Teaching Writing in Chinese Speaking Areas

One of the most civilized nations in history, China has a long-standing writing tradition and many Chinese texts have become world treasures. However, the way the Chinese teach writing in various countries in contemporary times is little known to the outside world, especially in Western countries. Undoubtedly, the Chinese have had an established traditional method of writing instruction. However, recent social and political developments have created the perception amongst both practitioners and researchers of a need for change. Whilst certain socio-political changes, both in Mainland China and in the territories, acted as agents for reform of the teaching of composition, the shape these reforms are taking has been due to many different influences, coming both from inside the countries themselves and from foreign sources. Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore have each developed their own approach to the teaching of composition.

Dr Mark Shiu-kee SHUM is an Associate Professor of the Faculty of Education in the University of Hong Kong. He is the Director of the Support Centre Using Chinese as the Medium of Instruction in the Faculty. He has been a Chinese language educator for 36 years, teaching Chinese in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in Hong Kong and overseas. He has published more than 40 papers and 20 books and monographs. His research areas include teaching of writing, application of systemic functional linguistics to Chinese language education, language across the curriculum, medium of instruction and subject specific genres.

Professor De-lu ZHANG is now teaching English language and linguistics at the Foreign Languages College, Ocean University of China. He is the Dean of the College, the vice-Chairman of China Stylistics Society, and vice-Chairman of China Language and Semiotics Society. He has been teaching English language for 26 years in colleges and universities in Mainland China and has published more than 80 papers and 15 monographs and textbooks, etc. His research areas include systemic functional linguistics, stylistics, semiotics, discourse analysis, and foreign language teaching.