Cultural Shock Taiwan PDF Download

The main purpose of this research was to explore culture shock and cross-cultural adaptation of foreign English teachers in Taiwan. According to the findings in this research, recommendations were made for foreign English teachers and educational organizations in Taiwan to serve as a basis of conducting further researches or setting relevantly educational policies. A convenient sampling was conducted, and six participants, including American, British, and Canadian teachers, filled in semistructured questionnaire and had in-depth interviews. The results were shown as follows: 1. Influence of culture shock: (1) The first impression in Taiwan was mostly negative feelings. (2) Guanxi and Face were the most distinguishing cultural characteristics. (3) Culture shock had little impact on life, but lack of English environment caused inconvenience. (4) Impact of work mainly resulted from management style, communicative mode, and supervisory system. (5) Classroom management emphasized on responsibility and selfgovernment. 2. Adaptive situation and influencing factors: (1) Most foreign English teachers in Taiwan had good adaptation in life, culture and work, and they attempted to adjust themselves so as to conform to Taiwanese's current situations. (2) Influencing factors were mainly grouped into three categories. Affective management could turn negative pressure into positive emotion. The learning of culturally relevant social skills was used to learn customs, languages, skills, and communications. The learning of cultural knowledge and cultural cognition assisted to notice cultural difference, changing belief, and limited power in cultural transition. 3. Results of cross-cultural adaptation: (1) Most difficult parts for foreign English teachers to adapt were food and local people. (2) Among Taiwanese customs they like are close relationship and interpersonal network, but “Face＂ culture caused confusion. (3) Differences in teaching philosophy, value, and Confucian value system caused adaptive problems. (4) Identifiable vocational culture found in school stressed individual styles and leadership of director. (5) Supervisory culture in school was mainly the system management with administrative codes and assignment regulations. (6) The longer time foreign English teachers stayed in Taiwan, the better life adaptation they would have. The personal qualities affected degrees of cultural and working adaptation in Taiwan. (7) The foreign English teachers, having oversea teaching experience, had a better adaptation in life and culture, but they had a poorer adaptation in work. All in all, some suggestions were made for foreign English teachers, for administrative organizations, and for further studies. 本研究之主要目的，在於探討外籍教師在臺灣任教期間文化衝擊與 跨文化適應之情形，並藉由研究結果與建議的提出，供有意來臺灣任教 的外籍教師，以及教育當局做為研究或訂定相關教育政策時之參考。本 研究以便利抽樣，選取六位分別來自美國、英國及加拿大籍教師進行半 結構式問卷與深度訪談。本研究結果主要歸納為三個層面： 一、文化衝擊的影響： （一）對台灣的第一印象大多為負面的認知； （二）關係與面子是最顯著的文化特徵； （三）生活中缺乏英語環境，導致生活不便； （四）工作衝擊源於管理風格、溝通模式，和監督系統； （五）班級經營強調負責任與自我管理。 二、文化適應情況與影響因素： （一）大部分外師文化適應良好，並且樂於自我調整以符合現況； （二）影響因素分為三方面： 1. 透過情意管理的學習，可將負面壓力變成正面情緒； 2. 文化相關社會技能的學習，可達成習俗的了解、語言習得、技巧純熟，以及溝通順暢等目的； 3. 認知學習模式的學習，可有效涵養文化知識與提升文化認知之敏感度。 三、跨文化適應的結果： （一）最難適應的部分為食物的選擇以及與當地人相處； （二）最喜歡的部分為人際間密切的互動，但是面子文化造成困擾； （三）對教育觀、教學價值與對儒家思想的認知有差異，造成適應困難； （四）學校文化強調個人風格與領導風格並重； （五）管理風格強調行政紀律與責任歸屬。 （六）外籍教師待在臺灣的時間愈長生活適應愈佳，但是個人特質影響文化與工作適應程度。 （七）擁有其他國家教學經驗的外師在臺灣生活與文化適應佳，但是工作適應方面卻比無其他國家教學經驗的外師差。 最後，研究者根據研究結果，提出對職前訓練、在職進修，以及考 聘制度之建議。