UDC 373.2
1styear undergraduate of Faculty of Education
Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno
Scientific supervisor – A.V. Chekina, PhD, Head of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology of Childhood
Questionnaire for the research into the readiness in teachers of Chinese for their professional activity abroad
At present, as the Chinese language “fever” continues to rise [1], Chinese language courses are offered in schools and colleges in Belarus, and the lack of Chinese teachers has become one of the important problems of Chinese language teaching in Belarus. Hanban increases the number of volunteers sent to Confucius Institutes as Chinese teachers every year. The team of volunteers sent to Belarus is basically composed of current graduate students and fresh graduates of undergraduate programs. The volunteers have complicated professional backgrounds and most of them have no social practice experience, and they are very unfamiliar with the country they are going to work in and their jobs, so the necessity of pre-service training is self-evident. This questionnaire survey was conducted to analyze the actual situation of the volunteers participating in the pre-service training at the Confucius Institute in Belarus. The questionnaire included the analysis of the basic situation of the volunteers, the satisfaction survey of the curriculum and the effectiveness of the training courses for volunteers.
A total of 50 Chinese volunteers participated in the survey, and 50 questionnaires were returned. In order to ensure that the sample reflects the real situation of Chinese volunteers in Belarus, the questionnaire was conducted anonymously.
The questionnaire was designed following some best practices from survey research . It consisted of four sections, each corresponding to one of the dimensions of readiness: language proficiency, pedagogical knowledge, intercultural competence, and motivation. Each section contained 10 questions that were either closed-ended (e.g., multiple choice, yes/no) or open-ended (e.g., short answer). The questions were worded clearly and concisely, avoiding ambiguity, jargon, and leading or biased terms. The questions were also aligned with the research objectives and the literature review on CFL teaching and learning. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were ensured by conducting a pilot test with a small sample of CFL teachers and revising the questionnaire based on their feedback. The questionnaire also included an informed consent form and a demographic information sheet at the beginning and end respectively. The ethical considerations of the questionnaire design included protecting the anonymity and confidentiality of the participants, obtaining their voluntary consent, and informing them of the purpose and benefits of the study.
The questionnaire was administered online using a survey platform that allowed for easy distribution and data collection. The target population of the study was CFL teachers who had taught or were planning to teach Chinese abroad. The sample size was determined by using a formula that considered the confidence level, margin of error, and population proportion. The participants were recruited through various channels, such as social media groups, online forums, and personal contacts. The participants were asked to complete the questionnaire within two weeks from receiving the invitation email. The estimated time for completing the questionnaire was 20 minutes. The participants were offered a chance to enter a draw for a gift card as an incentive for their participation. The ethical considerations of the questionnaire administration included ensuring the security and privacy of the data, reminding the participants of their rights to withdraw or skip any questions, and thanking them for their contribution.
Language proficiency: How do you rate your overall Chinese language proficiency? (Choose one option: beginner, intermediate, advanced, native) How often do you use Chinese in your daily life? (Choose one option: never, rarely, sometimes, often, always) What are the main challenges or difficulties you face when using Chinese? (Write a short answer).
Pedagogical knowledge: How familiar are you with the curriculum and standards of CFL teaching in your target country? (Choose one option: not at all, slightly, moderately, very, extremely) How confident are you in designing and delivering effective CFL lessons? (Choose one option: not at all, slightly, moderately, very, extremely) What are the main skills or competencies you need to improve as a CFL teacher? (Write a short answer).
Intercultural competence: How interested are you in learning about the culture and customs of your target country? (Choose one option: not at all, slightly, moderately, very, extremely) How comfortable are you in interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds? (Choose one option: not at all, slightly, moderately, very, extremely) What are the main sources or strategies you use to learn about intercultural communication? (Write a short answer).
Motivation: What are the main reasons or goals for teaching Chinese abroad? (Choose up to three options: personal interest, professional development, financial reward, cultural exchange, social contribution, other) How satisfied are you with your current or expected working conditions as a CFL teacher abroad? (Choose one option: not at all, slightly, moderately, very, extremely) What are the main challenges or barriers that might affect your motivation to teach Chinese abroad? (Write a short answer).
This paper has described the design and administration of a questionnaire that aims to measure the readiness of CFL teachers for their professional activity abroad. The questionnaire consists of four sections that cover the dimensions of language proficiency, pedagogical knowledge, intercultural competence, and motivation. The questionnaire follows some best practices from survey research and ensures its validity and reliability through a pilot test. The questionnaire will be administered online to a sample of CFL teachers who have taught or are planning to teach Chinese abroad. The expected outcomes of this study are to: (1) explore the factors that influence the readiness of CFL teachers for their professional activity abroad; (2) compare the readiness of CFL teachers across different regions and countries; and (3) provide recommendations for improving the training and support of CFL teachers who plan to teach abroad. This study will contribute to the field of CFL teaching and learning by providing insights into the challenges and opportunities of teaching Chinese abroad and enhancing the quality and effectiveness of CFL teacher education.
Bibliographic list
- Wen, A. An analysis of online Chinese learning and teaching characteristics / A. Wen. – Beijing: Changjiang Series, 2018. – 189 p
