Abstract:
Current nation-wide reform of Chinese compulsory education is challenging teachers' expertise and proficiency in English teaching in primary and secondary schools. A small empirical research project, 'a survey study of practising English teachers in primary and secondary schools and empirical research into pre-service teacher-training mode', was conducted in over 500 primary and secondary schools in Baoding, Hebei Province, China. This project, in two major stages, aimed to get substantial data from practising teachers for the improvement of the present pre-service teacher-training mode. The first stage identified strengths and weaknesses of the teaching-training mode, through a survey study and interviews conducted with English teachers from different school contexts by geography and system. Class observations were made and the overall analysis formed the basis of the second stage, aimed at improving the outdated teacher-training mode. From this, a new teacher-training mode is envisaged.
In this paper, the consultative processes of stage one is discussed and English teachers' proficiencies in teaching are critically examined. On the basis of these data, a reflection on the strengths and weaknesses of present pre-service teacher training mode is made. Implications are proposed.
In this paper, the consultative processes of stage one is discussed and English teachers' proficiencies in teaching are critically examined. On the basis of these data, a reflection on the strengths and weaknesses of present pre-service teacher training mode is made. Implications are proposed.