Participation of students in spoken activities within the classroom is an essential part of the aim of many English medium higher education institutions across Asia to enhance the English language proficiency of their undergraduate populations. However, while many researchers and teachers have discussed the alleged reticence of Asian learners, only limited attention has been given to understanding the process of how second language learners participate in oral activities within the undergraduate classroom. This paper draws on interviews, observational data and recordings of classroom interaction collected as part of a larger ethnographic study of Chinese-background undergraduates in an English medium of instruction university in Asia. The paper begins by exploring some of the assumptions about Chinese learners’ participation in spoken activities and then reveals how the epistemological assumptions made within the English for academic purposes (EAP) classroom shaped one group of freshmen business and economics students’ participation in spoken activities. A framework for promoting student participation in spoken activities is then outlined and implications for future research are discussed.
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ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION LITERATURE REVIEW METHOD Context and Participants Data Collection Data Analysis Findings DISCUSSION Towards a Framework for Participatory Learning CONCLUSION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THE AUTHOR REFERENCES
The goals of Asia TEFL are to promote scholarship, disseminate information, and facilitate cross-cultural understanding among persons concerned with the teaching and learning of English in Asia. In order to accomplish this, Asia TEFL will pursue the following goals:
1. To link ELT professionals in joint research on issues and concerns regarding English teaching and learning in the Asian context.
2. To publish an academic journal, The Asia TEFL Journal, as an internationally recognized journal in the field of English language teaching.
3. To host conferences and seminars addressing important issues concerning ELT in Asia.
4. To develop proficiency guidelines and assessment methods designed for the needs of the Asian context.
5. To develop programs for Asian learners and teachers of English to build their English language proficiency and cultural understanding and provide them with the skills required to be efficient English teaching professionals.