跨文化再定位：在臺灣國際學校中華語教師角色與策略的類型學

REPOSITIONING ACROSS CULTURES: A TYPOLOGY OF CHINESE LANGUAGE TEACHERS’ROLES AND STRATEGIES IN TAIWAN’S INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

研究目的
受西方影響形塑的國際學校作為跨文化空間，華人教師在其中常面臨對身份建構與專業適應的張力。本研究旨在探討華語教師在臺灣國際學校中，如何在教學、同儕關係與家長互動中協調跨文化的複雜性。
研究設計／方法／取徑
本研究採取雙重理論視角進行分析。一方面，採用Hofstede（1980，2011）之文化維度理論作為外部觀察文化差異的視角；另一方面，結合Dai（2023）提出的「文化摺疊」隱喻，從內部視角將文化適應視為一種啟動—固化—延展的循環歷程。兩者結合，有助於全面理解國際學校中的跨文化動態。本研究運用敘事探究法，訪談了來自七所國際認證學校的三十位華語教師。資料依學校群分類，並依三大主題加以歸納：教學法、師生與親師互動關係，以及教師間的專業合作。研究進一步採用主題分析法，以辨識重複出現的模式與新興主題。
研究發現或結論
研究結果顯示，華語教師並非被動接受西方規範，而是積極地詮釋、協商並調整文化期待。其適應歷程受到制度架構、認證標準、家長期待與個人能動性的交織影響。本研究提出四種適應角色的類型學：啟動者（Activator）、邊界試探者（Boundary Tester）、安撫者（Comforter）與同步者（Synchronizer），以呈現教師在不同情境中如何重新定位自身，並突破「同化／抗拒」的二元對立框架。
研究原創性／價值
本研究以臺灣作為案例，連結文化理論與教師教育實踐，探討文化傳承如何與西方主導的學校規範交會互動。本研究所提出的角色類型學，為理解跨國教育情境中，文化少數教師的專業策略提供了概念框架。
教育政策建議或實務意涵
本研究對教師專業發展具有啟發意義，能協助設計具跨文化策略的培訓方案，支持教師在多元文化環境中的適應與發展。同時亦為學校領導者提供參考，建立認可華人教師文化優勢並促進包容與合作的支持性結構。

Purpose
International schools shaped by Western influences serve as cross-cultural spaces where ethnic Chinese teachers often navigate tensions in identity formation and professional adaptation. This study examines how Chinese language teachers negotiate cross-cultural complexities in teaching, collegial relationships, and parent interactions in international schools in Taiwan.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a dual-theoretical lens. An etic perspective draws on Hofstede’s (1980, 2011) cultural dimensions to frame outsider-oriented observations of cultural difference. In contrast, an emic perspective builds on Dai’s (2023) Folds of Culture, a metaphor that conceptualizes adaptation as an iterative process of activation, solidification, and extension. Together, these frameworks support a holistic examination of cross-cultural dynamics in international schools. Applying a narrative inquiry approach, the study interviewed 30 teachers across seven internationally accredited schools. Data were grouped by school cluster and categorized into three areas: pedagogy, teacher-student-parent relationships, and collegial interactions. Thematic analysis was applied to identify recurring patterns and emerging themes.
Findings/results
Findings reveal that Chinese language teachers are not passive recipients of Western norms but active agents who interpret, negotiate, and adapt to cultural expectations. Their adaptation is shaped by institutional structures, accreditation mandates, parental expectations, and personal agency. This study introduces a typology of four adaptive roles: Activator, Boundary Tester, Comforter, and Synchronizer. These roles illustrate the diverse ways teachers reposition themselves across contexts and challenge binary notions of assimilation and resistance.
Originality/value
This study bridges cultural theory and teacher education by using Taiwan as a case to examine how cultural heritage intersects with Western-dominated school norms. The proposed typology contributes a conceptual framework for understanding the professional strategies of culturally minoritized educators within transnational education.
Implications for policy/practice
This study informs the design of professional development that equips teachers with intercultural strategies for navigating culturally diverse school environments. It also offers guidance for school leaders to establish supportive structures that recognize Chinese teachers’cultural strengths and foster inclusive, collaborative cultures.