Culture, Literacy, and Learning English: Voices from the Chinese Classroom

by Su Xiaojun, Kate Parry, Boynton Cook Publishers

What is the relationship between cultural background and individual behavior? This book addresses this broad question by focusing on a particular set of cultural practices - those having to do with literacy - and a particular aspect of behavior - learning a second language through reading - and it describes such practices and behavior in relation to a defined social group - educated Han Chinese in the People's Republic of China. Culture, Literacy, and Learning English is a collection of essays written by young Chinese graduates who teach English in Chinese colleges and universities, and participated in a yearlong inservice training program. Their essays reflect not only their experiences as literate Chinese, but also what they learned when they interviewed teachers, examined school materials, and observed lessons. Editor Kate Parry relates their articles to Western scholarly discussion and provides supplementary information about China and the Chinese language. This collection represents an increasingly important but too little heard group in the field of English language non-native speakers who work in their own countries.

270 pages, Paperback

First published April 3, 1998