Through a self-study of teacher and teacher education practices, this article explores cultural discontinuities between Canadian teachers and Chinese students enrolled in Canadian offshore schools. The methodology of self-study provides a means to think about, understand and develop teachers' practice in contexts where intercultural diversity impacts on best practice. Strategies and techniques to ameliorate teacher-student interaction, conceptions of teaching and learning, assessment norms, and voluntary and involuntary plagiarism are discussed. The strategies and techniques presented have the potential to contribute to the development of culturally relevant teaching pedagogy which aims to negate cultural discontinuities between teachers and students.
The Demand for Canadian Teachers in ChinaCompetence in English has become an acquired ability, and in some cases a necessary skill, for citizens actively participating in the globalised economy of the twenty-first century. According to David Crystal (2003), the English language has achieved international domination, with approximately one-quarter of the world's population (1.5 billion people) already fluent or competent in English. Furthermore, English is growing faster than any other language in the world, with English as a second language (ESL) speakers now outnumbering those for whom English is a mother tongue (Crystal, 2003). English is also the most widely studied language, with approximately 300 million people studying English in China alone (Yunbao & Huaying, 2008). Considering this widespread usage in China and on a global scale, it follows naturally, then, that English has quickly become the language of business, diplomacy, technology, popular culture, science and academic conferences. It is within this internationalised context that this article will discuss cultural discontinuities between Western teachers teaching English to Chinese students in a Canadian-mandated school. A secondary focus will explore best teaching practices which emphasise culturally relevant educational practices within diverse contexts.
ContextChinese students and their families are aware that competence in the English language is necessary for active participation in today's global community. Proficiency in English, however, is not enough to offer students the competitive edge they need to secure a desirable position in China's highly competitive workforce. For many Chinese students, knowledge and experience of Western culture, as well as English-language proficiency, are now required to communicate effectively and to become successful in China and contemporary global markets (Curtis & Lu, 2004). To this end, Chinese students and their parents are looking beyond the national education system to Westernised offshore schools located in situ for a culturally relevant and linguistically proficient English-based scholastic system. These schools are privately owned and, unlike most international
