TITLE:
Progressing Yet Unsettled: Study on Chinese College English Policies from 1980
AUTHORS:
Guijun Zhang
KEYWORDS:
College English, Syllabus, Problems, Policies
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.3 No.8,
August
10,
2016
ABSTRACT: English teaching and learning in Chinese higher education are unique in
that it is guided by Chinese Ministry of Education. The paper first elaborates
the main features and differences of official College English teaching syllabuses
(1980, 1985/1986, 1999) and requirements (2004/2007) for non-English undergraduates
issued by the Chinese Ministry of Education after the economic reform and opening
up. The syllabuses and requirements are outlined in accordance with the English
education developments and the requirements of the socioeconomic development of
China in different times. They are guidelines of the College English education
to be observed nationwide and direct the English teaching and studying in Chinese
colleges and universities. Second, some present problems are cogitated
following the discussion: the negative influence of CET, imbalanced education
level nationwide, rising English level of middle school graduates, and the
choice between English for General Purpose or English for Specific Purpose (ESP).
All these will influence the College English syllabus drafts in the future.