“Betweenness” and “Community of Communication”: Implications of Communication Studies for Culture Course Instruction in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language

Abstract

Since teaching Chinese as a foreign language is essentially a communication activity between the communicator and the receiver, it is possible to draw on some of the findings of communication studies to identify the problems of traditional culture teaching and to seek better teaching results. This article draws on Julian's “betweenness” theory, reflecting on the evolutionary path of communication research and re-analysing three representative models of communication, to argue that the issue of “betweenness” and the “community model of communication”, are  important insights into the development of communication research. The Lasswell model emphasises the control of the communicator and fails to take note of the issue of "betweenness". The convergence model has begun to take note of the value of "betweenness" and has increased its focus on the subjectivity of the receiver. The role of “betweenness” has been further developed and is leading to a community model in which communicators and receivers are integrated. This article argues that the issue of "betweenness" has contributed to the evolution of communication research, and that the "community model of communication" presents an ideal picture of communication activities. Combining these theoretical resources with the teaching of Chinese as a foreign language and designing new cultural teaching programmes can provide a reference for the development of teaching Chinese as a foreign language in the new era.