‘I want to, but I can’t’: incongruences between Chinese language teachers’ cognition and practices of classroom management
The study examines K-8 Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) teachers’ cognition and practices on classroom management (CM) with a focus on the exploration of the incongruences between the two. Foreign language CM in K-8 settings in the U.S. and how language teachers believe, think and do in class has...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Cogent Education |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2540591 |
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| author | Ziyi Geng |
| author_facet | Ziyi Geng |
| author_sort | Ziyi Geng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The study examines K-8 Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) teachers’ cognition and practices on classroom management (CM) with a focus on the exploration of the incongruences between the two. Foreign language CM in K-8 settings in the U.S. and how language teachers believe, think and do in class has been a vital component in the world language education field but has been under-investigated. This study aims to fill this gap. Data were collected from six CFL teachers originally from mainland China or Taiwan in a U.S. K-8 school via semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and stimulated recall interviews. Results reveal that the incongruences between teachers’ cognition and practices exist in four dimensions of CM: time, space, engagement and participation. Drawing on activity theory, the study identifies contributing factors, such as school administrative policies, challenges in intercultural communication, overwhelming responsibilities and concerns related to employment and immigration status. These factors, rather than cultural expectations alone, significantly limit teachers’ ability and willingness to align practice with cognition. The study offers implications for teacher training programs and policy initiatives aiming to support classroom management effectiveness among CFL teachers in U.S. schools. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1449ef9b80054cfd9ad04ed092a11fab |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2331-186X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cogent Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-1449ef9b80054cfd9ad04ed092a11fab2025-08-20T03:46:49ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Education2331-186X2025-12-0112110.1080/2331186X.2025.2540591‘I want to, but I can’t’: incongruences between Chinese language teachers’ cognition and practices of classroom managementZiyi Geng0Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USAThe study examines K-8 Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) teachers’ cognition and practices on classroom management (CM) with a focus on the exploration of the incongruences between the two. Foreign language CM in K-8 settings in the U.S. and how language teachers believe, think and do in class has been a vital component in the world language education field but has been under-investigated. This study aims to fill this gap. Data were collected from six CFL teachers originally from mainland China or Taiwan in a U.S. K-8 school via semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and stimulated recall interviews. Results reveal that the incongruences between teachers’ cognition and practices exist in four dimensions of CM: time, space, engagement and participation. Drawing on activity theory, the study identifies contributing factors, such as school administrative policies, challenges in intercultural communication, overwhelming responsibilities and concerns related to employment and immigration status. These factors, rather than cultural expectations alone, significantly limit teachers’ ability and willingness to align practice with cognition. The study offers implications for teacher training programs and policy initiatives aiming to support classroom management effectiveness among CFL teachers in U.S. schools.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2540591Chinese language educationyoung language learnerslanguage teacher cognitionpractice-cognition incongruenceclassroom managementSocial Sciences |
| spellingShingle | Ziyi Geng ‘I want to, but I can’t’: incongruences between Chinese language teachers’ cognition and practices of classroom management Cogent Education Chinese language education young language learners language teacher cognition practice-cognition incongruence classroom management Social Sciences |
| title | ‘I want to, but I can’t’: incongruences between Chinese language teachers’ cognition and practices of classroom management |
| title_full | ‘I want to, but I can’t’: incongruences between Chinese language teachers’ cognition and practices of classroom management |
| title_fullStr | ‘I want to, but I can’t’: incongruences between Chinese language teachers’ cognition and practices of classroom management |
| title_full_unstemmed | ‘I want to, but I can’t’: incongruences between Chinese language teachers’ cognition and practices of classroom management |
| title_short | ‘I want to, but I can’t’: incongruences between Chinese language teachers’ cognition and practices of classroom management |
| title_sort | i want to but i can t incongruences between chinese language teachers cognition and practices of classroom management |
| topic | Chinese language education young language learners language teacher cognition practice-cognition incongruence classroom management Social Sciences |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2540591 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ziyigeng iwanttobuticantincongruencesbetweenchineselanguageteacherscognitionandpracticesofclassroommanagement |