Exploring the implementation of international mindedness in Chinese teaching : multiple case studies in a Hong Kong IB programme for local students

Abstract

Under the background of booming demands in international school programmes provided for heritage language Chinese speakers, teaching Chinese has become a challenge in balancing between promotions of heritage understanding and incorporation of international awareness, so as to comply the aims of International Baccalaureate curriculum. The research initiates with reviewing a series of literature related to interpretation of international mindedness and cultural understanding, international education and Chinese teaching in international context. This qualitative research specifically focuses on teachers and students in an IB diploma programme affiliated to a local Hong Kong school, aiming to find out the practice and perception of the participates in and towards Chinese as a heritage language teaching and learning down to the implementation of international mindedness. Student questionnaires, interviews and observation are included into methods of data collecting. In conclusion, international mindedness is seen as a pathway rather than a goal in Chinese lessons, and one important concept in thinking.