Learning Business English in China : The Construction of Professional Identity

This Book Analyses The Learning Experiences Of Students Of Business English At A Chinese University. It Addresses Several Topical Issues In English For Specific Purposes (esp) Education And Business English Teaching, Including How Esp Students Learn, How They Develop Multiple Identities. In Particular, It Focuses On Their Professional Identity In The Classroom, And How These Identities Are Transferred To The Workplace. This Allows The Author To Present A Model Of Learning Business English That Corresponds To The Lived Experiences Of Students In China, But Which Can Also Be Applied To Other Esp Learner Contexts. In Doing So, He Demonstrates How To Research The Professional Identity Of Esp Learners From Multiple Perspectives, And Contributes To The Validity Of Research On Language Learning And Learner Identity. This Book Will Appeal To Scholars Of English For Specific Purposes, Second Language Acquisition, And Tesol Education. Zuocheng Zhang Is Senior Lecturer In Tesol Education At The University Of New England, Australia. His Publications Include Monographs And Textbooks On Business English And Business Discourse. Introduction -- Conceptualising Professional Identity -- Methodology -- Emerging Professional Identity -- Mode, Access, And Agency In Participatory Learning -- Discursive Construction Of Professional Identity -- Reception Of Students' Professional Identity Construction -- Towards A Model Of Learning Business English And Professional Identity Construction. Zuocheng Zhang. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Acknowledgements 5 Contents 6 List of Figures 12 List of Tables 13 1: Introduction 14 1.1 Background to the Study 14 1.1.1 The Business English Programme 14 1.1.2 Current Issues in Business English Education 15 1.2 Research Questions 21 1.3 Preview of the Book 22 References 24 2: Conceptualising Professional Identity 28 2.1 Learning In and Through Communities of Practice 28 2.1.1 Identifying Communities of Practice 29 2.1.2 Modes of Participation 29 2.1.3 Identification and Negotiability 30 2.1.4 Access and Agency 30 2.2 Professional Socialisation 32 2.3 Discourse, Identity, and Indexicality 34 2.3.1 Identity as Performance 34 2.3.2 Co-construction of Identities 35 2.3.3 Indexicality 36 2.3.4 Genre Knowledge as Indexing Devices 37 2.4 Business Genre Knowledge 39 2.5 Conceptual Framework for Professional Identity 43 References 44 3: Methodology 51 3.1 Research Design 51 3.2 Data Collection 52 3.2.1 Selection of the Cases 52 3.2.2 Data Types 56 3.2.2.1 Narratives 57 3.2.2.2 Students’ Texts 59 3.2.2.3 Text-Based Interviews 61 3.2.2.4 Observations 63 3.2.2.5 Documents 63 3.2.2.6 Students’ Journals and Other Texts 64 3.3 Data Processing Procedures 66 3.3.1 Data Analysis Related to Question 1 66 3.3.2 Data Analysis Related to Question 2 68 3.3.3 Data Analysis Related to Question 3 69 3.3.4 Data Analysis Related to Question 4 70 3.3.5 Cross-Case Analysis 71 3.4 Ethical Considerations 72 References 74 4: Emerging Professional Identity 78 4.1 Nan: I Have Passed the Threshold ... In the Field of Business 79 4.1.1 Professional Goal 80 4.1.2 Values and Perspective on International Business Professionals 80 4.1.3 Technical Competence 81 4.1.4 Discursive Competence 82 4.1.5 Characteristics of Nan’s Emerging Professional Identity 82 4.2 An: It’s Not Just What I Want to Do in This Stage You Know! 84 4.2.1 Professional Goal 85 4.2.2 Values and Perspective on International Business Professionals 86 4.2.3 Technical Competence 87 4.2.4 Discursive Competence 89 4.2.5 Characteristics of An’s Emerging Professional Identity 90 4.3 Dong: I Don’t Like to Be a Business Professional 91 4.3.1 Professional Goal 92 4.3.2 Values and Perspective on International Business Professionals 92 4.3.3 Technical Competence 95 4.3.4 Discursive Competence 96 4.3.5 Characteristics of Dong’s Emerging Professional Identity 96 4.4 Mei: To Actualize Achievement on Business Fields 98 4.4.1 Professional Goal 98 4.4.2 Values and Perspective on International Business Professionals 99 4.4.3 Technical Competence 100 4.4.4 Discursive Competence 101 4.4.5 Characteristics of Mei’s Emerging Professional Identity 102 4.5 Lan: I’m an “Always Match” Person 102 4.5.1 Professional Goal 103 4.5.2 Values and Perspective on International Business Professionals 104 4.5.3 Technical Competence 107 4.5.4 Discursive Competence 107 4.5.5 Characteristics of Lan’s Emerging Professional Identity 108 4.6 Discussion 109 4.7 Conclusion 115 References 115 5: Mode, Access, and Agency in Participatory Learning 118 5.1 Three Interlocking Communities of Practice 118 5.1.1 The Mediating Community of Practice 119 5.1.2 The Transitory Community of Practice 120 5.1.3 The Target Community of Practice 122 5.1.4 Interaction Between the Three Communities of Practice 125 5.2 Patterns of Participation 126 5.2.1 An’s Imaginative Engagement to Explore All Possibilities 126 5.2.2 Dong’s Critical Engagement and Disillusion 130 5.2.3 Mei’s Compliant Engagement to Prepare for the Future Profession 135 5.2.4 Nan’s Tactical Engagement for the Career Goal 139 5.2.5 Lan’s Peripheral Engagement to Discover Her Niche 141 5.3 Coordination Between Access and Agency 144 5.4 Discussion 147 5.4.1 Translation from Curriculum to Learning Experience 148 5.4.2 Multilayered Mediating Community of Practice 150 5.5 Conclusion 152 References 152 6: Discursive Construction of Professional Identity 155 6.1 Formal Textual Features and Professional Identity 155 6.1.1 Layout and Move Structure 156 6.1.2 Speech Acts 157 6.1.3 Lexicogrammatical Features 158 6.1.4 Discrepancies and Uncertainties 160 6.2 Professional Practices, Intertextuality, and Professional Identity 161 6.3 Rhetorical Approaches and Professional Identity 164 6.3.1 Purpose, Task, and Writer–Audience Relationship in Writing 164 6.3.2 Discrepancies and Uncertainties 167 6.4 Information Selection and Professional Identity 171 6.4.1 Insights into the Relevance of Information for Inclusion 171 6.4.2 Discrepancies and Uncertainties 173 6.5 Discussion 175 6.6 Conclusion 178 References 179 7: Reception of Students’ Professional Identity Construction 182 7.1 Overall Recognition of Students’ Professional Identity Construction 183 7.2 Concern with Business Genre Knowledge on All Four Dimensions 185 7.3 Significant Diversity Among the Professionals 187 7.4 Intelligibility and Accuracy 190 7.5 Gaps in Business Genre Knowledge 193 7.5.1 Regarding the Formal Dimension 193 7.5.1.1 The Move Structure and Layout 193 7.5.1.2 Medium and Mode 195 7.5.1.3 Linguistic Realisations of Face-Threatening Speech Acts 195 7.5.1.4 Representation of Perspectives 197 7.5.1.5 Verbal Versus Nominal Groups 199 7.5.1.6 Boosters 200 7.5.1.7 Technical Terms 202 7.5.1.8 Deletion Versus Expansion 204 7.5.2 Regarding the Process Dimension 206 7.5.3 Regarding the Rhetorical Dimension 209 7.5.3.1 Plain Statement Versus Positive Framing 209 7.5.3.2 Juggling Personal and Impersonal Persuasion 210 7.5.3.3 Sticking to the Purpose 214 7.5.3.4 Handling the Writer–Reader Relationship Professionally 214 7.5.3.5 Deductive Versus Inductive Rhetorical Strategy 215 7.5.3.6 Summary 215 7.5.4 Regarding the Subject-Matter Dimension 216 7.5.4.1 Expected Information: Setting and Fulfilling Expectations 217 7.5.4.2 Unnecessary or Irrelevant Information 218 7.5.4.3 Questionable Information 220 7.5.4.4 Generic Information 222 7.5.4.5 Socioculturally Appropriate Information 222 7.5.4.6 Summary 223 7.6 Discussion 224 7.7 Conclusion 229 References 229 8: Towards a Model of Learning Business English and Professional Identity Construction 233 8.1 Professional Identity Construction 233 8.2 Communities of Practice Building 237 8.2.1 Mediating Community of Practice 238 8.2.2 Transitory Community of Practice 242 8.2.3 Target Community of Practice 242 8.3 Business Genre Knowledge and Indexing Competence Development 243 8.3.1 Insights into Business Genre Knowledge 243 8.3.2 Building Indexing Competence 246 8.3.3 Bridging the Gap Between the Classroom and the Profession 247 8.4 Methodological Significance 250 8.5 A Model of Learning Business English and Professional Identity Construction 252 8.6 Issues for Further Study 254 8.7 Concluding Remarks 256 References 257 Appendices 263 Appendix 3.1: Interview Schedule 263 Questions to Student Participants on Their Business English Learning Experiences 263 Questions to Student Participants on Their Business Writings 265 Questions to Business Writing Teachers on Their Views of the Students’ Business Texts 265 Questions to Business Professionals on Their Views of the Students’ Business Texts 265 Appendix 3.2: Business Letter Writing Assignment 266 Business Writing Final Exam 266 Four Letters 266 Appendix 3.3: Lecture Slides with Instructions for the Business Letter Writing 269 Appendix 3.4: Course Outline for Business Marketing Writing 270 Appendix 3.5: Lecture Slide with Instructions for the Business Plan 271 Appendix 3.6: The Transcription Notations 271 Appendix 7.1: A Scheme for Commenting on Genre Knowledge Development 272 Index 278 Annotation This title analyses the learning experiences of students of Business English at a Chinese university. It addresses several topical issues in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) education and Business English teaching, including how ESP students learn, how they develop multiple identities. In particular, it focuses on their professional identity in the classroom, and how these identities are transferred to the workplace. This allows the author to present a model of learning Business English that corresponds to the lived experiences of students in China, but which can also be applied to other ESP learner contexts Front Matter....Pages i-xv Introduction....Pages 1-14 Conceptualising Professional Identity....Pages 15-37 Methodology....Pages 39-65 Emerging Professional Identity....Pages 67-106 Mode, Access, and Agency in Participatory Learning....Pages 107-143 Discursive Construction of Professional Identity....Pages 145-171 Reception of Students’ Professional Identity Construction....Pages 173-223 Towards a Model of Learning Business English and Professional Identity Construction....Pages 225-254 Back Matter....Pages 255-277