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

examinations, presentations, group project and academic writing in the UK. Chinese students,
accustomed to taking examinations, would find it difficult to cope with other types of
assessment, especially during the transitional period. The participants of the research felt
overwhelmed by various forms of assessment, and the workload required. It is necessary to
familiarise the students with UK assessment by providing a general induction at the outset to
the assessment methods required by their discipline and study skills required for assessment.
This induction might be covered in the study skills training programmes in academic support
mentioned above. With a global idea of what they will face in assessment, the students will
feel less intimidated and have a solid basis.
The point to be made probably applies to all students, but is imperative to Chinese students.
As has been reiterated throughout the chapters, Chinese students come from an educational
setting where learning is conducted in a didactic and teacher-led manner. There is a need for
explicit instruction and clarification on what is expected from the students in terms of
assessment objectives, requirements and marking criteria, and appropriate scaffolding in
completing the assignments. ‗Sensitive scaffolding‘ in the form of consultation and explicit
instructions by teachers is seen as ways of supporting international students‘ acquisition of
unfamiliar practices (Gee, 1996; Ridley, 2004). With respect to academic writing, tutors need
to make explicit to students the expected writing conventions, referencing systems, and issue
of plagiarism. The provision of a reading list relevant to writing tasks would be helpful. Time
might be arranged for teacher and student dialogue - to provide the student with opportunities
to consult with tutors in groups or as individuals about unpacking the assignment titles,
reading, structuring, argument and language of the writing (Ridley, 2004). Since Chinese
students find it difficult to interact with indigenous students, the completion of group work
together could help facilitate the interaction. Academic staff might want to take the initiative
to encourage Chinese students to work with local students on group projects, through which
mutual understanding might be formed and future interaction induced.
Conclusion
This study has explored how a group of Chinese undergraduate students have transformed
themselves within a new socio-cultural environment and different institutional learning
settings at an English university. Their learning experiences have been contextualised in a
theoretical framework. The rich autobiographical accounts and interview data have provided
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