PROMOTING ORAL CHINESE PROFICIENCY ON PEER-BASED TUTORING PROGRAM: THE CASE FOR THE COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS IN UMASS

This article examines the impact of the Peer Tutoring-based Program (PTP) on the communicative skills in Chinese language learning for the first and second year students in the University of Massachusetts. This study employs both qualitative and quantitative approach in terms of oral test scores, questionnaire, observation and interview to evaluate the effectiveness of PTP in the context of Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL). The findings indicate that students value highly the tutoring assistance for the improvement of their listening and speaking skills, thus resulting into the more active participation and positive long-term benefits on students’ academic learning. Accordingly, the author suggests the continuous need of the practice of Peer Tutoring-based Program and addresses some limitations as well.

As China exerts more and more important part in the global politics and economy, Chinese language increasingly turns into one of the most popular languages in the world. Consequentially, immeasurable people with a diversity of cultural background in the world are inclined to learn Chinese Mandarin due to the power and influence of China in the global world. In US, it is found that the growing numbers of students are becoming interested in Chinese language learning and are learning Chinese as their foreign language (CFL). University of Massachusetts (UMass) is one case in point to follow suit and possess the department of Asian languages and literature, among which Chinese language is a big proportion of alternatives.

47 undergraduate students randomly selected participate in the tutoring program during the academic year of fall 2009 to spring 2010. Besides, there are 22 tutors recruited to be Chinese tutors during the academic year. In order to facilitate the students’ academic learning in listening and speaking skills owing to the limited time averaged by every individual in class, the department offers the Peer-based Tutoring Program (PTP) targeting first year and second year CFL students with a variety of majors. We examine whether participation and involvement in PTP positively affected students’ academic performance in listening and speaking during the academic year of fall 2009 and spring 2010.
Research questions.

The present study thus aims to make a contribution toward evaluating the program and examines the effects of the tutoring program in terms of students’ perceptions of its usefulness, as well as the impacts of the program on students’ academic performance. In particular, the study aims to answer the following questions:
1.Do tutees value highly about the efficiency and efficacy of Peer Tutoring-based Program (PTP) on their academic learning, particularly in terms of listening and speaking?
2. Are there any positive correlations between the frequency of attendance under PTP and scores of oral Chinese proficiency?
3. How does the Peer-based Tutoring Program (PTP) aid the students in their process of improving oral Chinese proficiency?