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

It was the kind of student-tutor relationship that they preferred. Holly wrote of her
relationship with one of her tutors:
[S]ome of my tutors realized I‘m an overseas student, and they know the language is a
big problem for me to study here. They would like to give me extra surgery hours. One
of my tutors, from the psychology department, always pointed out my grammar
mistakes in my assessment‘s feedback. I appreciate what she did in this way, and also it
encouraged me a lot. (Holly, autobiographical account)
The relationships with tutors were treasured by many of the Chinese students because of their
prior education experience and Confucian teachings on the role of tutors. This study reveals
that Chinese students were apt to keep a distance from those tutors who only met students in
timetabled office hours and showed no sympathy towards international students; they tended
to develop closer relationships with those tutors who showed an understanding of the
challenges international students face and were willing to provide them with additional help.
Working Relationships within the contexts of part-time employment
Many participants in the research had part-time jobs during their study in the UK. Chinese
students take part-time jobs for various reasons. Some believed they needed a paid part-time
job to support their study financially while others took paid or voluntary jobs as an
opportunity to practise English and comprehend the British culture.
Being involved in voluntary work provides me with an opportunity to
communicate with local people, helps me practise my English speaking skills,
and makes me feel a sense of involvement in the local community. (Ellie,
interview)
In this study, participants‘ workplaces vary. It mainly depended on the students‘ English
proficiency and confidence in communicating with others. Many chose to work in Chinese
restaurants on their arrival since there was a minimal requirement for English language
proficiency and Chinese language could be used as the main communication medium. After a
few months, some participants tended to find employment somewhere else. For instance,
Maxine and Ellie were working in a charity shop; Mikki and Max were working in
McDonalds; Louis and Holly were working in a take away shop.
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