This exploratory study focused on a concern that is often expressed in New Zealand tertiary institutions about Chinese (and other Asian) students' lack of participation in classroom discussions. It explores the nature of silence in both Western and Chinese cultures and pedagogies, and relates the differences to the expectations teachers and learners bring to the classroom. To bridge these differences in expectations, a culturally synergistic model of workshops was proposed and trialled at a student learning support centre. Results showed that spontaneous oral participation by Chinese students was greater in the specially structured workshops, and that having structured activities within any workshop increased participation more than simply asking general questions and addressing the whole class. These findings suggest a need to further investigate wider classroom applications of the new workshop structure that scaffolds discussion and allows Chinese students to explore their understanding. The findings also suggest that too much weight is put on the expectation that Chinese students are silent because of their heritage.

Key words: Chinese university students, international students, silence, class participation, learning support