TITLE:
Research on Pathways for Foreign Language Classroom Innovation in Holistic Development at Private Universities
AUTHORS:
Rui Yan
KEYWORDS:
Holistic Education, Private Universities, English Classroom Model, ASK Framework, Blended Learning, Pedagogical Efficacy, Quasi-Experimental Design
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.12 No.4,
April
17,
2025
ABSTRACT: Traditional foreign language education in China has long relied on the “dual-basics” training model, which prioritizes linguistic fundamentals (phonetics, vocabulary, grammar) and basic skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing). While this instrumentalist paradigm enhances test-taking proficiency, it systematically neglects the cultivation of humanistic qualities and critical thinking, leading to widespread “critical thinking deficiency syndrome.” Holistic education, emphasizing the integrated development of cognition, emotion, and morality, offers a theoretical framework to address the “skill-over-humanity” dilemma in foreign language education. However, empirical validation of its practical implementation and pedagogical efficacy in private universities remains underexplored. This study conducts a quasi-experiment at Zhejiang Yuexiu University, comparing the effects of a holistic education model (experimental class, n = 40) with traditional pedagogy (control class, n = 40). Grounded in the ASK framework (Awareness-Skill-Knowledge), the study integrates blended learning and multidimensional assessment. Results indicate that the experimental class significantly outperformed the control class in attention span (82% vs. 68%, p p = 0.042), and self-rated critical thinking (4.3 vs. 3.6, p