A Constructionism-based Training Framework to Promote Chinese Language Teachers' Teaching Performance in Reading

Abstract

The passive training process and abstract training content caused passive style of teaching leading to the slow learners’ substandard reading ability when comparing with the national curriculum criterion. This situation reflects that teachers have low motivation, inadequate engagement, and inconsistent concentration. And teachers failed to absorb the provided strategies in terms of Chinese language reading teaching. To bring up Chinese teachers’ teaching performance, this research proposes a Constructionism-based training framework with the integration of theories, including Constructionism, Cone of Learning, Cognitive Learning, and Education 5.0. This research aims to i) identify the critical domain in terms of the slow learner by exploring the root cause in the form of IPO analysis; ii) propose a conceptual training framework based on the Cone of learning in Education 5.0 and Constructionism; iii) validate the applicability of the proposed model by using content validation. Samples in this research are three teachers who perform the daily Chinese language teaching, and these teachers are selected based on years of teaching experience. The proposed framework utilizes constructionism to form three main components name as domain knowledge, intellectual tools, and learning environment. Domain knowledge is extracted from the literature review in terms of Chinese reading teaching, the selection of intellectual tools is based on the active learning theory, and the learning environment is designed based on the proposed Cone of Learning in Education 5.0 concepts.

Content analysis is used to analyze qualitative data, and then turn those data to be quantitative. Results showed that: i) slow learner issues have recognized and prioritized by the Chinese language teachers; ii) the previous training yielded limited outcomes to improve the teachers’ reading teaching performance; iii) the passive teaching process has made slow learners stranded to reach the minimum scholastic achievement. Previous research on teaching slow learners rarely highlights on reskilling teachers’ teaching ability. Most of the journals made attempts on teacher’s special intervention, including teaching material adjustment, increase repetition of teaching, give the pertinent assignment, etc. These methods tried to improve slow learners’ performance by amending the content delivery process, rather than reskill the teachers with strategical teaching. Regarding which, this research emphasizes the domain knowledge which is expected to bring up teachers’ reading teaching performance to meet Chinese Quality Education. With approval from experts in the educational area, this Constructionism-based training framework has the potential to improve teachers’ teaching performance in reading.