One of the abiding stereotypes in Australia is that the vast majority of the 15,000 Chinese students in the Australian secondary school system are highly disciplined academic achievers, who are exceptionally well behaved in comparison to their more boisterous Australian classmates. The media here regularly presents stories about Chinese students who have topped their year in maths, economics or science subjects, in particular. And for Australian schools keen to attract more Chinese students, these stories make for excellent marketing. But some research findings being presented at a conference in Melbourne this week challenge the notion that Chinese students in Australian schools fit neatly into the stereotype of being 'brainy, hard-working, and passive' as the researchers, Sophie Arkoudis, and Kristina Love, put it. Ms Love and Ms Arkoudis are researchers at Melbourne University who have spent time looking at the experiences of Chinese students and their teachers at one secondary school in Melbourne. Their preliminary findings show that Chinese are often left to 'sink or swim' because teachers assume they will be model students. The reality is, however, that they often have difficulty comprehending concepts and ideas because of difficulties with English, or cultural differences. As a result, too many may be sinking rather than swimming. Even in areas such as maths, where Chinese students have traditionally excelled in Australia, it is not always the case today, because it increasingly demands a high degree of English-language ability. One teacher said that one student wrote half a page on a difficult piece of mathematics, which was 'completely irrelevant to the question'. 'We were talking about a question, 'Within which range do two values lie?' He showed mathematically that no, it wasn't a lie, it was the truth.' And what of the idea that Chinese students work harder than their Australian counterparts? While there are plenty who fit that bill, some of those interviewed reckon that the Australian education system is much easier than China's. One said that in Australia there is 'more freedom so sometimes [it is] easy to be lazy'. According to Ms Arkoudis and Ms Love, Chinese students are also taking advantage of Australia's tradition of freedom of speech. One student said: 'I like freedom in class, [being] free to speak your opinion and discuss questions with teachers. It's a lot more free than in China.' If Australia is to continue its drive to market itself as an attractive place for Chinese secondary students, it needs to do more to ensure that teachers and schools are supporting those students, the researchers conclude. Stripping away the stereotype that Chinese students are always the smartest students in the classroom is an important start. Like any other students, Chinese youngsters need to be treated as individuals with specific educational needs. Australia has an ethical responsibility, the researchers say, to ensure that when it promises 'world-class education' for Chinese students, the reality matches the rhetoric. Greg Barns is a political commentator in Australia and a former Australian government adviser
