Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ryst Helmut]

Ok, so the title was misleading...but I want(ed) you to read this.

I was surfing the web and came across this article, and thought this would be of benefit for many. Yes, I do read peer-reviewed journals (though I don't think this one is...) in my off-time....call me a geek. This problem is by far not limited to NZ, as I see it alive in the States as well, and rampant elsewhere....

Anyhow...if you want to print the article (they've the whole journal for public viewing) here's the link.


http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/04_ml.html


!shoosh

Ryst

EDIT: Just going to include the abstract and intro....this is too long of a post.






Culture and Classroom Communication:
A Case Study of Asian Students in New Zealand
Language Schools

Abstract

This paper reports findings of a qualitative study conducted from December 2002 to March 2003 at two New Zealand English language schools. Forty Asian students participated in the survey. The study reveals that, in spite of the positive learning experiences in the schools, there also exists a significant mismatch with Asian students' learning expectations. The recurring themes that reflect Asian students' negative perceptions and experiences relate to issues of teacher competence, teacher quality, teaching approaches, course content and learning materials. It was found that the interactive teaching methods adopted by New Zealand teachers are culturally incompatible with Asian students' learning conceptualisations. The findings suggest that some teachers' adoption of the communicative or interactive teaching approach led to Asian students' negative learning experience in New Zealand. The paper recommends that New Zealand teachers develop three sets of interrelated skills in order to cope with the complex ESOL teaching situations and to ensure quality teaching: linguistic skills, pedagogical skills and intercultural communication skills.

Key words: export education, intercultural communication, ESOL, TESOL, English language teaching, Asian students, teaching methods, pedagogy

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Export education has become one of the key industries in New Zealand, the 4th largest service export earner. According to the New Zealand Immigration Service (NZIS) statistics (1), the number of international full fee-paying students increased by 24.6% from 79,632 in 2002 to 99,196 in 2003. Over 80% of these international students came from Asia, especially China, South Korea, Japan and Thailand. There was a 39.5% increase in the number of Chinese students, from 41,927 in 2002 to 58,467 in 2003. In other words, of the total number of international students (115,129) in 2003, over 50% were Chinese. The statistics also shows that in 2003, 23,738 visas were issued to students coming to study at New Zealand language schools, a 43% increase in the number of visas issued in 2002 (16,608).

Over 1,200 providers, including 178 English language schools (2) , participate in the industry. English languages schools, though a small sector (approximately 15% of the total number of providers), accounted for 51% (41,725) of the total population of the international students enrolled with all providers nationwide in 2002 (Ministry of Education, April 2003).

New Zealand is claimed to be "a leading international centre for English language-based education" (Groser, 2001). It is believed that it is internationally recognised educational standards, safety, security (LaRocque, 2003), education sectors' national identity and brand (Laurenson, 2003) that have made the New Zealand's booming industry possible. The survey in nine international markets undertaken by Lawrence (2003) during May and June 2003 indicates that New Zealand is ranked ahead of Australia by potential students for education reputation, academic standards, prestige, and "British-based" institutions.

The industry, however, is facing serious challenges in maintaining its reputation as a provider of high quality export education (Mallard, 2002; Sinoski, 2003; Rotherham, 2003; Education NZ, 2003) and the New Zealand image as quality education provider has plummeted in some Asian countries, especially in China (Perrott, 2003). Language schools have been hit the hardest (Rotherham, 2003). The collapse of the Modern Age Institute of Learning did further damage to the vulnerable industry (Evans, 2003b).
There had been some complaints about the New Zealand education quality in language schools well before the closure of the Modern Age Institute of Learning. McFedries, for example, surveyed 144 Asian fee-paying secondary students in Canterbury in 2002. She found that these students were very isolated and she warned parents not to send their children to New Zealand schools where they would receive no support (Haines, 2002).

In February 2002, the New Zealand Herald reported that the International Educational Appeal Authority had been dealing with steadily increasing complaints about the quality of education in New Zealand. 3 Some international students felt they had been cheated and that they had become "cash cows" (McLeod, 2003) of New Zealand's failing educational system. 4 Mao (2002) also gave warnings in June 2002 that the unchecked growth of the industry was causing a severe shortage of qualified ESOL teachers and the consequent poor quality of education. Her report of Chinese students' complaints about poor quality in some language schools did not attract much attention.

In November 2002, Chinese officials in the Chinese Embassy lodged thousands of complaints from Chinese students about the poor standards of English language teaching and lack of qualified teachers in English language schools (Quirke, 2002). Chinese students' dissatisfaction with their education services began to attract media attention.

Having surveyed some Chinese students studying in New Zealand, Chen (2003) found that some Chinese students studying in New Zealand language schools had been involved in prostitution, gambling, kidnapping, extortion, car accidents, and drug taking, the reason being that the host institutions did not care about these students. Chen coined liuxue lajie, an expression to describe the Chinese students being reduced to "dregs of society" in the host country. Chen's report, which first appeared in the Chinese Youth Online on 2 January 2003, was published by almost all other major online Chinese media. Chen claimed that although the number of Chinese students with such bad experiences was very small, the impact on Chinese perceptions of New Zealand's quality of education was devastating.

Chen's coinage was adopted and further elaborated on by many Chinese official online media, particularly the People's Daily and the Xinhuan News Agency. The People's Daily described the situations with Chinese students studying in New Zealand as "shocking and horrible".5 Similarly, the Xinhua News Agency advised Chinese parents and students to think twice before they made their final decision to study in New Zealand:

There is a severe shortage of qualified teachers and necessary infrastructure in New Zealand because of the influx of international students. Educational quality is severely watered down. In addition, many Chinese students are clustered in language schools. In some schools all students are from China. There is no learning environment conducive to language learning. It is the same as in China. As a result, the disadvantages outweigh advantages for young Chinese to study at New Zealand language schools (Huang, 2003, my translation).

From late July to mid-September 2003, the Chinese Ministry of Education issued six warnings to the Chinese who are interested in overseas education, two of which were related to New Zealand's educational quality and student security. 6

The mandatory Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students, including its revised edition and other relevant documents, has been in place to protect foreign students, but the issues of quality control should cover more than welfare (Butcher, 2002; Evans, 2003a). One of the key issues for consideration is teaching quality which involves teacher competence, the course content, curricula, teaching pedagogies and learning resources.

For most international students, the focus of overseas education is their academic progress (Barron, 2002). Their needs are centred around academic quality (Binsardi & Ekwulugo, 2003). Students' level of satisfaction in language learning is related to students' perception of the quality and fulfilment of students' expectations (Walker, 2001). It is acknowledged that perception of quality, especially academic quality, is the key factor in student choice of study destination (Hyam, 2003). The way the quality is perceived is largely determined by each student's learning experience (McCurdy, 2003) and the degree of their matched expectations (Li, Baker & Marshall, 2002). If student needs and expectations are not satisfactorily fulfilled, or if students hold negative perceptions of the services they have received, then the business or the industry will end up losing students and in the end the market (Binsardi & Ekwulugo, 2003). Quality assurance and the quality of outcomes become the benchmark of the export education industry (Hyam, 2003). The whole industry will suffer if quality assurance and control suffers (Asia 2000 Foundation, 2003).

Language education in New Zealand seems to have become the weakest link in the export education industry. The educational quality in the tertiary sector is better accepted than that of English language schools (Evans, 2003b). Some language schools are claimed to have done this country more disservice than service 7. There have been calls for urgent actions to care for international students and to safeguard the industry . 8

To the author's knowledge, there is a paucity of systematic and empirical research that may enable the voices of Asian students, especially Asian students in language schools, to be heard and heeded. This pilot research is intended to explore the workings of the interplay between New Zealand teachers and Asian students by carefully documenting students' narratives in an attempt to identify student concerns and to provide some insights into how Asian students have experienced learning and how they have perceived the educational service provision in New Zealand schools. These Asian students' views and perceptions, however subjective, judgmental or insurgent they might be, will enable New Zealand English language teachers to identify the gap between their espoused teaching principles and Asian students' perceptions of their learning experience, to critically reflect upon their teaching practices, to become aware of the issues that are challenging them and Asian students, to adopt appropriate teaching methods to meet the needs of the students, and at the same time to help Asian students to adapt to the school culture in New Zealand.

[rok_the-boat]

Interesting.

I have heard about this and also heard that many schools had to close because many Chinese students returned and feww are going to NZ. One of the main reasons is the Chinese press in China slamming NZ language schools and picking up on the drug and prostitution element - which was, it is believed, grossly exaggerated.

And, I was thinking of a move to NZ ... well, I am qualified, so that's a start.

[Freezer Burn]

It comes down to the students, its Asian students or Asians in general looking for scape goats because their students are not learning English at the rate that their parents were expecting, its easier to bame the institute rather than the student, hell if Hogwans here can have effect on a students English abilty then an institute/language school in NZ surely can, especially since the student is surronded by English everywhere they go.
But the problem is, Auckland has a huge Asian population, their are outlets everywhere that allow Asian students to slip back into their native tongue instead of imerssing themsleves into an English environment.
There are PC rooms, large Asian communities (Chowick) and a huge number of students, more so than most other countries.
This is common problem with students studying at language schools all around the world, most ESL'ers know this, why don't their parents try and solve this problem.
I worked in China, the parents were very quick to blame the school if their only child isn't the perfect student, much like this country.
As far as prostitution and drugs goes, yeah its a problem but not in the same scope as Asia.

[matthewwoodford]

The article is long on opinions but short on facts, other than that a small minority have been involved in drugs and prostitution. Without knowing more details it's difficult to know what interpretation to put on it: is it a case of lazy incompetent teachers and callously inadequate provisions for foreign students; or is it a case of Asian students not understanding the communicative style of teaching and expecting mollycoddling as if they were home with their parents? You can't tell what's really going on from the article.

[Ya-ta Boy]

A commonly held belief in education is that different students learn differently. Not a big surprise.

The disgruntled students' learning style is not being serviced by communicative teaching methods. That means there is a market out there for schools that can provide a teaching style that meets the needs of those students.

[Freezer Burn]

Students are usually taken aback at a western approach to education, we let the student try to problem solve set tasks in class and be more creative in lesson delivery in order to use more than one part of the brain, Asian teachers on the other hand are regimented and wooden, with no room for anything airy fairy other than questions and answers given and memorised by the student.
Maybe their is a business in learning how the Asian student absorbs infomation, and if we can apply it to a language school in an english speaking country, then $$ and no whinging from know all parents who send their children to these places to begin with.
Its a party on mum and dads money and a free trip too.

[Col.Brandon]

Confucianism. Confusion. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Still, on the other hand the customer is always right. New Zealand should give those morons what they want.

[Squid]

It's a reasonable study, from what you've paraphrased out of it here, though it doesn't mention the fact most of them spend every waking hour at Skytower...the casino. That place is wall-to-wall with Chinese, Japanese and Korean "language students" 24/7.

Then they ring home to mummy for some more dough.

Sad but true.

[Len8]

Chinese students are in Korea as well, and they don't have a very good reputation. A lot of universities have cancelled their Korean programes for Chinese students, because the majority of them quit after a month, and go to work.

[fusionbarnone]

Some blame can be placed on schools possibly, but I don't personally know of any(not yet anyway). Economics can also play a pivotal role in ed. decision-making besides the climes, I think. Students can also be held to blame.

New Zealand has a reputation(it's universities anyway) as being world-class and that is a primary reason for many students(parent's) decision for coming to NZ.

The initial bad international press came about after the collapse of Carich International, a 250 mil-per-annum technology educator who had a large asian student population. What was'nt publicized was Carich had insured the overseas students' fees and had placed paid fees in a trust, according to Computer World magazine. Hardly the actions of charletons. Carich was forced into bankruptcy because they could not meet their payroll etc, due to the ministry of ed. withholding monies(millions) owed due to claim/s the company had misrepresented the number of students it had enrolled and claimed for. The good news however that the company, as an accredited institution, was able to transfer students into other recognized accredited programs. The govt. has only recently(2004) acknowledged the potential of lucrative cash cows market(students) to be found in Asia. But the damage to NZ's reputation as an ed. provider, will require time to recover as a result.

According to one professional coach I know(from China), accent and pronunciation training was a problem that most asian business people/students had identified needing to be addressed. This he did acknowledge schools failed to provide and potential students clamoured for. As a result, he found himself with a successful niche business. Not bad when you consider one businessman/student paid him NZ$35,000 in advance, for lessons once a week for a year. A club owner(ex tout for brothels in Algeria) once related that speaking the target language(he spoke eight) alone wasn't enough. And counting the rhythm (emulating accents) was neccessary in order to be understood.

Chinese ESL students I've met spoke surprisingly well. However, when asked about Korean student's language abilities they claimed, "we cannot understand the Korean student's English". To me that sounds like actual acquisition/ability levels were not properly assessed resulting in a mixed ability classroom. Which if true, would be unforgiveable. Although many of these schools are asian-owned(have met a lot of Korean and Chinese language school biz owners), the onus of responsibility would still fall on the teacher but again an understanding of constraints experienced by the teacher would need to be taken into consideration. It would be terrible to think hogwan style ESL(cum teacher finding services for hogwans in Korea) has found it's uneducational way into NZ's ESL biz.

Asian students in NZ do often frequent Skycity leaving me to wonder what they tell their parents when their English-speaking ability fails to improve. There was a sad situation in which a student actually won a fortune at slots only to have the prize revoked for being under-age. An equally sad situation exists in which the amount of "free-time" with nil-parental oversight has led to an disproportionatly high number of abortions in comparison to NZ teenagers amongst students from Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan; this growing trend has alarmed social services.

The number of forced gang membership into 8k triads and extortion has also increased. Mostly because parents buy plush homes and leave junior with a generous living allowance to attend school/uni, only to return "home" to run their businesses. Asian gangs knowing these students are likely to have money, practice both recruitment and extortion who are then co-erced to locate and tantalize "new" recruits.This is becoming an increasing problem for law enforcement.

A change to driving tests are also now being demanded because asian students' frquently use counterfeit IDs/licenses to buy cars with money sent to them from daddy. A combination of inexperience, powerful cars, and speed, sometimes including alcohol, have become a lethal combination. As a result serious young-asian-driver traffic accidents/fatalities have increased forcing the transport division to instigate proactive checking procedures.


Another reason according to a Chinese friend who own schools over there, racism/anti-asian attitudes, is a major issue keeping potential students away, too. He attributes this as a main cause for business downturn in Christchurch. Auckland still remains a popular destination.

I've known Korean ESL students who are practically fluent after studying abroad only because they deliberately avoided other Koreans/asians. Perhaps concerning ed. generally, parents and students need to evaluate priorities. Ed/ESL is a multi-billion dollar industry and the world is being divided up for the income it generates. Nothing like a "little" press spin doctoring to bring punters/cash cows closer to home own shores. There are a multitude of inter-relating issues to consider besides ESL training(accredited therefore standards reviewed) that is also offered by major NZ universities English depts.

[TECO]

I agree, it's not restricted to N.Z., is it.

I'm sure that's merely an example of the situations that exist in a lot of the major ESL countries.

Hey, you'tr not a nerd!!
We have to do the same thing to keep our jobs!