在華外籍教師文化適應的影響因素分析
文化論壇
作者：牛芳
The Hindering Factors in Adaptation Process of Foreign Teachers in China
摘 要：西方文化和中國文化之間的巨大差異對外籍教師在生活的各個方麵提出了嚴峻的挑戰。本文列出了四條可能會給外籍教師造成困難的文化上的差異。
Abstract： The huge gap between western culture and Chinese culture challenges the foreign teachers in every aspect of their lives. In the following， this paper will list four cultural differences that may cause difficulties in the foreign teachers’ acculturation process.
關鍵詞：適應；外籍教師；文化；教學
Key words： adaptation；foreign teachers；culture；teaching
[中圖分類號]：I206 [文獻標識碼]：A
[文章編號]：1002-2139（2012）-21--01
The world is shrinking and globalization is deepening with the increasingly frequent international exchanges and updated traffic and communication channels. There is a greater need for these universities to employ more native English speakers to teach oral classes. The problems of how these foreign teachers will adapt to Chinese culture and what kind of difficulties they will encounter when they are in contact with Chinese people will need some theoretical guidance and should draw the attention of the experts in cross-cultural communication and cross-cultural psychology. The following are some factors that hinder the adaptation process of foreign teachers in China.
一、Individualism and collectivism
Individualism stands for a society in which the ties between individuals are loose. Everyone is expected to look after himself or herself and his or her immediate family only.” Collectivism “stands for a society in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong cohesive in groups， which throughout people’s lifetime continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty.” Individualistic cultures like USA （highest score = 1st rank） and France （10th rank） are more self-centered and emphasize mostly on their individual goals. People from individualistic cultures tend to think only of themselves as individuals and as “I” distinctive from other people. Asian – collectivist cultures like China （Hong Kong 37th rank）， view other companies with less collectivistic philosophy as cold and not supportive. Collectivistic cultures have a great emphasize on groups and think more in terms of “we”. Harmony and loyalty within a company is very important and should always be maintained and confrontation should be avoided. In China it is out of question to disagree with someone’s opinion in public. You will do that in a more private and personal atmosphere to protect a person from the “loss of face”. In collectivistic cultures a direct confrontation will be always avoided.