Abstract

China, like many other non-English speaking Asian countries, recruits hundreds of thousands of native English-speaking teachers (NESTs). There are benefits of NESTs that stand out in terms of their teaching practice comparing to non-NESTs; however, studies have also presented undesirable results in regards to their teaching quality. These problems were manifested at the work of Yungwing International Kindergarten with NESTs, which included: 1) a lack of teaching qualifications, 2) English monolingualism, 3) cultural differences, 4) a lack of EFL resources, and 5) a lack of collaboration with their Chinese colleagues. In order to address these problems, we have been using a professional development intervention to facilitate cultural understanding, collegial collaboration and professional growth. We will introduce the intervention and discuss its impact on NESTs’ teaching practice that we have found so far.

Speakers

Ms. Xiaohua Liu

Dean of the International Teachers’ Office, Yungwing International Kindergarten

Xiaohua Liu received her PhD candidacy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and she is currently doing her dissertation titled The Question of Culture -- Native English Speaking Teachers Teaching Young Children in China. Her passion about working with children in classrooms is a catalyst for her interests in teaching research. She has published a few articles in highly ranked Chinese and American academic journals and presented in international conferences, including the American Educational Research Association conferences. 

Ms. Pam Cassidy

Foreign Teacher Curriculum Consultant, Yungwing International Kindergarten

Pam Cassidy has been working as a teacher, an educator or an administrator for more the 25 years, with most of her teaching experience being in Early Childhood Education. She has had vast experience working with students with additional needs including ESL students. Over the past 5 ½ years she has worked as an administrator in a K-6 school in Western Australia.