A Study Of Intercultural Adaptation Of Mainland Chinese Students In HK’s Universities

In 1997, Hong Kong returned to the motherland, since then, she has had closer links with the mainland in various fields, including education. With HK’s universities’ admission policy conducted in the mainland becoming more flexible, there have been many outstanding mainland students pursuing advanced education in HK from 1998 till now. What are the motivations and reasons of the mainland Chinese students for pursuing bachelor degrees in HK’s universities? What are the difficulties and barriers of their intercultural adaptation in HK? Since 2012, HK has conducted a new academic structure in universities, how does the current academic restructuring affect their adaptation? What should be done to improve their adaptation ability through EFL Teaching and Culture Training?Based on the above questions, this thesis sets up its theoretical framework built on some acculturation theories, mainly Colleen Ward’s bidimensional acculturation model: sociocultural adaptation and psychological adaptation. What is more, the author also investigates the feathers of HK higher education in order to research inland students’ campus life adaptation. Qualitative and quantitative research methods are adopted, there are 8 students taking part in the interview and 117 students finishing the questionnaire. Then the author uses SPSS 16.0 to make descriptive analysis and t-test of the data.It is concluded that: Firstly, among the original motivations and reasons facilitating mainland Chinese students to study in HK’s universities, parents and others’ advice has a strong effect on them; factors relating to HK’s higher education play a relatively important role in their decision, such as academic status, university ranking, academic exchange opportunities and scholarship; HK’s diverse culture, advanced economy, natural and humane social environment are also attractive. Secondly, mainland students’ primary sociocultural adaptation difficulty is social contact; psychological adaptation difficulties are emotional pain and psychological state; campus life adaptation difficulties mainly lie in instruction languages: English and Cantonese, curriculum and campus culture; campus life adaptation is more difficult for freshmen and sophomores, while sociocultural adaptation becomes the principal contradiction for the juniors. Thirdly, the current academic restructuring brings them much harder intercultural adaptation difficulties, rather than facilitating the adaptation process.Finally, the author puts forward some implications for EFL Teaching and Culture Training. Firstly, it is hopefully suggested that EFL class should have more exercise in English speaking and listening in response to the new curriculum standards. Man-machine English conversation test system should be gradually promoted in elementary and secondary schools in economically developed cities and areas; tape recording and broadcasting test should be popularized in rural and remote areas. Combined with paper test, English evaluation system can be improved no longer merely develop students’ English reading and exam-dealing ability. Secondly, elementary and secondary EFL textbooks are suggested to contain more contents of geography, history, politics, economy, education, religion and culture of English speaking countries. English skills based and intercultural knowledge based pedagogy should be integrated in EFL teaching. Thirdly, it is certainly necessary to cultivate the overall quality and ability for those high school students who are now planning to study in HK. The overall quality and ability covers independent ability, adaptation ability, social contact ability, practical ability, innovative ability and so on. Fourthly, high schools in mainland China and universities in HK can carry out cultural exchange project for those mainland high school students who are willing to get in touch with HK’s culture and experience campus life there. Finally, mainland Chinese and HK’s locals both should overcome stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination. Only if we have a harmonious and healthy social milieu, can our economy, education, culture be flourishing and invigorating. This undoubtedly requires the joint effort of people on both sides.