Chinese International Students’ Silence in Collaborative Group Work at a U.K. University

• In Event: Immigration and Cross-Cultural Adaptation

Abstract

Chinese international students’ (CISs’) prevailing silence in collaborative group work (CGW) in UK higher education has been widely reported, and problematised, as academic deficits hindering intercultural learning. Taking an inclusive stance of silence, this research re-evaluated the dichotomy between talk and silence and acknowledged its potential contribution to knowledge generation. Data from individual semi-structured interviews with 16 CISs revealed that they employed silence as a strategy for negotiating their engagement in CGW, where they prioritised mutually beneficial ideas exchange and communication efficiency. Embodying the fluid-construct nature of CISs’ silence, this research expands beyond the dominant interpretation narrowing in culture and language, emphasizes the need for context-driven investigation, and calls for integrating silence into pedagogical considerations.

Author

• Yilan Guo, University of Manchester