OUTLINE.doc

OUTLINEAuthor: Cai Fu-YiAffiliation: Luo-Dian Center Middle SchoolEnglish is an international language all over the world and becoming more and more important in China. In order to improve the English knowledge, especially the communication skills of students, enhancement of English education is very critical. In the past several years, teaching approaches in English education were very teacher-centered and mainly aim to pass entrance examinations. It deviates the original purposes of English education as a foreign language in China.To improve English language education in junior middle school in China should be planned and reframed. First of all, we review traditional English education for junior middle schools in China and point out the drawback in the English education situation. Then we present its necessary to improve curriculum in English education for junior middle schools based on the English education status. After this, we propose how to reframe English language teaching in junior middle schools. At the end of this paper, we make further discussion about the English education in middle schools. As a result, English should be always considered as a tool to communicate with each other. Part 1: Traditional English Education for Junior Middle Schools in ChinaPart2: Improvement of curriculum in English Education for Junior Middle SchoolsPart3: reframing English Language Teaching in Junior Middle SchoolsPart4: Discussion of Reframing English Education in China Reframing English Education in Junior Middle School in ChinaAuthor: Cai Fu-YiAffiliation: Luo-Dian Center Middle SchoolEnglish is an international language all over the world and becoming more and more important in China. In order to improve the English knowledge, especially the communication skills of students, enhancement of English education is very critical. In the past several years, teaching approaches in English education were very teacher-centered and mainly aim to pass entrance examinations. It deviates the original purposes of English education as a foreign language in China.To improve English language education in junior middle school in China should be planned and reframed. First of all, we review traditional English education for junior middle schools in China and point out the drawback in the English education situation. Then we present its necessary to improve curriculum in English education for junior middle schools based on the English education status. After this, we propose how to reframe English language teaching in junior middle schools. At the end of this paper, we make further discussion about the English education in middle schools. As a result, English should be always considered as a tool to communicate with each other. Key: Words: English Education, Curriculum, Middle school, Communication Skills Reframing English Education in Junior Middle School in ChinaAs we know, English is an international language all over the world. In our country, its becoming more and more important with society continuous development due to reform and opening policy in China. In such case, English education is very critical. How to learn English and communicate with each other in English as a foreign language is a practical issue in front of us.In the past several decades, teaching methods in English education were essentially teacher-centered. In other words, the traditional purpose of English education in china aimed to pass entrance examinations. The emphasis to learn English focused on grammar, reading and writing skills that dominate the most part of the entrance examinations. The purpose of English curriculum was to train students to read and write English, on the basis of grammatical analysis and translation between Chinese and English as the primary methods. A high-level teaching quality seems not necessarily required. Teachers need to have basic grammar knowledge of English, but they dont require having skillful conversation abilities.As a matter of fact, the wholly objective of learning English is for communication, which constructs the complete target of English education in 21st century. All of us should turn to the right goal from the beginning of junior middle school. In this paper, we review the traditional English education status in junior middle school in china for the first time. After this, concerning the practical situation of English education in China, some ideas for reframing English language teaching are proposed for reference to meet the ultimate purpose of English education, namely communication. Teaching should not only focus on the development of linguistic knowledge but also help to cultivate students abilities to reading, speaking, writing and listening skill. Finally, some further discussions about English education in middle school are made as well.Part 1: Traditional English Education for Junior Middle Schools in ChinaIn the last several years, different education institutions, including education committee in Hubei province, Guangshui education bureau have been emphasizing a renewed vision of English language education as a foreign language. However, if the proposed vision will be realized, administrators and teachers in China need to approach English language teaching from a different perspective that incorporates more opportunities in smaller classrooms. We now move on to review the past English education for junior middle schools in China and examine what education institution emphasizes now days and the purpose of English education. The investigation objective here is junior middle school in ChinaIn the past, teaching styles were essentially teacher-centered. In a word, the traditional purpose of English education in China aims to pass entrance examinations. The emphasis of learning English was on grammar, reading, and writing skills that dominate most parts of all entrance examinations. The purpose of English curriculum in china was to train students to read and write English, based on grammatical analysis and translation between Chinese and English. To achieve this, students must run a great deal of practice so that they could be used to grammar. Some report indicates that students had over 250classes per year, and they were supposed to learn approximately 350 words each year. Its also said that some students find their classmates know very little about grammar but their oral English is perfect when they emigrated to Canada or America. Actually, grammar or word is nor very critical in communication. Definitely, practice makes progress. All of us lacks of enough oral English practice. English education, in the above framework, is teacher-centered. There were almost no opportunities for students to discuss, argument or provide their opinions in English. One of the reasons for this instruction was due to the large number of students in one class. In the eighties and nineties of last century, there were about sixty or more students per class. When we move to 21st century, the number or students has the tendency of continuous increases day by day, especially the famous middle school. Therefore, it was easy for teachers to organize a class with teacher-centered manner and “lecture-manner”.As for teacher performance, a high-level of English skills was not necessarily needed. Teachers required to have expert conversation abilities. This is because, as previously discussed, English education concentrated on more grammar, reading and writing skills that did not require conversational skills.In order to reframe English language education in junior middle school in China and reject traditional thought, we believe that review of English education situations helps us much to improve the activity of language use and teaching in Chinese classrooms as well as the general curriculum. Part2: Improvement of curriculum in English Education for Junior Middle SchoolsIt is necessary for middle school students to catch up with globalization and English plays an important role as the common international language. According to accumulated experience, we realized that it was essential for children to acquire communication abilities in English to live in the 21st century. Although administrators and educators got to know this wasnt a drastic change, it is the first time that education institution made such a concentrated effort in the field of English language education as a foreign language. Generally specking, the purpose of education is to help children develop their own identity and faculties. As for the English course of junior middle schools, the overall objective of foreign languages, mainly English, are to develop students basic practical communication skills such as understanding, speaking, reading and writing in that order. We should provide a comprehensive course for middle school students, the course contains sufficient material. Its assumed that the students will receive about five hours instruction each week. The students will receive most of his training in the classroom and will be required to do a certain amount of extra work in his own time. In this respect, the English course is set out to do two things: to provide good material which will be suitable for aural and oral practice and which can also be used to train the students systematically to reading English and write English. In consideration of these over all objectives for foreign languages, there are several issues that education institutions points out to improve English education today.It is obvious that students need to obtain basic skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. However, because education institutions stress the essential function of communication ability in the past, reading and writing abilities are more highlighted, while listening and speaking skills are overlooked. Concentration on grammar skill and translation ability in traditional teaching style should be changed. Now, we should focus on the actual use of English in which students need to have when they go outside the school to communicate with people, most foreigners in English. If we are focusing on the actual use of English rather than its linguistic characteristics then we begin to see how new proposals addresses the stated objectives. As we know, Olympiad in 2008 will be held in Beijing. At that time, so many players, visitors and reporters will come to china to enjoy the great game. English is an real international language all over the world, and Chinese with English will become the official language for the game. We believe all supporters, volunteers and other waiters should master English and can communicate with the friends in English freely.Moreover, through education, teachers have to help children develop ability to learn by themselves. As a result, teachers no longer have to focus on grammar and translation skills, but they need to provide helpful and useful activities for students to have opportunities to learn how to develop independently. It can be seen that learning English is everywhere, such as TV program, package of goods, advertisement and etc. class teaching is never enough for continuous English study and we should never stop learning English in our daily life.Furthermore, teachers need to deepen students understanding from a wider perspective, enhance their awareness of being Chinese living in a global community, and cultivate a spirit of international cooperation. English teachers not only have the responsibility to teach the English language, but they also have to cultivate students cultural awareness through right teaching. In this respect, students should start to read some books about America culture and life style after school. Since China government join in WTO and other international association, its becoming more and more important.Education institutions not only address improvement of students self and cultural awareness, but also the strengthening the motivation for English learning. As mentioned before, joining in WTO and 2008 Olympiad game in Beijing will introduce an upsurge of learning English and using English. With higher motivation, students can develop their language knowledge and theyre expected to find their own purpose for learning English in their societies, communities or the world. Part3: reframing English Language Teaching in Junior Middle Schools As education institutions try to reform English education, there are some big changes in English classes these days. For example, since the materials provided by education institutions have been improved greatly to focus on more communicative skills, students now have many chances to learn better English conversational skills. Such improvements are due to the continuous efforts of education institutions. However, English education still has several challenges ahead. Wed like to make a simple conclusion here.Frankly, grammar and translation focused teaching style is still very popular at present. At the beginning of each unit, English teachers always start to teach grammar in detail and then teach the vocabulary and content of the textbook. The second reason is that students still are required to do a lot of homework of idioms and vocabulary. We dont think that students are interested in those repeated processed. Meanwhile, students have a difficult time to apply what they have learned to other status, especially communication in English. We can also find out that teacher-centered instruction still dominates at present. We are expecting less teaching by the teachers. In addition, the actual main purpose of learning English for students is still intended to pass entrance examinations, as opposed to the target of English education. Even though the content of the entrance examinations has been improved to include more and more communicative skills, mainly listening test, students still need comprehensive grammar and analytical skills. This also caused students to lose their learning motivation and cant enjoy the process of learning English itself. Lastly, most English teachers do not really and wholly understand the real purposes of English education and the content of the new course of English study in the new century. From the common conclusion above, its the right time to reframe the English language teaching in middle school. First of all, since there are too many students in each class and teachers cannot pay so much attention to each individual, education institutions should try to increase teacher number and implement the 40 students per class system. The fewer of students per class, the much easier for teachers and students to interact each other. Other benefit of this great change is to help schools avoid 100% teacher-centered style and create more opportunities to practice activities. The achievement of fewer students and more teachers per class need the full support from central government and local government. We expect the early coming of this great moment.Second, education institutions should upgrade the teaching abilities of English teachers. For example, education institutions can provide regular training for English teachers per year. If theres condition, English teachers can get short time or long term academic training. In addition, education institutions should introduce a critical method to improve English language education in China. Language expertise is crucial for all language educators, but we need also focus on the human aspects of education as well.Third, middle schools should be encouraged to hold English comer. English teachers and students are invited to come together and make some scene practice. Practice always makes progress. For example, English teachers and students from different classroom and even different grades sit together and talk about their study and daily life in English. They can also imitate little English move and dialogue in English if they like. Students should be encouraged when they made some little mistake.More importantly, the improvement of English language ability with Chinese language ability should be emphasized. This concept is necessary for students because cultivating students abilities to express themselves properly and understand accurately in Chinese as well as enhance their communication abilities in Chinese play important roles for them to cultivate English skills. The Chinese language is their native language of all intellectual activities. Thus, teachers have to consider the function of students native language and the impact of their first culture on learning English as well.Part4: Discussion of Reframing English Education in ChinaBy comparing the proposals of English education purpose by education institutions with actual English teaching situation, it can be seen that expectation and status has obvious difference. In order to help English teachers and schools reach the goals established by education institutions, we must pay much attention to below major issues. First of all, English teachers should consider deeply the purpose of English teaching by education institutions and communicate with their colleagues to improve their teaching approaches toward the ideal goals of English education. Its the English teachers who can actually transfer what education institutions have proposed to the classrooms. The purpose of English education should bi enhanced. A lot of trainings, discussions, experiences and introduction handbook should be distributed to teachers, parents and education administrators.Second, teachers should teach students how to learn English independently so that they can continuously extend their English skills late