课程思政视角下的大学英语通识教育四个转向:《大学英语教学指南》(2020版)内涵探索

A Paradigm Shift of General Education from the Perspective of Curriculum-Based Political and Virtuous Awareness in College English:Interpretation of College English Teaching Guidelines(2020)

《大学英语教学指南》(2020版)将大学英语定性为核心通识课程。这是对大学英语教学定位的重大改变。高校大学外语通识教育的发展已走过了大约13年。传统的外语通识课程主要以人文教育和跨文化教育为核心,尤其是英美文化文学社会为主要内容。这种单一教学内容的外语通识课程既违背了通识教育的最初目的,也影响了高校外语教育的健康发展。因此,有必要对传统的外语通识课程进行范式转移,即实现从外向性跨文化教育转向结合内省的立德树人教育,从单一的人文教育到人文教育和科学教育并举,从去语境通识教育到专业通识教育,从文化素质培养到批判性思辨和沟通能力培养的范式转移。通识教育这四个转向都是课程思政的具体内容体现,即培养全面发展的人。

College English Teaching Guidelines(2020)redefines college English as General Education(or Liberal Arts Education).General Education in college English teaching has developed in China's Mainland since 2007.Its curricula have focused on teaching cross-cultures,especially on the British and American culture and literature.This orientation and teaching content have not only misinterpreted the original purposes of General Education,but also exerted negative influence on tertiary English teaching.The purpose of the provision of College English programs in universities for all students is to serve the need of their academic studies-teaching them to use English to access disciplinary information and communicate their research ideas.Obviously,General Education alone can’t be qualified for such a task.It is suggested that General Education might be integrated into teaching English for academic purposes(EAP).To meet the end,traditional General Education may have a paradigm shift in the following aspects:First,cross-culture education could be combined with moral education, the core of Ideological and Political Education(IPE) underway in different courses of tertiary institutions in China's Mainland.In this aspect,General Education and IPE share the common basis:to cultivate an all-round person.Without such personal traits as patriotism,honesty,dedication,love and sympathy,a person could be of no use.Second,science education should also be highlighted together with humanistic education.General Education without STEAM(Science,Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) could not function properly in the world of science and technology development.Third,General Education should be discipline-specific instead of de-contextualization.Although General Education is cross-disciplinary,it might be more effective when combined with students’ own disciplines.Finally,China Discipline Ranking might influence the teaching content of language teachers.As core foreign language journals and school authorities place the emphasis on the articles of the study of linguistics,literature and translation,the majority of language teacher are afraid of teaching interdisciplinary content.The obstacle to the paradigm shift of General Education is the perception of college education.First,the policy-makers and practitioners tend to view foreign language teaching from the perspective of their education(e.g.the humanities).Culture of Chinese society also plays a role.For instance,much publicity is given to historical stories and figures by mass media and movies.It is suggested that language teachers should embrace scientific education.Second,language teachers tend to integrate their research interest into teaching.It is not bad,yet they often reject something unfamiliar and alien as most of them study literature and linguistics,and language teachers might adapt their research to the needs of their students.Finally,it is believed that language teachers should not teach content.However,it is difficult to understand that they could teach British and American classics but could not teach popular science works such as Silent Spring.Therefore,to have a new perception of foreign language teaching is critical to a better understanding of General Education.