Dr Xue Feng Zhang

Xue Feng Zhang was a lecturer of English in Minjiang University, Fuzhou, China. After migrating to Australia, he worked for the Department of Education of NSW for more than 20 years, teaching casually in TAFE and universities.

While working full-time, he completed a DipTELF, MEd, MPhil and PhD in the (then) Faculty of Education and Social Work, Sydney University.

Xue Feng researches extensively on Australia’s education system and philosophy across early childhood education to tertiary, vocational education and training. He has delivered numerous seminars at The University of Sydney on various topics for visiting senior educators and training groups from China. In addition, he is also experienced in teaching Chinese as a second language and Chinese community language and has made outstanding contribution in promoting the teaching and learning of Chinese language in NSW.

As a co-founder of the Sydney Datong Chinese School, Xue Feng has assisted Chinese community groups in setting up quite a number of community-run Chinese language schools and after-school Chinese-language programs in public schools. The community schools he has helped to set up are now running well in Granville, Campbelltown, Gosford and the Blue Mountains. He has researched cross-cultural parenting among Chinese migrant families and Chinese background high achieving students. His doctorate thesis focuses on Chinese background high school students who have learnt Chinese for years. His findings, through both a sociocultural and gifted education perspectives, are well-recognised by the research community.

Xue Feng has worked as a tutor for the Community Languages Teaching (Foundation) Program, which is run through The University of Sydney's Institute of Community Language Education and directed by Professor Ken Cruickshank. Currently Xue Feng is a project officer for the Chinese language teachers’ training program. He has presented many topics on community/heritage language education at the annual conferences of the NSW Federation of Community Language Schools and Australian Chinese Language Teachers’ Association. His most recent research interest is how learning a heritage language impacts on students’ overall achievements in mainstream schools.    

Excellence in Community Language Services, NSW Federation of Community Language Schools 

Issues with In-Service Teachers Training in Overseas Chinese Community Schools and Suggestions – With NSW Chinese Schools as examples. In Global Chinese Language and Culture Education. 2-2021. Beijing Institute of Chinese Language and Culture Education.

A New Perspective for Encouraging Overseas Chinese Children to Learn Chinese as a Heritage Language. In Global Chinese Language and Culture Education. 1-2020. Beijing Institute of Chinese Language and Culture Education.

Ph. D. Thesis: Family Impact: Chinese-background Students in NSW Selective High Schools. 2016. Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney

M. Phil. Thesis: Primary School Teachers’ Professional Learning in NSW Public School. 2006. Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney

 

Constraints and Strengths of Community Language Schools. In Bilingualism: Building Blocks for Bi-literacy 1999. Language Acquisition Research Centre, University of Western Sydney

 

Multicultural Education Policy of NSW Department of Education and Training. In Forum Papers 1997. Sydney University Postgraduate Education Students Association

Published over 30 short articles on Australian education system and parenting strategies in the Education Column of Australian Chinese Daily Express Newspaper, 2012–2015