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The challenge of academic writing for Chinese students within ...

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Becoming an independent learner<br />

This section relates to Chapter 8 which draws on many student voices but in the following<br />

section, my goal is to present the sense <strong>of</strong> two particular life narratives that elaborate on the<br />

particular theme <strong>of</strong> ‗becoming an independent learner‘.<br />

Peter<br />

Age Gender Degree subject(s) Length <strong>of</strong><br />

study in UK<br />

to date<br />

23 Male BA Business and<br />

English Study<br />

Hometown (on Fig<br />

5.1)<br />

Notes<br />

One year No.5 Participant <strong>of</strong> a ‗2+2‘<br />

exchange programme 15<br />

My hometown is Shantou, one <strong>of</strong> the earliest special economic-zone during the re<strong>for</strong>m and<br />

opening-up times <strong>of</strong> China in the 1970s. We call ourselves Chaoshan people when we meet<br />

friends from other part <strong>of</strong> Canton Province.<br />

Since the opening <strong>of</strong> economic development in Shantou, and given the mass population and<br />

limited resources in this area, many Chaoshan people choose to become businessman to earn<br />

their daily bread. In order to <strong>of</strong>fer enough food to fulfil the needs <strong>of</strong> the huge family and also<br />

possessing pioneering spirit, Chaoshan people trade goods and do business all over the<br />

country, even around the world.<br />

Figure 5.10: Peter‘s perception <strong>of</strong> his own learning experience from the ages <strong>of</strong> 8 to 22<br />

15 His <strong>Chinese</strong> university has a ‗2+2‘ exchange undergraduate programme (2 years study in China plus 2 years<br />

in the UK) with his university in the UK.<br />

132

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