Cultivating Intercultural Competence: Applying Face Negotiation Theory to Enhance Teacher Effectiveness in Diverse Chinese Classrooms
The benefits gained through the increasing multiculturalism in Chinese educational institutions continue to be undermined by communication challenges stemming from diverse cultural backgrounds, as well as teacher-student interaction styles, values, and expectations. These barriers inevitably lead to misunderstandings, decrease student engagement, and cause conflicts. The growing awareness of cultural differences must be complemented with theoretically-grounded, practical strategies for teachers to demonstrate intercultural competence. Hence, this study aims to leverage Stella Ting-Toomey’s Face Negotiation Theory (FNT) as a framework for developing effective pedagogical approaches. This theory delineates how cultural values, particularly individualism-collectivism and power distance, shape concerns about ‘face value’ (self-face vs. other-face) and influence communication behaviours, especially amidst conflicts or situations that potentially threaten face value in diverse classrooms. This paper seeks to understand how the principles of FNT can be translated into actionable strategies that can guide Chinese teachers to effectively approach intercultural dynamics. The project primarily aims to identify the key communication barriers in multicultural Chinese classrooms, with FNT-driven techniques proposed in relation to feedback delivery, conflict mediation, optimal participation, and the creation of an inclusive classroom environment that respects the need for face value. Fundamentally, this research is expected to provide practical, evidence-based recommendations and potential training elements to enhance the equality and effectiveness of education for students in China’s diversified school environment by increasing teachers’ competence in intercultural communication.