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

I can‘t really remember when it was that I started to consider studying abroad,
but I always regarded it as one of my dreams. I was inspired by the story of Isaac
Newton, and as a child, I did dream of going to Cambridge University some day,
where Newton had studied and worked. (Kent, autobiographical account)
The participants perceived that studying in the UK would maximize their opportunities to
improve their English language competence and understanding of British culture. Studying in
the UK provided the participants with a learning environment where they would have
opportunities to use the language on a daily basis, and at the same time they would acquire
subject knowledge. Especially since the participants acknowledged the important role culture
played in English language learning, they felt that studying in the UK would enhance their
appreciation of British culture, and therefore help improve their English language
proficiency. Some participants stated:
When I went to Guangzhou to study, I didn‘t speak any Cantonese. In order to
learn the language or, let‘s say, the dialect, I kept listening to the radio; watching
Cantonese TV programmes; and listening to others talk. Gradually, I could
understand and speak the language. Likewise, I thought if I want to improve my
English, studying in the UK would be a good idea since it provides a good
English-speaking environment. (Peter, interview)
I chose to study here because I thought it would be very good opportunities to
improve my English if I can study in the country that this language originates
from. (Celine, autobiographical account)
Recommendation from friends and family relatives was one of the major factors that
had an impact on the participants‘ choice of studying in this particular institution in the
UK. Those student participants who were on 2+2 exchange programmes chose
Liverpool Hope University as a study destination institution partly due to advice from
graduates of the university and positive feedback of the previous cohort of students
who studied there. Others mentioned that their relatives recommended the university to
them since their children had studied at the institution.
I have explored the ‗push‘ and ‗pull‘ factors which had shaped the student
participants‘ decision to study in the UK. The participants were driven to study
overseas by the lack of university places in China, and dissatisfaction with education
in China. Parental influence and individual aspiration in terms of personal
development and career prospects motivated the students to study in the UK. In the
next section, I will examine the benefits the student participants have received after
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