Including Chinese students

Crystal Li from Wellington University International gives tips for supporting Chinese students in tutorials.

The education model in China is very different

In the Chinese deep-rooted traditional learning environment, there is no awareness of participating in the classroom and interactive learning environments. Classroom speech is less important than memorising the lecturer’s notes.

In China, there are only lectures and no tutorials, so students might not be sure what they should expect to have in a tutor. They will need more guidance to understand the purpose of a tutorial.

Some Chinese students will lack security and confidence

For an international student who has just arrived, everything is new and full of uncertainties. The classroom is especially difficult if English is not their first language. It is difficult in an unfamiliar environment to communicate with a group of faces that they are not familiar with. And it is really difficult to be fluent in expressing academic views. They may not be confident enough to use their second language to express their ideas on academic topics.

Many international students have mentioned that they are very anxious if they need to talk in front of the class without preparation.

Supporting international and Chinese students

• Be encouraging—help students build up their confidence and trust.
• Be available—reply to emails and answer questions in a timely manner.
• Assist international students to engage in discussion with students from different cultures during class activities.
• Have some ice-breaking games in the first tutorial, so that students can get to know each other better.
• Give clear instructions (for example, explaining referencing styles and encouraging critical thinking).
• Write notes on the whiteboard—this will help international students to understand the course content better.
• Summarise the content at the end of the tutorial.
• Be patient by allowing students enough time to express their ideas and thoughts. You can check whether your students’ thoughts have been fully understood by repeating their answers.
• Be alert/aware. If you notice some students are not well, ask for the reason and refer them to the right person or services.
• Understand the culture difference and be empathetic.