Integrating Nonnatives as Teachers: Patterns and Perceptions of Compliance-Gaining Strategies

Abstract

This study extends the teacher effectiveness, teacher power, and teacher socialization literature by examining compliance-gaining strategies used by new Chinese and new American teaching associates. The two groups of new teachers did not differ significantly overall with regard to the frequency of behavior alteration technique (BAT) use. Moreover, the two groups of new teachers did not differ in terms of student perception of antisocial or neutral BAT use. Students did perceive Chinese instructors as less likely to use prosocial BATs than their American counterparts; however, the effect size was too small to be meaningfully interpreted. These findings suggest that nonnative teachers can adapt their compliance-gaining methods to fit within the United States higher education system.

Keywords:

• Graduate teaching assistant training
• Intercultural communication
• Compliance gaining
• Behavior alteration techniques

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Min Liu

Min Liu (MA, 2002, Shanghai Teachers’ University) is a doctoral candidate

Deanna D. Sellnow

Deanna D. Sellnow (PhD, 1991, University of North Dakota) is Professor and Basic Course Director

Steven Venette

Steven Venette (PhD, 2003, North Dakota State University) is a post-doc in the Department of Communication at North Dakota State University