Narrative of a cross-cultural language teaching experience: Conflicts between theory and practice

China's economic performance over the past few decades has put China in a position where it now accounts for one-third of global economic growth, twice as much as America. The large-scale growth of China's economy has attracted attentionfrom businesses and investors worldwide [Morrison (2006). China’s economic conditions. Congressional Research Service: The Library of Congress]. With the continuing growth of China's economy, more and more people from all over the world are learning Chinese in order to conduct business and access China's huge markets. Correspondingly, an increase in the demand for Chinese speakers is being matched by an increase in available Chinese language teaching jobs globally. This has led many Chinese native speakers to consider teaching Chinese as a second language either in China or overseas.This study is a narrative inquiry into the transformation of thinking about language education, based on the author's experience of teaching Chinese while pursuing a doctorate program at a major university in the United States. The data used in this study are qualitative in nature, consisting of self-observations and journal writing. Narrative inquiry serves as a conceptual framework to this study and was adopted as a tool for data analysis. The analysis focused on how the author, as a teaching assistant from Taiwan, dealt with issues of teaching Chinese as a second language and how he drew on pedagogical theories and methodologies.The author's experience with students in the East Asian Language and Culture Department with their different assumptions and motivations highlighted the importance of teaching strategies and pedagogies in class. Elements like cultural diversity and learning styles are also discussed in this paper.     

Rough and tumble play in children: research and theory

Abstract

The studies referred to have all been done at just one or two schools, and there may be considerable variations between children of different cultural and social class backgrounds. Further research is needed in these areas. So far as we can tell at the moment, r&t is primarily a friendly and playful activity, which does not usually involve any intent to hurt, at least up to early adolescense. Its function remains unclear, but it appears to be part of normal development, and children who rough-and-tumble a lot are generally sociable but not especially aggressive. To this extent, there seems no reason to discourage r&t except in contexts where the noisy and vigorous activities might distract from other (e. g. educational) objectives. It does seem that the motivation behind r&t becomes more complex by adolescence, and the task of giving practical advice on the matter correspondingly more difficult. Finally some adults and some children may have difficulty in distinguishing r&t and agression. Some dissemination of, or training in, the cues which distinguish the two may be helpful.     

Internship: integrating theory and practice

This article describes a number of special features of the internship programme which has been developed at the Southern Cross University (SCU) in collaboration with the North Coast Region of the Department of School Education, the Catholic Education Office with selected primary schools. Arrangements are described for interns’ time spent in classrooms, collaborative teaching strategies which underpin these placements, the security which supports interns’ practice and approaches to integrate their practice with university studies. Processes of appraisal of interns’ development are explained, and the potential of mentoring for their teachers’ professional development is examined. Throughout the article, the congruence of these arrangements with Schools Council recommendations is considered.     

讨论式教学的研究与实践

本文阐述了教学方法改革的重要性，总结了讨论式教学的具体操作程序，认类讨论式教学中应正确处理讲授与讨论、学生讨论与教师引导、教与学、课前与课堂、结论的封闭与开放五个关系，指出讨论式教学要体现主体教育思想，注重学生知识的外化和学生互动。     

人力资源会计的理论与实践探索

人力资源会计是对人力资源进行计量和核算的会计程序和方法,其目标是将企业的人力资源变化信息提供给企业管理部门和企业外部信息使用者。日前,人力资源会计信患在我国已经受到广泛关注。但其在企业管理中的应用则不尽人意。本文针对这一现象,拟在目前人力资源会计研究的基础上,通过对人力资源会计的基本理论、人力资源成本会计、人力资源价值会计、人力资源权益会计、人力资源报告会计的初步探索、提出在我国建立人力资源会计的必要性与可能性,从而为人力资源会计在我国的实践提供帮助。     

情景剧教学法在思想政治理论课实践教学中的探索研究

本文通过对情景剧教学法实施过程、实施效果和总结反思三个方面,探索这一教学方法在思想政治理论课教学中的实践效果,以期为教学改革提供依据。     

关于活动课程的理论与实践

随着我国社会改革与发展的不断深入,要求教育从传统的课堂教学中解放出来,把社会需求和实践活动纳入学校教育的范畴,尤其要打破分科教学的界限,享受教育者全面发展和健康发展的条件与机会.本文所引述的活动课程虽不可能取代学科课程,但提高其在教育中的地位或许更有助于教育本质的复归,更有利于促进对课程本质的再认识.