Classroom Interaction In China And The UK-a Linguistic Analysis Of Interpersonal Relations

This study analyzes the classroom interaction in China and the UK. It tries tofind out similarities and differences in classroom interactions of Chinese nationalstudents in Chinese and British contexts, and what differences in the interpersonalrelations between teacher and student are perceived in these two contexts.Two classes from Britain and two from China are analyzed in the aspects ofmacrogenre, lexicogrammar, lexical semantic, as well as embodiment. Macrogenreanalyze the curriculum genre. Lexicogrammar analysis includes analysis of Moodand Modality. Lexical semantic analysis focuses on Engagement and Appreciation.The embodiment includes the arrangement of furniture, distributions of teacher andstudents, and gesture and posture.It is found that Chinese students in Britain behave as active as non-Chinesestudents in that context, but behave differently in a degree to Chinese students inChina. Though the teacher is the authority and the organizer in all classes, teachersand students in British contexts show more respect to individuality andindependence, and they are relatively more equal and relaxed in the establishedinterpersonal relationship.