A Comparative Review of the Professional Development of Novice and Experienced Chinese Language Teachers: Perspectives of Teaching Competence and Teaching Behavior
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71204/t8rsp385Keywords:
Novice Teachers; Experienced Teachers, International Chinese Language Education, Teaching Competence, Teaching BehaviorAbstract
With the rapid expansion of international Chinese language education, the professional development of teachers has become a core concern in applied linguistics and teacher education. This paper conducts a comparative review of existing studies on novice and experienced Chinese language teachers from two complementary perspectives—teaching competence and teaching behavior. Drawing on representative empirical and theoretical research, it clarifies core concepts, compares stage-specific characteristics, and identifies gaps and emerging directions. Findings indicate that novice teachers often demonstrate innovation and enthusiasm yet lack systematic competence, whereas experienced teachers exhibit stable routines and adaptive expertise. To move beyond a descriptive juxtaposition, this review proposes a conceptual framework that links teaching competence to teaching behavior through teacher beliefs, emotions, and contextual constraints. Building on this framework, the paper translates the review into stage-sensitive, actionable recommendations for teacher preparation and in-service professional development.
References
Borg, S. (2006). Teacher cognition and language education: Research and practice. London: Continuum.
Carroll, S., & Swain, M. (1993). Explicit and implicit negative feedback: An empirical study of the learning of linguistic generalizations. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 15(3), 357–386.
Chen, L. (2015). Case analysis of non-learning behaviors in international students’ Chinese classes. In Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Teaching Chinese as a Second Language (pp. 5). World Chinese Language Teaching Society & Confucius Institute Headquarters.
Chen, S. (2017). A study on classroom management problems of novice Chinese teachers in Thailand (Unpublished master’s thesis). Xi’an International Studies University.
Chen, Y. (2012). Exploration of issues related to situational interactive teaching in teaching Chinese as a foreign language (Unpublished master’s thesis). Tianjin Normal University.
Cheng, B. (2013). A comparative study of teaching beliefs between pre-service and in-service teachers of Chinese as a foreign language. In Proceedings of the Beijing Forum on Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (pp. 16). School of Chinese as a Foreign Language, Peking University.
Ding, A. Q. (2013). An analysis of non-native Chinese teachers’ beliefs about grammar teaching. International Chinese Language Education, 2, 45–53.
Ding, A. Q. (2014). Classroom observation for language teacher professional development: A review of the “Teacher Effectiveness Feedback Tool” in the U.S. Foreign Language World, 6, 66–73.
Fessler, R. (1992). The teacher career cycle: Understanding and guiding the professional development of teachers. Educational Leadership, 49(9), 35–38.
Fröjdendahl, B. (2025). Regulation in practice: Standards and novice language teachers’ experiences. International Journal of Languages in Education, 12(1), 45–62.
Fu, S. J. (2003). Building training models that correspond to teachers’ stages of professional development. Educational Theory and Practice, 6, 39–43.
Gao, H. (2017). A study on teaching anxiety of novice international Chinese teachers (Unpublished master’s thesis). Beijing Foreign Studies University.
Ge, X., & Qu, X. M. (2017). Exploring the professionalization process of experienced international Chinese teachers. Continuing Education Research, 10, 84–86.
Glasser, W. (1998). Choice theory: A new psychology of personal freedom. New York: HarperCollins.
Good, C. V. (1973). Dictionary of Education (6th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Grammes, J. D., & Carr, K. (1998). The impact of teacher factors on classroom discipline. (L. Pei’ai, Trans.). Foreign Language Teaching Abroad, 4, 40–50. (in Chinese translation of original work Modern Methods in Secondary Education)
Guo, C., Xu, Y. G., & Zhang, D. J. (2004). Conditions and strategies for transforming teaching beliefs into teaching behavior under the new curriculum reform. Chinese Journal of Education, 2, 33–36.
Guo, R. (2014). A case study on teacher discourse in elementary Chinese integrated courses based on two teachers’ classroom corpora. Teaching Chinese as a Second Language and Research, 3, 27–45.
Guo, T. (2013). A preliminary study on teacher–student interaction of novice teachers in beginner-level Chinese classes (Unpublished master’s thesis). Xi’an International Studies University.
Han, L., & Zhang, J. (2025). Identity tension and emotion regulation: A case study of Chinese novice EFL teachers. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 10, Article 12.
Hou, Y. (2023). Why Chinese female novice teachers fail to manage conflict in professional learning communities: A study of culture, gender, and professionalism. Teaching and Teacher Education, 124, Article 104462.
Hu, S. (Ed.). (1990). Encyclopedia of International Education (Vol. 9). Guiyang: Guizhou Education Press.
Ji, C., & Liu, F. (2012). A study on pre-service Chinese teachers’ beliefs about grammar teaching from a teacher cognition perspective. Language Teaching and Research, 6, 1–8.
Ji, J. (2010). The development and changes of new teachers’ teaching beliefs (Unpublished master’s thesis). East China Normal University.
Jiang, X., & Hao, L. (2010). A case study on practical knowledge of teachers of Chinese as a foreign language. Chinese Teaching in the World, 24(3), 394–405.
Jiang, X., & Hao, L. (2011). A study of practical knowledge among novice and experienced teachers of Chinese as a foreign language. Language Teaching and Linguistic Studies, 2, 1–8.
Jin, X. (2023). The effects of a teacher development programme in novice–expert interaction on novice teachers’ teaching concepts, competencies and emotional experience. Teacher Development, 27(4), 449–467.
Lei, H., & Jiang, Z. (2025). Assessing the digital competence and its influencing factors among foreign-language teachers in Chinese universities. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12, Article 966.
Lei, M. (2017). A study on classroom discourse features of novice Chinese teachers abroad (Unpublished master’s thesis). Beijing Foreign Studies University.
Li, G. (2017). A case study on teaching strategies in reading classes by novice and experienced teachers of Chinese as a foreign language (Unpublished master’s thesis). Shanghai International Studies University.
Li, Q., & Guan, L. (2019). Teaching Chinese as a foreign language: Teacher, craftsman, and scholar. International Chinese Language Education (Bilingual Edition), 4(1), 19–27.
Li, W. T. (2012). A comparative analysis of instructional language between novice and experienced teachers of Chinese as a foreign language. In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Teaching Chinese as a Second Language. Beijing: World Chinese Language Teaching Society.
Liang, X. J. (2017). Implications for novice teachers from teacher–student interaction in demonstration classes of Chinese as a foreign language (Unpublished master’s thesis). Xinjiang University.
Liao, M. L., & Lian, R. (2002). Achievement goal orientation and personality traits among novice, experienced, and expert teachers. Applied Psychology, 4, 41–46.
Liu, B. (2009). A study on questioning in beginner-level oral Chinese classrooms (Unpublished master’s thesis). Beijing Language and Culture University.
Liu, C. (2012). A comparative study of non-verbal communication between novice and experienced teachers of Chinese as a foreign language. In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Teaching Chinese as a Second Language(pp. 6). World Chinese Language Teaching Society.
Liu, D. (2016). A case study of classroom language used by novice teachers of Chinese as a foreign language (Unpublished master’s thesis). Hunan Normal University.
Liu, H. (2014). Factors influencing the development of practical competence for novice teachers of Chinese as a foreign language (Unpublished master’s thesis). East China Normal University.
Liu, H., & Wang, B. (2013). A study of positive feedback language in Chinese as a foreign language classrooms. Language Teaching and Research, 3, 32–40.
Liu, X. (2024). Construction and reconstruction of Chinese foreign-language teacher identity in intercultural contexts: A longitudinal study. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 92, 102-117.
Liu, X. (2025). A study of two novice trans-border teachers in mainland China: Their development of written corrective feedback beliefs. System, 105, Article 102929.
Luo, Q., & Liao, S. (2002). The stages of teacher professional development from the perspective of teaching reflection. Modern Education Science, 2, 50–55.
Luo, X. (2006). A review of domestic and international studies on stages of teacher professional development. Educational Research, 7, 41–45.
Lyu, L. R. (2007). A comparative study of professional competence of Mandarin teachers in Hong Kong (Unpublished master’s thesis). Beijing Language and Culture University.
Ma, D. D. (2017). A study of feedback language of novice teachers of Chinese as a foreign language (Unpublished master’s thesis). Central China Normal University.
Ma, J. Y. (2017). A comparative study of classroom language between novice and experienced teachers of Chinese as a foreign language (Unpublished master’s thesis). Xi’an International Studies University.
Ma, Y. (2013). An analysis of teacher questioning discourse in intermediate oral Chinese classes based on the IRF structure (Unpublished master’s thesis). Sun Yat-sen University.
Maulana, R. (2025). The value of assessing the generic teaching quality: Comparative insights into effective teaching behaviour in individual lessons. Teacher Development, 29(2), 139-158.
Pan, X. Q., Lian, R., & Li, Y. Z. (2005). A study on teaching motivation characteristics of novice, experienced, and expert teachers. Teaching and Management, 18, 23–24.
Qiao, N. (2017). Cultivating teachers’ competence in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language from curriculum design of MTCSOL program. In Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Chinese Language Education: Teaching and Research in a Globalized Context (pp. 12). Macau University & Central University for Nationalities.
Shao, N. (2011). An investigation into novice teachers’ error correction behavior in TCFL classrooms (Unpublished master’s thesis). East China Normal University.
Shi, T. (2018). A case study of non-verbal behaviors in teacher-child interactions of novice and experienced kindergarten teachers (Unpublished master’s thesis). Shandong Normal University.
Steffy, B. E. (2012). The teacher career cycle. Beijing: People’s Education Press. (Chinese translation edition)
Sun, D. (2008). A longitudinal case study of an immigrant Chinese teacher’s beliefs and practices. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(7), 1803-1816.
Sun, D. J. (2010). Educational narrative research and teacher development in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language — Afterword to Interviews with Distinguished Teachers of TCFL at Beijing Language and Culture University. Chinese Teaching in the World, 24(3), 383–393.
Sun, D. K. (2008). “I will find my own way”: A narrative study of a Chinese teacher’s exploratory experience. In Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (pp. 9). World Chinese Language Teaching Society.
Sun, D. K. (2008). Teacher cognition research and teacher development. Chinese Teaching in the World, 3, 74–86.
Wang, D. (2014). A comparative study of classroom teaching behaviors between novice and expert teachers of Chinese as a foreign language (Unpublished master’s thesis). Beijing Foreign Studies University.
Wang, T. M., & Ren, Z. (2015). A review of comparative studies on novice, experienced, and expert international Chinese teachers. Journal of Yunnan Normal University (Teaching Chinese as a Second Language Edition), 13(3), 38–44.
Wang, Y. Y. (2018). A study of classroom language of novice Chinese teachers in Thailand (Unpublished master’s thesis). Guangxi Normal University.
Wu, M., & Yan, W. (2025). Novice teachers’ emotional labor: A study of volunteer Chinese teachers in African Confucius Institutes. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, Article 1618970.
Wu, Q. (2018). An empirical study on the role of a support language in beginner-level Chinese as a second language teaching. Language Teaching and Research, 6, 48–57.
Wu, Y. Y. (2015). Research on teachers and teacher development in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. International Chinese Language Education Research, 3, 4–8.
Wu, Y. Y., & Shi, X. D. (2011). On non-planned events in CSL classrooms and their pedagogical value. Chinese Teaching in the World, 25(2), 237–245.
Xing, H., Liu, L., & Jiang, A. L. (2024). Unpacking a female language teacher’s identity transformations: A perspective of multiple I-positions. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, Article 1291940.
Xu, C. H., & Cheng, W. M. (2007). A preliminary study on Chinese teachers’ self-efficacy. Chinese Language Learning, 2, 77–82.
Xu, L. (2007). The situation and tasks of promoting Chinese language internationally. Chinese Teaching in the World, 2, 106–110.
Xu, Y. T. (2013). A case study on the generation of practical knowledge of novice teachers of Chinese as a foreign language (Unpublished master’s thesis). East China Normal University.
Yang, X. Y. (1999). A review of theory on stages of teacher development. Foreign Education Research, 6, 36–41.
Yang, Y. (2015). An investigation into the influence of teachers’ emotional factors on teaching in international Chinese education (Unpublished master’s thesis). Yunnan University.
Yao, M. M. (2014). A study on practical knowledge of classroom management among novice teachers of Chinese as a foreign language (Unpublished master’s thesis). Beijing Foreign Studies University.
Yu, G. L. (1999). A study on teaching efficacy and teaching behavior of expert and novice teachers. Advances in Psychological Science, 2, 32–39.
Zhang, F. Y. (2024). Teacher’s boundary crossing for continuing professional development: A longitudinal single-case study of a Chinese language teacher. Journal of Continuing Education Research, 10(2), 145-162.
Zhang, J. (2017). A preliminary study on the use and design of multimedia courseware in Chinese intensive reading classes (Unpublished master’s thesis). Xi’an International Studies University.
Zhang, R. (2012). A study on cultural attachment of international students in elementary Chinese teaching (Unpublished master’s thesis). Shaanxi Normal University.
Zhang, W. (2012). A study on teaching anxiety of novice teachers of Chinese as a foreign language (Unpublished master’s thesis). East China Normal University.
Zhang, W., & Xu, Z. L. (2016). A study on teaching anxiety among novice teachers of Chinese as a foreign language based on grounded theory. Teaching Chinese as a Second Language and Research, 2, 60–67.
Zhang, Y. H. (2012). Video-based case analysis of classroom management for new teachers (Unpublished master’s thesis). Sun Yat-sen University.
Zhang, Y. H. (2016). Common problems and solutions in novice teachers’ classroom teaching behaviors (Unpublished master’s thesis). Xi’an International Studies University.
Zheng, S. (2009). A comparative analysis of teacher–student interaction between novice and experienced teachers in oral Chinese classes (Unpublished master’s thesis). Peking University.
Zhong, Z. R., & Zhang, L. N. (2012). An investigation of teacher professional development stages and its implications for post-service teacher education. Teacher Education Research, 24(6), 20–40.
Zhu, X., & Zhou, J. (2007). A review of research on teacher professional development. Chinese Journal of Education, 1, 68–73.
Zhu, Y. (2009). Building a training and development model for Chinese teachers in South America based on the Internet. Chinese Teaching in the World, 23(4), 535-541.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Lianyun Pang (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All articles published in this journal are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited. Authors retain copyright of their work, and readers are free to copy, share, adapt, and build upon the material for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as appropriate attribution is given.
How to Cite
