ERIC ED336951: The Need for Nonverbal Communication Theory When Teaching English as a Second Language: A Case Study in China.

14 Pages·1991·0.55 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
FL 019 401
ED 336 951
Schnell, Jim
AUTHOR
The Need for Nonverbal Communication Theory When
TITLE
Teaching English as a Second Language: A Case Study
in China.
91
PUB DATE
NOTE
14p.
Reports - Research/Technical (143)
PUB TYPE
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EDRS PRICE
*Body Language; Case Studies; Classroom Techniques;
DESCRIPTORS
*Communication Skills; Educational Strategies;
*English (Second Language); Eye Contact; Foreici..
Countries; Higher Education; *Nonverbal
Communication; *Personal Space; Second Language
Instruction; Skill Development; *Student Attitudes;
Suprasegmentals; Surveys; Vocabulary
*China
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
Based on a native English-speaking teacher's
perception that Chinese university students of English as a Second
Language have greater skill in vocabulary than in the communication
of ideas, a survey of students in one class investigated attitudes
about the.role of nonverbal communication in the communication
of nonverbal
process. Responses indicate a lack of understanding
communication processes. Over half the students surveyed felt they
speaking English than
were more expressive nonverbally when they are
when speaking Chinese, and most felt nonverbal communication in the
communicate
two languages differs. A strong majority felt they could
better in English if they learned more nonverbal communication norms
in English-speaking countries. The need for more emphasis on
nonverbal communication is evident from these responses. High- and
culture
low-context communication processes illustrate the effect of
greatly in the two
on the listening process. Expectations can differ
enhance
kinds of communication. At a minimum, theory that can
understanding of nonverbal communication processes should be taught,
with emphasis placed on general ideas rather than specific skills.
tactile
Work in proxemics, vocalics, kinesics, eye behavior, and
communication would contribute to awareness. A 13-item bibliography
is included. (MSE)
***********************************************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
***********************************************************************
CONNUNICATIUN THEORY WHEN TEACHING
THE NEED FOR NONVERBAL
A CASE STUDY IN CHINA
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE:
Jim Schnell/ Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Ohio Dominican College
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THEORY WHEN TEACHING
THE NEED FOR NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
A CASE STUDY IN CHINA
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE:
nonverbal communication
This paper describes the need for
The specific
second language.
theory when teaching English as a
China but the main points
application in the paper is based in
language.
English is taught as a second
are relevant wherever
literature and a survey of
The paper is based on a review of
The
second language.
Chinese students who studied English as a
is adequately stressed
underlying idea posits English vocabulary
In
actual communication skills.
but more emphasis is needed wit
communication dynamics.
this case, awareness of nonverbal
increase in world trade since
There has been a dramatic
variety of other
This increase has also involved a
World War II.
English has
interaction.
developments promoting international
international community and
become a predominant language in the
non-native speakers, has become
the teaching of English, to
common all over the world.
1987, the author was a
During the spring term (March-June)
University in Beijing,
visiting professor at Northern Jiaotong
taught English as a second
The People's Republic of China and
This opportunity provided
language to native Chinese speakers.
faculty members, teaching
him the chance to work with a team of
research the process of
the same course, and the chance to
teaching English as a second language.
the learning of English
Since the opening of China in 1979,
fir
"China still has a long way to go
has been emphasized strongly.
literate in Chinese, let alone in
in making its population fully
goals and individual
But in terms of both national
English.
of the list" (Jacobsen,
aspirations, English is near the top
October 18, 1987, p. 40).
of primary
English is usually taught in the latter years
had about eight years of
Many university students have
school.
"In the
the university.
English training before entering
with a passion that comes
universities, students practice English
lies (Jacobsen, October 28, 1987,
from knowing where the future
p. 40).
2
considerable degree,
The teaching of English is done, to a
"Lessons also are
outside of the traditional classroom.
October 28,
broadcast on national radio everyday" (Jacobsen,
1987, p. 40).
satellite T.V.
"Nearly two million people are now following
according to the State
education programs in their spare time,
The
3).
Education Commission" (China Daily, May 12, 1987, p.
"It is now
educational T.V. channel opened in October, 1986.
primary school
used mainly for the training of middle and
secondary vocational
teachers, higher adult education and
education" (China reilv, May 15, 1987, p. 3).
help kids learn English"
An article entitled "TV series to
children in primary
described a "new TV series to help Chinese
1987, p. 5).
schools to learn English" (china Daily, May 1,
is a response to the
Entitled "Let's Learn English," the program
in China.
shortage of qualified English teachers
in China is that
A common problem in teaching English
but have difficulty in
students can learn the English vocabulary
meanings. "Lack of
communicating and understanding conceptual
underestimation of the lesson time
competent English teachers and
comprehension and speaking in
that should be devoted to verbal
low performance in
English were mainly responsible for students
3).
learning English" (China Daily, May 2, 1987, p.
school students is a
"The poor English ability of middle
opening to the outside world"
potential obstacle to the country's
An official government
(China Daily, May 2, 1987, p. 3).
3
China, is taken very seriously
objective, such as the opening of
situations
Thus, answers to such problem
by the Chinese people.
are actively sought.
second language, the emphasis on
In teaching English as a
Dorothy
be understated.
the communication process cannot
department at the University
Bainton, chairman of the pathology
conducts a two week workshop to
of California at San Francisco,
workers who will be studying in the
prepare Chinese health care
though they may read English
Her program emphasizes "even
U.S.
understanding the spoken
quite well, they may have difficulty
And they face the
language and making themselves understood.
American and Chinese rules about
broader problem of conflicting
(Jacobsen, November 4, 1987,
communication and socialization"
p. A49).
in China, the author
During his teaching assignment
English language vocabulary to
perceived student comprehension of
to communicate their ideas and
be far better than their ability
Based upon his experience, he
understand the ideas of others.
factual information is good
hypothesized their comprehension of
Observation
main ideas is deficient.
but their comprehension of
teachers evidenced a curriculum
of, and discussion with, other
the importance of nonverbal
that contained no emphasis on
Thus students
process.
communication skills in the communication
but were not taught
words and expressions
were primarily taught
The latter seemed to
ideas.
about communicating or interpreting
be assumed.
6
4
administered to an
A written survey of six questions was
These students were freshmen
English class of twenty students.
Northern Jiaotong
in the teacher preparation program at
six statements
They were requested to respond to
University.
neutral, D - disagree, or
(SA - strongly agree, A - agree, N
study
The purpose of the survey was to
SD - strongly disagree).
communication in the
their perceptions of the role of nonverbal
Results of the survey are as follows.
communication process.
meaning with a message than
1. Verbal communication carries more
nonverbal communication.
SD
A
SA
5%
30%
35%
20%
10%
expressive nonverbally
2. Native speakers of English are more
Chinese people.
(i.e. gesture more) than are native
SD
A
D
N
SA
10%
10%
50%
30%
nonverbally when I'm speaking
3. I tend to be more expressive
Chinese.
English than when I'm speaking
SD
A
SA
30%
15%
45%
10%
British
communication is different than
4. American nonverbal
nonverbal communication.
SD
A
SA
10%
35%
45%
10%
5
is different than Chinese
5. American nonverbal communication
nonverbal communication.
SD
P
N
A
SA
15%
25%
55%
25%
better in English if I learned
6. I think I could communicate
communication norms in English speaking
more about nonverbal
countries.
SD
D
N
A
SA
5%
5%
40%
50%
of understanding of
The survey responses indicate a lack
For the purpose of this
nonverbal communication processes.
with questions three, five,
report, the author is most concerned
and six.
little more than half of
Question three responses indicate a
expressive nonverbally when they
the students feel they are more
Chinese. Fifty-
than when they are speaking
are speaking English
while only 30 percent
five percent agreed with this statement
disagreed with the statement.
students feel American
Question five responses show most
than Chinese nonverbal
nonverbal communication is different
statement and
Eighty percent agreed with this
communication.
only 15 percent disagreed.
strong majority of the
Question six responses demonstrate a
better in English if they
students feel they could communicate
communication norms in English
learned more about nonverbal
6
point of
Ninety percent agreed with this
speaking countries.
with the statement.
view and only five percent disagreed
reveal a major void in student
The survey results do not
communication in human
understanding of the role of nonverbal
nonverbal
interaction but the need for more emphasis on
defirencies
When linked with the
communication is evident.
of English education in
described in newspaper/journal accounts
It is
taught presents itself.
China, a pattern of how English is
achieves the basic objective
the author's contention this process
emphasis on the communication
of teaching vocabulary but more
enhance
nonverbal communication, will
process, in this case
It is helpful to consider
student understanding considerably.
communication differences within the
the role of cross-cultural
learning of a new language.
when two or more
Cross-cultural communication "occurs
backgrounds interact
individuals with different cultural
intercultural interactants do
In most situations
together
.
.
.
and
But languages can be learned
not share the same language.
in the nonverbal realm"
larger communication problems occur
of our own
"Since we are not usually aware
(Andersen, 1986).
identify and
extremely difficult to
nonverbal behavior it becomes
At times we
behavior of another culture.
master the nonverbal
intuitively know
cultures because we
feel uncomfortable in other
"Because
1987, pp. 2-3).
something isn't right" (Andersen,
conscious phenomena, it may be
nonverbal behaviors are rarely
why we are feeling
difficult for us to know exactly
Kim, 1984, p. 149).
uncomfortable" (Gudykunst and
7
of interactants on
The effect of the cultural backgrounds
"Culture is the
consideration.
human interaction is a crucial
our behavior
enduring influence of the social environment on
behaviors" (Andersen,
including air interpersonal communication
dictates interpersonal
The culture of an individual
1987, p. 6).
recipes, rules,
behavior through "control mechanisms--plans,
call Iprograms')--for the
instructions (what computer engineers
Thus, the
44).
governing of behavior" (Geertz, 1973, p.
reception
of ideas (speaking) and the
processes for presentation
understandably vary from culture to
of ideas (listening) will
culture.
low context communication
The implications of high and
provides another example of the
processes, across cultures,
"A high-context
effect of culture on the listening process.
most of the information is
communication message is one in which
internalized in the person,
either in the physical context or
explicit, transmitted parts of
while very little is in the coded,
For instance, people who know
the message" (Hall, 1976, p. 91).
through unexplicit messages
each other very well can communicate
"In high-
to a third party.
which are not readily understandable
information is integrated from the
context situations or cultures
situation, and from nonverbal cues
environment, the context, the
explicit verbal
meaning unavailable in the
that give the message
(Andersen, 1987, p. 22).
utterance"
of
cultures) are just the opposite
Low context messages (and
information is in the explicit
high context messages; most of the
1 0