Classroom management in EFL classes: perception in China and Russia

Introduction. Classroom management has been one of the most vital fields of study of language teaching. It deals with establishing and maintaining a safe and positive learning environment, which is an essential condition for effective teaching. The rapid growth of the internationalization of education calls for comparing classroom management across countries. However, the comparative study of this aspect Chinese and Russian has long been delayed. The aim of this study is to examine the perception of classroom management in China and Russia regarding teaching English as a Foreign Language. Materials and Methods. In this research classroom management is defined by three fundamental aspects: instructional management in a traditional and online setting; behavioral management through discipline and timing; and behavioral management through communication and teacher-student relationships. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was implemented at both Chinese and Russian universities, three quartiles and Mann-Whitney U test were applied to the interval data. Results. By cross-culturally analyzing similarities and differences in perception of questionnaire items, it is found that generally, the perception of classroom management between Chinese and Russian respondents has more similarities than the distinctions. The authors also gave several practical recommendations to teaching staff for more adequate classroom management in China and Russia. Discussion and Conclusion. Understanding differences in perception of Chinese and Russian respondents at universities are helpful for teaching staff and students to understand each other's expectation, as well as stimulating new or modified strategies of classroom management. Potential areas of further research can cover the causes of differences and similarities in perception and practices of classroom management across Chinese and Russian culture.