新州高考成绩与大学入学排名的关系 (The relationship between the Higher School Certificate marks and Australian Tertiary Admission Rank)

2012年新州HSC Heritage 中文高考之后，有些中文教师认为这次高考试卷太难，纷纷在新州中文教师协会的网上研讨会 (On-line discussion)里，表达他们的关切与担心。他们担心试卷太难会把未来想学Heritage高考课程的学生吓跑，认为试卷应该简单一些，才能吸引更多澳洲出生的华裔子弟学习中文。更有人认为，试卷太难学生拿不到好成绩，必然无法取得好的ATAR，担心将来很少人会选修这门课程。




有鉴于此，新州中文教师协会乃于2012年12月20日(高考放榜隔日)，于Ashfield 的退伍军人俱乐部 (RSL Club)举办了一场HSC 和ATAR的研讨会，请来了Board of Studies资深语言顾问Howard Jacobs为新州中文教师做了一次有关ATAR 的讲解。由于首次Heritage 中文高考事关未来华裔子弟是否选修中文，所以很多中文教师出席这次的研讨会。总共有将近60位中文教师参与这次会议。



在研讨会上，Jacobs首先用一个尖锐的问题挑战在场老师们的既定概念：Advanced English 还是ESL English 比较难？Chinese Background Speakers还是Chinese Beginners比较难？或许有些人会直接地联想到语言的难易程度，但其实，难不难是相对的，而不是绝对的。接下来，他用简单易懂的语言解释了HSC marks 和ATAR之间的关系。研讨会的过程中，一些教师也提出他们个人对Heritage试卷和选修资格 (Eligibility)的质疑。交流过程中虽有‘争执’的火花，但大部分的时候是‘豁然开朗’的点头。



Jacobs演讲的主要观点包括：

1． HSC 的marks是分数，但ATAR并不是分数，而是涉及‘排名’，所以两者的‘数字’并不必然雷同或接近


2． HSC marks 是由考试与学习委员会(Board of Studies) 给出的，而ATAR则是由联招会 (Universities Admissions Centre)用公式计算出来的


3． ATAR的结果跟HSC试卷的难易度无关，但跟同一课程的竞争度 (Strength of the competition)有关


4． 每一门课程的调整 (Scaling)过程都是一样的


5． 两个学生修不同科目，但高考分数一样 (比如，都是80分)，ATAR不一定相同 (要看该课程其他学生的水平)


6． 一门课程中，若无法区分出高低(比如，大多数的学生都拿满分)，则不利于ATAR的取得 ，因为必须和其他同样高分的学生分享 ‘Scaled数值’


7． 学生若要取得好的ATAR，应该选读自己喜欢而且愿意花时间研读的科目。另外，要选择能够区分学生能力高低的课程



最后，Jacobs再次强调，学生若要考好成绩，一定要深入理解教学大纲的要求 ，因为试卷是在测试学生是否达到教学预定结果 (Outcomes)。同样地，教师在教学过程中应该根据教学大纲，着重在规定的教学预定结果，这样才能保证学生取得好的HSC 和ATAR的结果。



后记：研讨会后，对HSC和ATAR这两个概念有深入研究的Alex Song 老师对Jacobs的演讲内容提出了进一步的参考资料，包括HSC Marks，ATAR计算，中文HSC学生少的原因分析等。宋老师补充的内容将会上传到新州中文教师协会，有兴趣的老师可以链接到http://www.cltansw.org/

《亚洲世纪中的澳大利亚》白皮书与澳洲华文教育的前景与展望

很多人可能都知道，早在2011年9月澳大利亚总理Julia Guilla 指派Ken Henry撰写《亚洲世纪中的澳大利亚》白皮书之前，澳洲政府与教育当局已经开始鼓励澳洲年轻人了解亚洲语言与文化了。比如，在《2008年澳洲年轻人教育目标墨尔本宣言》(Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians)里，就已经承认 ‘印度、中国和其它亚洲国家对澳洲和全球的影响力与日俱增，而这种改变会对所有澳洲年轻人的未来产生巨大的冲击’。并且宣称 ‘澳洲人需要更加理解亚洲，与亚洲互动，并与其建立强劲的双边关系’。这份宣言是全国各州一致同意的2008-2018教育议程，並由澳大利亚教育、就业、培训及青年事务部长委员会通過的文件。


另外，为了响应《2008年澳洲年轻人教育目标墨尔本宣言》，联邦政府于2011年又发表了《2011-2012年澳洲学校亚洲文化教育的全国性规划》(National Statement on Asia Literacy in Australian Schools 2011-2012)。这份官方的文件指出: “亚洲语言和其它与亚洲有关科目的学习是学生理解亚洲 (Asia Literacy) 的关键”。此外，文件也概括出“在澳洲现有的政策与教学模式下，所有学生认识亚洲所需要的知识、技巧与理解”。比如，为了认识亚洲，学生需要下列的广泛知识、技巧与理解：


• 亚洲及其多样性，包括传统、文化与宗教等

• 亚洲人的成就与贡献，包括亚洲艺术、文学对澳洲、亚洲和全球的影响

• 亚洲与澳洲之间的互动，包括承认亚裔公民对澳洲文化与社会的影响


针对上述澳洲政府亚洲语言政策中的两个最重要的文件，很多商界、学界、政治界的重要人物也都纷纷提出各自的立场和看法。而这些看法几乎都是一致的：应该推广亚洲语言。


新南威尔斯大学教育系教授 Chris Davison 表示，任何考虑将来从商的学生，若会讲华文，必能在未来的竞争经中拔得头筹。

墨尔本大学的 Kathe Kirby 教授认为：“我们不是要学习亚洲的事物，而是应该学习如何成为亚洲的一部分”(Learning to be in Asia, not about Asia)。

就连意识形态上比较保守的反对党领袖 Tony Abbott，也在今年5月回应劳工党政府2012年的预算时承诺：“如果自由党执政，将努力促使百分之四十的十二年级学生学习一门第二语言”。他认为，如果澳洲要对外发展，不能只依靠别人使用我们的语言。所以，他主张从幼儿园开始，每个学生都应该学习一门外语。

另外，媒体和外交界人士也都站出来替“亚洲语言”讲话。悉尼晨锋报(Sydney Morning Herald) 在今年9月的一篇题为‘Asia offers us more than coal and iron ore sales – if we know how’ 的社论中说，“澳洲人应该放弃两个不实际的想法。一是认为我们占尽‘地利’之便(靠近亚洲)；二是我们根本不需要学习亚洲语言，因为澳洲已经有很多会讲亚洲语言的外来移民，而且反正越来越多的亚洲人在学英文”。这样的观点真是当头棒喝。如果我们还沉醉在‘英语国家’的幻觉里，那我们将被全球化的浪潮淹没，因为在一个不同文化交流日趋频繁的世界里，理解别人的文化和语言才是成功的关键。不管是在经济、贸易、旅游还是外交上都是如此。诚如总理亚洲特别顾问，《白皮书》的主要撰写人Ken Henry于日前所说：“澳洲不久将为史上最多的中产阶级设计和提供复杂且新式的个人服务。……我们将需要足够的文化理解与外语来与个人、商业团体、政府机构谈判与发展双边关系”

在外交界倍受尊敬的外交官John McCarthy，退休前曾在日本、印尼、印度、越南和泰国等国的使馆工作过，他说：‘尽管澳洲政府和亚洲国家的关系不错，但是对于澳洲社会，一般亚洲人是怀着一种敌视、害怕和不欢迎的态度’(Australia as a society was viewed in the region as hostile, frightened and unwelcoming)。他认为‘澳洲学生应该学习亚洲语言’，甚至‘到亚洲国家的大学读书’。他说：“澳洲政府强调‘亚洲’的重要性是对的，因为那正是我们的当务之急”。

随着《白皮书》于2012年10底宣布之后，主要亚洲语言（华文、印度文、印尼文和日文）教育再度成为社会各界关注的焦点。尽管如此，亚洲语言其实只是《白皮书》里的一个小小环节。《白皮书》的主要内容还是集中在澳洲本身的改革。为了迎接亚洲世纪的到来，澳大利亚需要在各方面进行改善，包括税务制度、经济结构、大学教育等。


整本《白皮书》总共有320页。全书分成九章，分别从不同的角度来看待亚洲的崛起。但主要有两个重心：

a. 亚洲的崛起为澳大利亚带来了巨大的机会 (The rise of Asia provides great opportunities for Australia)

b. 到2025年时， 澳大利亚将成为一个更富强的国家，不仅完全融入亚洲，而且对全世界开放 (By 2025, Australia will be a more prosperous and resilient nation, fully part of the region and open to the world)


其中涉及到华文教育的主要在第六章。这一章的题目是“能力的培养” (Building capacities)。作者从学校、大学、职业训练等角度来讨论如何培养学生理解亚洲的能力。在这一章里，《白皮书》的作者们所建议的“国家的目标”(National objectives)包括：


第十项：为了加强学生对亚洲对亚洲的理解，使他们有能力活跃于亚洲地区，学校课程中应大量增加有关亚洲的信息与知识。每个学校都必须与一个亚洲学校建立关系，并通过全国宽频网络 (National Broadband Network)的使用，来支持亚洲主要语言的教学。

第十一项：鼓励所有的澳洲学生，而且提供机会，让他们从小学开始到中学毕业连续学习一门主要亚洲语言：华文 (普通话)、印度文、印尼文或日文。


为了达到上述的目标，联邦政府将联合各州政府教育当局，以及非政府的教育机构共同来推动高质量的亚洲语言教学、评估与报告。同时，提出详细的学习策略，创新语言教学法，以吸引更多的学生选择学习亚洲语言。另外，《白皮书》也建议大学设立网上亚洲语言课程，提供全国学生通过网络学习亚洲语言的机会。


此外，联邦政府将加大力度与商界、学界和社区合作，提高对亚洲学习(包括亚洲语言)的需求。比如，“理解亚洲的商业大使” 项目(Asia Literacy Business Ambassadors initiative)就是一个最好的例子。这个项目总共征召了300位“大使”到各中学向中学生解说‘理解亚洲如何帮助他们未来的职业’。到目前为止，全国已经有13000个中学生听过他们的演说了。


对于《白皮书》喝彩的人有，但批评指责的声音也不少。批评者主要集中在‘政府说的比做的多’，或者‘虎头蛇尾’，没有坚持很久，经费就中断了。客观来说，这些都是事实。根据悉尼大学教授 Ken Cruickshank的表示，在过去40年间，澳洲政府发表了67个语言政策，报告或评估。第一个亚洲语言的报告发表于1970年，主要是针对印尼文。八〇和九〇年代着重在日文。而最近十年则侧重在华文语言教育。然而，只要比较以下英国、美国和澳洲十二年级学生学习语言的比例，就可以证明批评者的论点是有道理的。在英国和美国十二年级学生学习外语的比例高达50%，而澳大利亚只有12%。


另外，也有人认为澳洲国策的‘专向’会‘改变澳洲人的价值观与生活方式’。这样的论点完全是从一个文化本位的立场出发，而且忽视了‘全球化’的现实。在一个‘世界是平的’的时代里，文化之间的交流与互相影响是必然的。其实，重点并不在于我们的价值观和生活方式是否会被‘亚洲化’，而是在我们是否可以培养我们学生的‘跨文化意识’(Intercultural awareness)。诚如整个《白皮书》所强调的：‘机会’在那儿，我们应该如何改革与建设，才能保证澳大利亚的年轻人有一个美好的未来呢？


所以，我们相信《白皮书》的公布对华文教育会产生深远的影响，因为澳洲各界可以通过《白皮书》的出炉逐渐形成共识。它既是政策的宣示，也是社会教育的一部分。那，作为澳洲华文教师的我们，应当如何回应呢？华裔子弟和华人父母应当如何面对这个新的局面呢？


的确，一个政策能否成功跟它投入的资金(funding)有很大的关系。但是，如果我们只是在那儿等着政府拿钱来办事，那可能太消极也太被动了。诚如墨尔本大学亚洲法律专家 Tim Lindsey教授所说，“如果《白皮书》要成功的话，后续的策略与资金是不可少的。而且，我们应该学习把亚洲看成是一个‘投资’而不是一个‘市场’”(If the Henry white paper were to make a difference, it would have to come up with a strategy and expenditure, and Australia would have to learn to see Asia as an investment, not a market)。


作为华文教师，我们也应该‘投资’我们的语言与文化的教学能力。诚如澳洲外语教师协会(AFMLTA) 在回应《白皮书》时所表达的立场，“语言教师们不仅需要加强目标语的语言与文化能力，而且需要了解澳洲的学生与学习环境。除了要成为语言与文化的教师以外，还要熟悉澳大利亚的教学大纲”(Teachers need to be skilled not only in the target language and culture, but also to understand Australian learners and learning conditions, and to be educated as languages and cultures teachers, and teachers of the Australian Curriculum)。在一个知识‘核爆化’，信息‘自由化’，教材‘网络化’，教师 ‘全球化’的时代里，我们只有不断学习才不会被淘汰。不用说别的，如果我们在课堂上连基本的ICT知识都没有的话，我想，学生对我们的尊敬就会大打折扣。对那些尚未跨进 (或想要进入) 中文教育界的老师 (如海外受训或社区学校的中文教师), 澳洲外语教师协会的建议应该是值得思考的。

对澳洲出生或很小就移民来澳的华裔子弟们，我们的建议是：

目前澳洲对华语国家与地区最大的‘出口’是矿产、观光和教育。但未来面对亚洲中产阶级 (包括中国) 的崛起，澳洲可以出口的将扩及其它行业，尤其是服务业 (如金融、艺术、娱乐等)。能否抓住这个机会，关键在于学生的专业与语言能力，以及对文化的认知。相较于澳洲本地非华裔背景的学生，他们最大的优势是在后两项，也就是他们家庭所带来的先天条件。

随着全球化的到来，通讯设备越来越便宜，很多澳洲的工作都被‘外包’到包括中国在内的发展中国家。未来职业的竞争关键将不再只是成绩、学位或名牌大学，外语与跨文化能力将会是大公司征选人才的重要标准。《白皮书》中提到澳洲ANZ银行就是最好的例子。澳洲ANZ银行对征召“亚太地区内行者”(理解亚太地区顾客以及如何在此地区做生意的人)不遗余力。目前该银行120位最高主管当中，有71%的人有丰富的国际经验，而未来将引进更多有不同文化背景和语言能力的主管。事实上，2011年ANZ银行在纽澳地区录用的大学生当中，有超过一半 (51%)的人除了英语以外，至少还会其它一种语言。

在此，我们也想对华人父母提出一些建议：

面对澳洲没有华裔背景学生的追赶，华人父母应该考虑到孩子未来的出路与身份认同的问题。在《白皮书》的鼓励下，学习华文的非华裔学生一定会越来越多。根据在学校教学的经验，以及观察悉尼精英中学的情况，我们看到的是，很多华裔的孩子会说一点普通话或其它方言，但不会写不会读。为了高考拿高分，父母往往鼓励孩子选修其它科目(如Japanese Beginners, French Beginners)。其实，这是一件很可惜的事。会听会说但不会读写，终究还是半文盲。放着已经发展一半的语言，而去选修一门全新的语言，毕竟不是很明智的决定。

更不用说，当孩子渐渐长大之后，当他们面对‘身份认同’的问题时，父母亲的语言将扮演很重要的角色。没有了“母语”，又怎能期望孩子认同父母的文化呢？移民家庭两代之间，若没有(中国)文化的联系，将因价值观的不同而逐渐形同陌生人。

《白皮书》要传达的信息很明确：澳洲的年轻人需要拥有理解亚洲文化与语言的能力，才能确保一个光明的未来。如果澳洲社会未来需要了解亚洲双语言、双文化的年轻人，那么，那些有基本文化认知和语言基础的华裔子弟将会是最有优势的人。既然学习中国文化和语言有这么多的好处，华文教育是不是应该提升到和‘数理化’一样重要的位置呢？相信每个华人父母都有自己的结论了。

从新州中文高考人数看中文教育的未来

每年新州中文高考结束后，学习与考试委员会(Board of Studies)都会公布中文高考人数。今年也不例外。今年的人数是：Background Speakers 756; Continuers 64; Extension 13; Beginners 41。而今年第一次考的HSC Heritage 则有90个考生。除了Beginners 之外，今年的Background Speakers、Continuers 和Extension 都呈下降的趋势。如果把今年的数字和近几年来的人数相比，就不难发现Background Speakers的考生竟然在四年内降了一半 (图一)。而Continuers 和Extension也是‘节节败退’。为什么呢？新州中文教育还有前途吗？正当ACCARA即将于12月公布全国F-10 中文教学大纲的草案(The draft curriculum for F-10 Chinese)，并寻求各方的意见时，中文教育的发展前途在哪儿呢？

在此，我们愿意提出个人的看法，希望引起更多人来探讨与关注澳洲中文教育的发展与前途。

1. BS：2008年全球金融危机；近几年澳币相对太高；欧美国家大力争取中国的海外留学市场；一些澳洲大学放宽海外学生入学标准，准许中国高中毕业生直接进入大学就读。这些都是影响BS课程学生人数减少的主要因素。毕竟，这个课程有很多海外留学生在读。

2. Heritage: 第一年考就有90个学生。严格来说，已经不错了，尤其是当跟其它三种亚洲语言相比较时 (图二)。但因为很多学生、家长都还在观望，尤其是社区中文学校的学生。另外，学生程度差别太大(从几乎零起点 - 如讲广东话又不懂几个字的学生，到在国内读到四年级过来的学生都有)，老师经验不够等都是因素。今年Heritage考完之后，很多人抱怨题目出得太难了，怕会把学生吓跑了。很多人在CLTA 的论坛上对2012年Heritage 中文高考试卷的难度表达了他们的失望与愤怒。我完全可以理解他们的反应与沮丧。然而，愤怒归愤怒，失望归失望，我觉得我们仍然需要理性地来看待这件事情。

如果说这份卷子太难，那Continuers 或 Beginners 的卷子难不难？如果我们理性地来看，难不难是对个别的学生而言。比如，一个在这儿出生又没有在社区学校或星期六学校学过多少中文的孩子，可能觉得很难。可是，一个在中国读过三年的学生可能不觉得那么难。问题是：这两种学生都可以读这个课程。所以，所谓难不难，是相对的，不是绝对的。

如果卷子简单，是不是对每个学生都有好处呢？那也未必。经历过出考卷、改考卷、编写教学大纲等过程之后，我完全理解这当中的关键。一份能够测出不同程度的考卷才是最理想的卷子。另外，涉及到的是ATAR的问题。这个部分是复杂了一点，但老师们应该理解一个概念：HSC 的marks是分数，然而，ATAR并不涉及‘分数’，而是涉及‘排名’。(The ATAR is a rank, not a mark)。不管怎样，大家都还在摸索，但我还是看好这个课程的前景。

3. Continuers: 本来人就不多，加上‘黑头发’的学生都被要求去读Heritage，所以人数急遽下降。Continuers (从七年级开始读起) 本是为非华裔学生设的，但因为每年都是Australian Born Chinese (有些人的确合乎资格，但有些却是有母语背景的学生) 拿到榜首。所以很多非华裔背景的学生自然‘望而却步’。加上，一般公立学校人数不到一定数量(如十一、二个学生)，学校就不开班。长期以来，只有私立学校开得成。另一个因素是课程结构的问题。新州7-10年级的语言教育并不是很成功。每个学生在七八年级只要读满100个小时的语言课就可以了。所以，一个七年级的学生可能七年级读了四种语言 (Test course)，一个学期一个。八年级时，可选一个有兴趣的语言继续读。到了九年级时，才变成选修的科目。所以，严格来说，七到十年级的学生并没有很好的基础。而另一方面，有些私立学校已逐渐从五年级开始教起中文。所以公立学校的非华裔学生根本不是对手。久而久之，学的人就越来越少了。

4. Beginners: 人数一直都很少，原因有点类似Continuers。一般公立学校人数不到一定数量，学校就不开班。所以，一直以来每年高考人数总是徘徊在10-50之间。此外，要在两年之内把一个完全不懂中文的非华裔学生教到听说读写都能应付的水平，的确不容易。



根据全国语言教学大纲架构 (The Shape of Australian Curriculum: Languages)的规定，中文学生将分为三类：第一语言学习者 (等于新州的Background Speakers)；有华文背景的学习者 (类似新州的Heritage学生)；第二语言学习者 (像新州Continuers和Beginners的非华裔学生)。


对于CSL (Teaching Chinese as a Second Language) 这一块，很多人都觉得因为中文难学，所以非华裔的学生不愿意选修中文。但我们有另一种看法。同样被认为难学的日文，却有很多非背景的学生在学(图三)。这当然跟过去二三十年，澳洲与日本政府大力推广日文教育有关系。但一个事实是：整个澳洲的日文教师中有66%是非背景的老师，而中文只有6%。我看过很多日文老师教学，他们把很多文化的东西带了进来，而很多中文老师却死守‘语言’的阵地，或者根据自己学习母语的经验教学。不能说全部，但的确把一些学生教死了。这或许也是我们中文教师应该深思的吧。

《亚洲世纪中的澳大利亚》(Australia in the Asian Century)白皮书出炉了，澳洲政府越来越重视‘双语言、双文化’的人才，而Heritage中文课程也在这个时候推了出来。整个新州的公立小学里，就有一万六千多人在学习中文。澳洲中文教育的前景应该是光明的。但时机越是这样，中文教师愈加需要努力，因为机会是不等人的。

Cultural dimensions in Chinese language teaching and learning (对外汉语教学中的文化层面)

注：很幸运得到新州州长奖学金 (NSW Premier’s Teacher Scholarship)的赞助，于2011年12月下旬前往北京、上海、南京和台北，做了五个星期的短期研究。研究的主题是：Cultural dimensions in Chinese language teaching and learning (对外汉语教学中的文化层面) 。

在短短的五个星期中，我去了北京语言大学、北京大学、北京师范大学、上海复旦大学、南京师范大学、台北政治大学和台湾师范大学，拜访了二十几位教授和专家学者，就我的研究题目向他们请教和学习。回来之后，经过几个月的撰写与修改。期间并经过南澳州大学的语言学教授A. Scarinon女士的指导，终于完成这篇报告。

对我个人来说，这是一个很难得的学习机会与过程。在此，我要向研究和写作过程中给于我帮助和指导的专家学者们表达我深深的谢意。没有他们无私的帮助，这篇报告是不可能完成的。

这篇报告已提交给新州州长奖学金办公室。但为了和大家分享我的学习心得，愿意在这里野人献曝，也欢迎大家一起来讨论这个重要的议题。

Cultural dimensions in Chinese language teaching and learning

- How to help students achieve cultural outcomes prescribed in K-10 Chinese,

HSC Chinese Continuers Stage 6 and HSC Heritage Chinese syllabuses

Rationale

In the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (2008), which is a nationally agreed education agenda for Australia for 2008-2018 and approved by the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA), it has been recognised that “the growing influence of India, China and other Asian nations, both globally and in Australia, is a major change in the world that impacts on the future of all young Australians”. In the same document, it is stated that “Australians need to become ‘Asia literate’, engaging and building strong relationships with Asia”.

According to the National Statement on Asia Literacy in Australian Schools 2011-2012, which supports the Melbourne Declaration, Asian languages and cross curriculum studies of Asia are both critical to building an Asia literate Australia. In other words, the purpose of studies of Asia is not only to support Asian languages education, but also to ‘ensure that every young Australian has the broad knowledge to develop intercultural skills and understandings to participate in, learn from, contribute to and engage confidently in diverse cultural environments at home and abroad and enrich their own and Australia’s creative, intellectual and social development’.


Context

In the NSW Chinese syllabuses (Chinese K-10, Chinese Continuers and Heritage Chinese stage 6 courses), ‘culture’ is always mentioned in the teaching objectives. ‘Moving between cultures’, ‘Understanding aspects of the language and culture of the Chinese-speaking communities’ and ‘Making connections between Chinese and English and between their heritage culture and other cultures’ are three important objectives that appear in each of the three syllabuses.

In order to help teachers to understand these objectives, the respective syllabuses provide even more detailed information by listing all the outcomes that students are expected to achieve. For example, in the Continuers Syllabus, it is stated that students are expected to identify values, attitudes and beliefs of cultural significance. The K-10 Syllabus also provides a statement of content that may be taught in the form of learn about and learn to statements connected to the course outcomes. For example, students in Stage 4 are expected to learn about the importance of tradition to a sense of cultural identity and diversity within the culture, and to learn to identify and explain features of traditional and contemporary lifestyle.

In the Heritage Syllabus, detailed outcomes are also listed. For example, when interacting with others to exchange meaning, students are expected to ‘recognise and use language appropriate to different cultural contexts’ or ‘develop bilingual and bicultural identity’. When creating texts to express meaning, they are supposed to ‘apply knowledge of cultural concepts’, or ‘to express ideas and opinions from a bilingual and bicultural perspective’.

However, these syllabuses provide no guidance to teachers and students regarding the selection of cultural aspects, leaving individual teachers to do a great deal of work on their own.


Definition

What is ‘culture’? What are cultural aspects in the second language teaching and learning process?

There are many different definitions of ‘culture’ around the world. According to Bi (2009),‘culture’ comprises both immaterial and material products from a broad perspective; however, from a narrower perspective, ‘culture’ is seen as only immaterial products, including languages, literature, arts and all ideologies. Another definition is that ‘culture’ is ‘daily life’. Liu, also a respected expert, thinks that ‘culture’ consists of both immaterial and material. The former is ideologies reflected by social relations of production, such as law, politics, arts or philosophies; the latter is material lifestyles produced by social relations of production, such as basic necessities of the daily life (food, clothing, shelter or transportation). Moreover, both Bi and Liu consider that language is the carrier of culture.


Although people may not agree completely about what ‘culture’ represents, one thing is for sure: ‘culture’ is the ideology and behaviour learnt throughout life. In this respect, there is an Australian perspective as well. According to Scarino and Liddicoat (2009:19), ‘culture’ is not simply a body of knowledge but rather a framework in which people live their lives and communicate shared meaning with each other. Therefore, cultural aspects in language education should be addressed in the context of language teaching/learning.


Questions and Methods

In order to find out ‘what to teach’ and ‘how to teach’, a series of questions was produced before the trip:

1. Which cultural aspects should be included within a language lesson/course?

2. Should the cultural aspects be separated from the Chinese language teaching?

3. How do you integrate cultural aspects into Chinese language teaching and learning?

4. What do most teachers of Chinese as a Second Language (CSL) think about the Intercultural Language Teaching and Learning approach?

5. What resources do you use to teach cultural aspects?

6. How do you separate cultural knowledge and cultural practice?


The methods that I have chosen for studying this topic include interviewing experts, attending lessons, discussing key issues with teachers and their students, and reading relevant information and texts.


Findings

1. Since culture covers such an immense area and, as a result, is considered as a set of topics, and if we adopt a view that students should understand the fundamental connection between language and culture, it is nearly impossible for language teachers to cover everything. Interviews with experts in CSL revealed that, in the context of CSL, culture has been divided into knowledge of culture and communicative culture by some Chinese experts. While the example of the former is the use of chopsticks by Chinese people, a good example of the latter is that it is rude to stick chopsticks into the dish or rice bowl when serving the meals (Liu, interview). Although the amount of knowledge of culture that one possesses may affect the communication, it won’t cause much misunderstanding because it is only a matter of how much one knows. However, communicative culture is usually embedded in the system of values, lifestyles, customs or moralities. Inappropriate behaviour results from the lack of communicative culture and may offend people from other cultures. Therefore, the main purpose of teaching second language is to develop learners’ cross-cultural/intercultural communicative competence (跨文化交际能力) (Bi, 2009:16).


2. Although (跨文化交际能力) was mentioned by many people interviewed, it was not clear to me until I read Bi’s definition (2009:10) which states from a broad perspective, both ‘cross-cultural communication’ and ‘intercultural communication’ are translated as ‘跨文化交际’ since they are both used to refer to the communication between people from different cultures. However, from a narrower perspective, they are different in terms of theory and research methodology. The former focuses on investigating the cultural norms and rules that affect human behaviours, the latter concentrates on the effectiveness and appropriateness of the communication between different cultures. In other words, the cross-cultural communication addresses the comparison of a social phenomenon or a language format. However, the intercultural communication focuses on learning to communicate in the context of cultural difference in the process of communication. Therefore, Bi thinks that the former should be translated as ‘跨文化比较论’ (Cross-cultural comparison), and the latter should be ‘跨文化交际’ (Intercultural communication) or ‘跨文化交际学’ (Intercultural communication study).


This difference can justify the basic concept of Intercultural Language Teaching and Learning (ILTL) approach in the Australian context. One of the key features of the approach is to encourage learners to reflect on their own culture, and the assumptions they bring to their communication, in the process of learning the target culture to find an effective way of moving between the two.


3. The ILTL approach to languages education has been endorsed nationally in Australia since the release of The National Statement and Plan for Languages Education in Australian Schools 2005-2008 (MCEETYA, 2005). Although this document has expired and not yet updated, it represents “a fundamental shift in the orientation of language teaching and learning beyond the communicative approach of the last 20 years” (Orton, 2008a).

My study tour demonstrated that similar viewpoints have been expressed in China. Many experts interviewed were talking about cross-cultural communication in the context of language teaching and learning. According to Liu (2000):

a) Cultural differences may cause communication breaking down, misunderstanding and, in extreme case, even conflicts.

b) The principles of communication are usually based on different values.

c) People who have not got a chance to experience other cultures tend to stick with their own cultures and may have bias or prejudices against other cultures.

d) In the process of communication, people from different cultural backgrounds tend to seek the common ground because this will help communication.

e) Cross-cultural communication is actually an interaction between different cultures. Therefore, the result of communication will be mutual cultural influences.

However, this breakdown of characteristics again separates language and culture. Liu’s idea is definitely cultural but not necessarily intercultural. In addition, it focuses on miscommunication rather than intended. On the other hand, the intercultural orientation as reflected in the Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Languages, states that in order to help all young Australians to become responsible local and global citizens, equipped through their education for living and working successfully in the globalised world of the 21st century, their learning must include intercultural understanding, which:

a) Develops through sustained interaction between people from different cultural groups and their efforts to understand and relate to one another. It focuses on personal and social knowledge, understanding, abilities and skills that students need in learning to live together in a multicultural and multilingual world;

b) Allows students to investigate their own and others’ cultures, developing their self-awareness and sense of belonging. They learn to empathise with others and to reflect on their learning as a means of better understanding themselves and people they perceive to be different from themselves; and

c) Builds students’ sense of their own cultural identity and the cultural values that underpin Australian society. They learn to take responsibility for their interactions with others and for developing and improving relationships between people from different cultures in Australia and in the wider world.

These expectations are not only applied to Second Language learners, but also to background/ heritage learners. After all, both groups are moving between cultures by learning a target language, although the latter has the opportunity to engage the target language much earlier in their life.

During one interview with Y. Zhang of Beijing University, the writer was directed to the American document, Standards for foreign language learning in the 21st century. Although the term ‘intercultural communication/understanding’ is not mentioned in the Standards, it requires learners to ‘understand the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own’. This is actually one of the key features of the ILTL approach. As Scarino and Liddicoat (2009:6) say, “through the experience of communicating across cultures and reflecting on that process, people develop an intercultural capability and sensitivity”.


4. Although many Chinese experts (including Liu, Zhao and Y. Zhang) agree that it is necessary to apply the principles of cross-cultural communication into the CSL, few teachers are trained for this approach. One of the main reasons is that teachers are obliged to work within the curriculum structures, such as syllabuses or textbooks, especially in courses run by universities. Yang and Ji from Fudan University, Shanghai, said that they were happy to provide more cultural experiences for students, such as making dumplings, but could not because they simply had not enough time to complete the course requirements. Moreover, Wu and Chang admitted that most Chinese teachers still had the traditional way of teaching, that is, focusing on pronunciation, grammar and structures believing that cultural knowledge should be taught separately. It seems that most teachers in China are still focusing on cultural elements, instead of cultural dimensions.


5. Another crucial point is that teachers might not have a comprehensive knowledge of the target and their own culture. Many volunteer Chinese teachers, who went overseas to teach Chinese, have brought back a lot of precious, first-hand experiences (Xu, YouTube) to China. However, in order to play an effective role of ‘bridge’ or ‘mediator’ (Bi, 2009:15), a CSL teacher needs to be not only bilingual, but also bicultural, or at least, to be able to operate interculturally. In other words, they need to be able to negotiate meanings across languages and cultures demanding that they possess an effective intercultural capability before they can help their students.

According to Chang of National Chengchi Culture University, Taipei, and Y. Zhang, teachers need to keep learning and developing themselves professionally. Y. Zhang believes that teachers need to respect others’ cultures because all cultures have their own merits and shortcomings. Chinese culture is no exception having some ideas still applicable and other that can be discarded. She thinks that, when teaching culture, teachers need to provide opportunities for learners to reflect on their own culture, instead of just focusing on the target culture. Moreover, she thinks that teachers need to place more stress on cultural similarities rather than differences when comparing cultures. The purpose of intercultural communication is to avoid the misunderstanding and conflicts between different cultures. Although I agree with her ideas, I believe that the purpose of intercultural communication should be to learn how to be intercultural communicators and mediators, not just avoid misunderstandings and conflicts.


6. According to Shen, who teaches culture in Fudan University, people have been arguing the need for separate cultural objectives or syllabuses since the 1980s and 1990s. However, so far, no commonly agreed syllabus of culture has been produced. The main reason was that people could not agree with the definition of culture and what cultural aspects should be covered in the syllabus. Although the International Curriculum for Chinese Language Education (国际汉语教学通用大纲), which is published by the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban) in 2008, has identified the cross-cultural awareness that learners need to achieve for each level of Chinese Language Proficiency Test (HSK), namely that‘(students) learn to view their own culture more objectively by engaging in comparisons between some elements of Chinese culture and their own’, it doesn’t suggest any specific cultural aspects for each level that need to be covered.

Although many CSL teachers in China believe that culture and language knowledge should be taught separately, they nevertheless agree that cultural aspects should be embedded in the language teaching at the early stages (Shen, Yang and Ji), especially for young learners.

Interestingly, most experts interviewed in Taiwan (Chang and Tseng) think that cultural aspects should be derived from topics and contexts, and integrated into language teaching at all levels. They think it is important that students have opportunities to compare and contrast two different cultures. As to the content, however, it depends on learners’ age, interests, cognitive development and background knowledge. This viewpoint, actually, coincides with the principles of a student-centred approach. According to Tseng, learners at the beginner level should be encouraged to comprehend the target culture, comparing with and connecting to their own. In the higher level, however, learners should be asked to explain, discuss and research intercultural dimensions. In other words, cultural aspects are part of the language lessons and they should be delivered according to students’ language capacity and cognitive development.


In this respect, Liu has proposed similar principles. He thinks that:

a) Cultural aspects should be part of the language teaching and should be taught in accordance with the language. From the perspective of teaching process, it should start with cultural aspects derived from languages, then gradually move to cultural knowledge of the nation, and, finally, lift to the specific cultural knowledge for special courses.

b) Teachers need to focus on difficulties and barriers faced by learners when engaging in cross-cultural communication and interaction.

c) Teachers need to emphasise the mainstream, contemporary and representative culture, instead of local, sub-and-marginalised cultures.

d) Since culture is dynamic and developing, teachers need to update their own knowledge, especially about youth culture.

e) Teachers need to help learners transfer cultural knowledge into cross-cultural communicative capacity.


Conclusion

Throughout this study tour, I confirmed that the cross-cultural awareness is indeed becoming an important issue of CSL in both China and Taiwan. Most experts strongly agree that CSL teachers must pay more attention to cultural dimensions when teaching Chinese language to non-native learners. After all, in order to communicate effectively and successfully learners need to ‘know what, how, when, and why, to say to whom’. This requires not only language skills, but also cross-cultural communicative capacity.

However, since many teachers in China and Taiwan still believe that cultural aspects in CSL should be taught separately, they see these as elements rather than dimensions. This differs from the ILTL approach. Although some Chinese CSL experts, such as Bi, Liu, Chang and Tseng, strongly agree that the intercultural approach towards language teaching is the way to go, many teachers are still lagging behind.

Owing to China’s strong relationships with the US, who is its biggest CSL market, China is following America’s foreign language teaching ideas closely. For example, the concepts of cultural products (e.g. books, food, tools, law, music or games, etc.), practices (e.g. ways of social communication) and perspectives (e.g. attitudes, viewpoints or values, etc.) have become popular discussion points among teachers and experts in China (Luo). Considering that the general approaches to foreign language teaching in the US and Australia are similar in terms of content and focus, and that the Australian intercultural approach is more dynamic, it can be concluded that Australian perspectives towards teaching culture are relevant and significant to CSL teachers in China and Taiwan. As Scarino and Liddicoat (2009:20) suggest, approaches to teaching culture can be either static or dynamic, which means culture can be seen as ‘a static body of information about characteristics of a society’ or as ‘a dynamic system through which a society constructs, represents, enacts and understands itself’. From this perspective, it can be said that the CSL teachers in China and Taiwan have something to learn from the Australian approach.

In conclusion, in order to help students achieve the cultural outcomes prescribed in K-10 Chinese, HSC Chinese Continuers Stage 6 and HSC Heritage Chinese Stage 6 syllabuses, NSW Chinese language teachers need to encourage learners to compare and contrast the target and their own cultures, to reflect on learners’ own cultures, and to ‘create personal meanings about one’s experiences, communicate those meanings, explore those meanings and reshape them in response to others’ (Scarino & Liddicoat, 2009:23). In other words, teachers should focus on processes of developing intercultural awareness, and learners should actively engage with cultural practices of Chinese people.


References


1. 毕继万(Bi, Jiwan)，跨文化交际与第二语言教学,北语出版社，Beijing, 2009

2. CCTV-1《首席夜话》栏目专访许琳主任——问道文化发展：孔子学院与文化走出去, Beijing, 2011http://www.hanban.org/article/2011-12/19/content_396169.htm

3. 孔子学院的教与学——许琳谈中华文化走出去, Beijing, 2011
http://cis.chinese.cn/article/2011-11/18/content_385658.htm

4. 刘珣 (Liu, Xun)，对外汉语教育学引论，北京语言大学出版社，Beijing, 2000

5. 罗青松 (Luo, Qingsong)，《美国21世纪外语学习标准》评析 – 兼谈《全美中小学中文学习目标》的作用与影响，Beijing, 2005

6. ACARA statement regarding intercultural understanding, Australia, 2012 http://www.acaratwb.com/general-capabilities/intercultural-understanding

7. International Curriculum for Chinese Language Education, the Office of Chinese Language Council International (HANBAN), Foreign Language Teaching & Research Press, Beijing, 2008

8. Orton (ed.), Journal of the AFMLTA, BABEL, Volume 43 Number 1 – November 2008, Australia

9. National Statement on Asia Literacy in Australian Schools 2011-2012, Melbourne, Asia Education Foundation, 2011
http://www.asiaeducation.edu.au/partnerships/national_statement_2011-12.html,

10. Scarino & Liddicoat , A Guide: Teaching and learning languages, Australia, 2009

11. Standards for foreign language learning in the 21st century, Allen Press Inc. , US, 1999

12. The Shape of Australian Curriculum: Languages, ACARA, 2011
http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Languages__Shape_of_the_Australian_Curriculum.pdf

游学随笔三：从文化的定义看对外汉语教学中的文化内容与教学

很多人一听到‘中国文化’(Chinese culture) 这个词语就会联想到五千年中国历史所留下来的‘辉煌成就’，比如中国古代的四大发明、孔孟学说、老庄哲学等，或是我们祖先所遗留下来的‘遗产’，如汉字、中医、太极拳等。所以，他们认为在对外汉语教学的过程中，必须包括这些文化知识。


目前在中国大陆对外汉语教学界里，文化课和文化研究基本上在于教授和探究‘中国文化背景和文化知识’，包括历史、传统文化、宗教、文学、汉学、艺术、节日、武术等。从下列的教科书就可以看出这样的思维。

然而，文化涉及的并不只是这些事实 (Facts)或知识 (Knowledge)。根据北京语言文化大学毕继万教授的解释，‘广义是指人类创造的一切物质产品和精神产品；狭义是指包括语言、文学、艺术及一切意识形态在内的精神产品’。也就是说，文化实际上不仅包括了我们‘常见’的语言、生活方式、行为举止和交际方式，而且也包含了我们‘不常见’的交际规则、思维方式、动机、态度和价值观念。下图就是文化内涵最好的诠释 (取自毕教授的《跨文化交际与第二语言教学》。

其实，中国对外汉语教学中的文化内容已经逐渐在反映国人的价值观与生活方式了。比如下列的外汉语教学的材料就反映出了这样的趋势。

上列书籍所选文章都是当代议题，能够反映出中国当前社会的价值观，也对中国传统文化作了反思。同时，通过对议题的探讨，传达了一些‘概念’ (Concepts)（如希望工程、退学风、考研热、丁克族等），甚至涉及到西方文化的影响。可惜的是，它们还是显现出文化本位的心态，而不是从跨文化交际的视角来看待对外汉语教学中的文化层面。所以，基本上，并不涉及跨文化交际的范畴。


这样的思路和目前澳洲语言教育的主流观点有点不同。 虽然中澳的语言教育专家都同意语言教学必然涉及文化的层面，但目前在澳大利亚的语言学界里所强调的是‘跨文化的理解’(Intercultural understanding)。它主要的概念是：学习者在学习目的语文化 (Target culture)的过程中，通过和自己文化的比较，得出自己对目的语文化的认知，进而反思自己的文化。也就是说，在学习的过程中，学习者游离于两种文化之间 (Moving between cultures)。他们对目的语文化的认知并不只是‘文化知识’的累积，而是通过比较与反思的过程，最后得出自己‘结论’。


这样的理论并不难理解。以我们自己为例，作为一个外来的移民，我们可以算是典型的ESL (英文作为第二外语)学习者。在学习英文的过程中，我们不一定读过很多澳大利亚的‘文化知识’，但我们的确游离在中西文化之间，通过（中西）文化的比较，理解了西方人（澳洲人）的价值观、生活方式、交际规则等，进而得出了自己的结论与应对方式。而在这同时，我们也对中国文化进行了反思，并理解到中西文化各自的长处与短处。所以，我们完全可以理解澳洲‘跨文化语言教学法’(Intercultural Language Teaching and Learning Approach)的思路及其优点。


‘跨文化语言教学法’是自从 “全澳学校语言教育声明与计划”文件 (The National Statement and Plan for Languages Education in Australian Schools 2005-2008）发表之后，全国一致认可的语言教学法。也是二十年来‘沟通式语言教学法’的一个基本转向 (A fundamental shift in the orientation of language teaching and learning beyond the communicative approach of the last 20 years’ – Jane Orton)。


对于如何培养学生的‘跨文化理解能力’和如何教授语言中的文化层面，解释最清楚的莫过于澳洲全国语言教学大纲 (Australian Curriculum: Languages)的主要撰写人Scarino教授，以及她在南澳洲大学的同事Liddicoat教授。他们用下列的图表来表达出他们的观点。

两位学者认为文化应该是人们如何生活与彼此沟通共识的一个架构，而不只是单纯知识的集合 (‘Culture’ is not simply a body of knowledge but rather a framework in which people live their lives and communicate shared meaning with each other)。在这幅简明的图表中，两位学者提出了文化内容与学习过程的关系。文化的内容与学习可以是静态或动态的。也就是说，当我们在教文化的时候，内容可以是‘有历史和文化价值的产物与制度’ (如诗词、音乐或科举制度等)，但也可以是一般中国人的‘日常生活的实践’ (如生活方式、生活态度或人际关系等)。而学习的方式可以是知道‘事实’(如中国人用筷子、过年时给红包、火药是中国人发明的等),但也可以是一个‘过程’(如学习太极拳、剪纸，或是与中国人的相处之道，甚至如何评价中国文化等)。



Scarino和Liddicoat两位教授认为最理想的状况应该是：教师应该采用动态式的教学法 (Dynamic approach)。也就是在学生学习的过程中，让他们有机会与异文化的人积极互动 (Active engagement with practices of a cultural group)。


在这次的短短五个星期研究过程中，感觉海峡两岸还是有很多对这个议题有很深入研究的专家学者。可惜由于行程匆促，或没有预先安排时间，无法见到所有想见的专家学者，或者无法深入就‘跨文语言教学法’和专家学者们讨论。希望将来还有机会继续这方面的交流与探讨。

科技的应用与海外的中文教学(The use of technology and Chinese language teaching and learning overseas)

在科技一日千里的今天，无论是从学生或是老师的角度来看，都是重新思考教学方式的时候了。在网络时代来临之前，我们只能利用录音带或教科书每天苦练发音或文法。我们不可能接触到很多真实的学习材料(Authentic learning materials)，比如美国人真实的生活用语、广告英文或是涉及文化的语言等。 所以我们看得懂美国杂志Newsweek或Time Magazine,可是，往往无法在跨文化的交际(和不同语言文化的人沟通)中正确地表达自己，或者让对方理解。其实，一点都奇怪，因为我们根本没有实际‘操练’的机会，我们只是在‘读’英语，根本不是在‘用’英语。就好像学电脑但没有摸过电脑一样。

然而，在网络时代里，学生们每天接触的是iPhone，iPad,，Facebook，YouTube，Edmodo等工具，信息和知识通过网络直接从千里之外传到他们的眼前。当然，学生所学习的语言 (Target language)、生活方式、广告、歌曲、电影等也都一起传了过来。此外，随着Skype的普及，视频会议 (Video Conferencing)设备价钱的下降，越来越多的学生可以通过ICT (Information and Communication Technology，信息与通信技术) 和他国的学生直接对话或讨论。这样的语言学习环境对教学的方式必然产生很大的冲击。

悉尼晨锋报 (Sydney Morning Herald)最近有一篇特别报导 Pupils find new way with words就是在探讨这个议题。因为越来越多的学校正在利用VC让学生有更多的机会接触和使用外语。然而，有机会使用外语是否表示学生理解外国文化呢？从跨文化的角度来看，并不尽然。对一种外语的学习，最关键的还是在于对两种文化的比较与互动。

中国著名的对外汉语教学专家毕继万教授说：‘第二语言教学的主要目标是培养学生的跨文化交际能力’(Cross-cultural/intercultural capacity)。这种跨文化交际能力并不是单纯的‘交际能力’或是‘语言能力’。它涉及到的是对第二外语文化的理解与认知。在这同时，学习者从自己的文化角度出发，来比较目的语文化(Target culture)和自己文化之间的异同，并作出自己的结论。

澳洲全国语言大纲 (National Curriculum: Languages)的主要撰写人，南澳州大学的语言学教授Scarino女士也认为：‘尽管VC的使用可以让课堂的学习更加活跃，但学生增加对外国文化的理解可能才是促使更多人学习外语的秘密武器’(While video conferencing enlivens language classes, the texture it adds to students’ perspectives of foreign cultures could be the secret to boosting their enrolment in language subjects)。

Scarino教授认为科技的使用的确是‘真实的’ (Actual) 、‘最新的’(Up to date)经验，但是科技本身只是一座桥梁 (Bridge)，教师应该做的是 ‘接桥’(Bridging)的工作。也就是通过科技，让学生理解与认知另一种文化，进而能够游离于两种文化之间 (Moving between two cultures)。Scarino教授进一步说明，教师应该帮助学生理解‘可以从不同的角度去看这个世界’(Teachers should get students to recognise that there are other ways of seeing the world)。

根据毕继万和Scarino两位中澳有影响力的语言专家的主张和观点，我们可以得出一个结论：不管科技如何进步，培养学生跨文化交际能力是所有中文教师最重要的工作。而其关键就是帮助学生不断增强跨文化意识 (Cross-cultural awareness)。也就是说，中文教师应该着重在培养学生理解、接受和处理文化差异的能力。

中文教师的再学习 (Professional development of Chinese language teachers)

根据‘澳洲人报’(The Australian) 2012年7月9日的一篇文章Foreign languages not optional报导，澳大利亚最重要的民间教育机构Australian Council for Private Education and Training认为，“为了能够有效地参与日渐全球化且无国界的世界格局，澳大利亚的当务之急是加强对邻国、以及它们的语言和人民的理解与认知”(Improving awareness and understanding of other nations, languages and peoples beyond our shores is a foundation stone to Australia's ability to effectively participate in our increasingly globalised and borderless world)。

这样的看法更强化了我的观点：在澳洲的历史上，这是一个发展中文教育的最佳时机。我们正处在澳洲中文教育就要‘起飞’(take-off)的关键时刻。在这个国家里，对中文教育的支持不仅来自两大党的政治家，各界(如教育、金融、商业和观光等)有影响力的人物也都纷纷表明亚洲语言的重要性。他们甚至动员澳洲的家长们来鼓励学生学习亚洲语言(Parents Understand Asian Literacy, http://pual.org.au/)，更不用说通过“全国语言教学大纲”(National Curriculum: Languages)和新州HSC Heritage 中文课程的设定来推广中文教育。对所有的中文教师来说，这无疑是一个大展身手的好机会。然而，这也给我们这些中文教师带来了一个很大的挑战。在刚结束的澳洲全国中文教师大会里，许多专家学者就提出了这样的看法。面对今日的学习者，以及他们不同的学习环境、方式，甚至价值观时，我们应该如何跟他们互动并引导他们面对21世纪的挑战呢？我们应该教会他们什么技巧呢？

最近一年来，几乎每个星期都会有教师培训的机会，不管是来自新州教育部、中文教师协会(CLTA)、现代外语教师协会(MLTA)、亚洲教育基金会(Asia Education Foundation)、中国汉办(Hanban)，或者是民间的私人教育机构。这说明了大家都理解到教师‘再充电’的重要性。西方人说：“You cannot be a master teacher until you are a master learner”，而我们的孔老夫子也早就告诫我们：“活到老学到老”。为了澳洲中文教育的发展，让我们一起来努力学习吧！