The role of emotionality in teacher change: The case of Chinese language teachers in Hong Kong

Abstract

In the past decade, Chinese language teachers in Hong Kong experienced a series of educational reforms, whereby they are expected to design and implement their own school-based Chinese language curriculum while using new teaching materials and strategies. Although they are supposed to be ready for new challenges and paradigm changes, the current literature suggests that some teachers are not ready for or even resist changes (e.g. Richardson 1998). Based on Guskey (1986), Hall et al. (1973) and Bennett (1993), this study highlights the complicatedness of teacher change by proposing an integrative, local adaptation of the three classic models, while pointing out key elements that help facilitate teachers’ change and how professional development is showing them how a new instructional approach works in their classroom through demonstration and practical sessions. This provides the teachers with vivid experience and convincing evidence, leading to their voluntary adoption of the approach and change in their beliefs and attitudes after witnessing the resulting effectiveness and feasibility.