand television advertising

authors: Michelle, Carolyn

subjects: television advertising

abstract: This paper reports key findings from a content analysis of gender and ethnic depictions in a sample of 2,120 New Zealand prime-time television advertisements screened in 2006. The study explored the following questions: With what product categories are male and female White, Māori/Pasifika and Asian characters most commonly associated? What are the most common occupational roles of male and female White, Māori/Pasifika and Asian characters? The results reveal highly stereotypical depictions of women and men within each ethnic category. White men dominated advertisements for foodstuffs, telecommunications and financial/corporate/legal services and were over-represented as professionals/white collar workers, while White women were over-represented in advertisements for household products, personal products, and medical products and featured predominantly as homemakers. Māori/Pasifika men were over-represented as athletes and service and sales workers. Non-White women featured prominently within multi-ethnic groups in advertisements for personal grooming products and most frequently featured as glamour models, while non-White men were over-represented as blue collar workers. Largely absent were Māori/Pasifika women and Asians of both genders, potentially exacerbating the multiple axes of subordination encountered by these groups in the New Zealand context.

text: Co-constructions of gender and ethnicity in New Zealand television advertising This paper reports key findings from a content analysis of gender and ethnic depictions in a sample of 2,120 New Zealand prime-time television advertisements screened in 2006. The study explored the following questions: With what product categories are male and female White, Māori/Pasifika and Asian characters most commonly associated? What are the most common occupational roles of male and female White, Māori/Pasifika and Asian characters? The results reveal highly stereotypical depictions of women and men within each ethnic category. White men dominated advertisements for foodstuffs, telecommunications and financial/corporate/legal services and were over-represented as professionals/white collar workers, while White women were over-represented in advertisements for household products, personal products, and medical products and featured predominantly as homemakers. Māori/Pasifika men were over-represented as athletes and service and sales workers. Non-White women featured prominently within multi-ethnic groups in advertisements for personal grooming products and most frequently featured as glamour models, while non-White men were over-represented as blue collar workers. Largely absent were Māori/Pasifika women and Asians of both genders, potentially exacerbating the multiple axes of subordination encountered by these groups in the New Zealand context.

year: 2011