Teaching English as a foreign language in Chinese tertiary education: Which direction?

Year: 2004

Author: Naizhao, Guo, Dongfu, Li

Type of paper: Abstract refereed

Abstract:
There is no doubt that Chinese tertiary students' English language proficiency has improved considerably since China opened its doors to the outside world when substantial economic reforms began in the 1980s. However, an analysis of recent data indicates that far too many Chinese tertiary students complete their studies with inadequate speaking and listening skills. Indeed, their general English proficiency falls far short of the demand for competent English speakers resulting from the unprecedented economic and technological developments that have occurred in China. These developments have resulted in substantially more contact with other countries than had ever occurred before.

This paper presents a critical review of a recent initiative that has been taken with the intention of achieving improvements in the teaching of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Chinese tertiary education. The Chinese Ministry of Education has recognised that the challenge of increased engagement with English speaking countries demands a searching reappraisal of current educational practice. Consequently there has been encouragement for change to occur in EFL teaching in Chinese tertiary education. In this paper an examination is made of the social and cultural factors which are thought to interfere with the implementation of new ideas in the current Chinese tertiary educational discourse. The paper then gives an insight into an on-going teaching experiment conducted at Shanxi University of Finance and Economics (SUFE) which has recently attempted to bring about change to teaching practice.

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