The increasing geographic mobility is one of the many consequences that today’s globalization has brought to us, and allows a

Learning Chinese In and Beyond Classrooms—a Case Study of Study-Abroad in China

Wenhao Diao

Doctoral Student; Chinese instructor

Carnegie Mellon University

The increasing geographic mobility that characterizes today’s globalization has allowed an unprecedentedly large population studying abroad, with China becoming a “new hot spot” for young Americans[1]. The belief that the sojourn overseas provides an immersion environment and expedites linguistic gains has been proven problematic by many studies (e.g. Freed, 1995). The research interests in the study-abroad context, in addition, have recently shifted to the socio-cultural challenges that study-abroad experiences bring about (e.g. Kinginger, 2004). However, the literature on study abroad in China is still rare, with only a handful of statistical inquiries (e.g. Tseng, 2006).

This study, therefore, can be seen as a preliminary qualitative investigation of the study-abroad experience in China. It is a case study of an advanced Caucasian male learner (Steve) studying abroad in both urban and rural China (Shanghai, Beijing, Sichuan and Hainan), where he was exposed to spontaneous and real-life speeches by native speakers outside of classroom setting, rather than textbookish “standard Mandarin”. This diary study highlights and questions the pedagogical practice in Chinese language classrooms that presupposes a “standard language” spoken by all Chinese and separate meaning and context of communications.

A further investigation on Steve’s frustrations leads us to rethink the context of communications between “foreigners” and Chinese, which is often characterizes by the tension based upon the stereotype that “Caucasians don’t speak Chinese”. In order to understand this misconception as the context, this study employs a sociolinguistic approach to analyze the discourse of laowai studying Chinese (老外学中文), using the speech by Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, at Peking University.

In conclusion, this study is a qualitative study that problematizes the inter-cultural and linguistic communications in the study-abroad setting, and urges administrative and pedagogical efforts to “enhance the awareness of contextual and interactional dimensions of language use” (Firth & Wagner, 1997), and to better prepare our students for not only their sojourn in China, but also their future cross cultural communications in the globalized world.