The sound of learning in silence: culturally responsive teaching for Chinese students in UK higher education

By reviewing existing literature to understand how Chinese international students’ silence in the classroom can serve as a dynamic communicative act and a tool for critical reflection, the paper argues that common assumptions about this silence require critical re-evaluation. Employing a narrative literature review, the paper analyses peer-reviewed empirical studies on Chinese students’ interaction patterns in higher education contexts. Four overarching cultural and strategic factors commonly identified in the literature as contributing to classroom silence were used to develop four themes. Each theme is then linked to specific pedagogical strategies aimed at fostering non-exclusive student participation. Taking a critical approach, the study advocates for pedagogical practices that acknowledge and respect culturally influenced communication styles. By shifting the focus from ‘why are my students so quiet?’ to ‘how can silence be understood and used?’, the study presents evidence-based strategies grounded in practical application to engage Chinese students in meaningful, culturally responsive learning experiences.