In China a widespread learning practice for foreign languages are reading reciting and
memorising texts. This book investigates this practice against a background of Confucian
heritage learning and western attitudes towards memorising particularly audio-lingual
approaches to language teaching and later largely negative attitudes. The author conceptually
examines a number of issues central to the understanding of the practice of text memorisation
in the Chinese educational context. Furthermore there is an empirical inquiry into Chinese
learners teachers' practices and perceptions of the inclusion of text memorisation in foreign
language learning and teaching. Drawing on heuristics yielded by both theoretical and empirical
findings this study promotes a 'different-rather-than-deficit' perspective in understanding
Chinese learners and their learning practice by way of challenging the uncritical assumptions
about the negative impact of a Confucian philosophy of education. More importantly the topic
and theme discussed in this book are timely and relevant to some long and widely debated issues
in foreign language teaching and learning within China and internationally.
