Reflections on Cultivating Critical Thinking in Foreign Language Courses in the Context of Integrating Ideological and Political Theories in All Courses

The education reform of integrating ideological and political theories in all courses is crucial in fostering virtue through education.In the new era,foreign language courses are increasingly prominent in moral education.Learning a language is not just about mastering its language form but also about critically examining the cultural connotations and thinking patterns embedded within it.Therefore,cultivating students’critical thinking skills should be a key focus in foreign language education.First,this paper examines the importance of fostering students’critical thinking in foreign language courses.Second,considering the characteristics of Chinese college foreign language courses,we propose that if we want to cultivate critical thinking among students through foreign language courses,we need to effect pattern transformations across four aspects:teaching philosophy,teaching content,teaching methodology,and teaching evaluation.These transformations also present requirements for foreign language teachers.They should focus on enhancing their comprehensive literacy,including ideological and political literacy,teaching design skills,and the ability to integrate teaching materials with logical thinking.And China’s Standards of English Language Ability(the CSE)serves as an important reference indicator for implementing these transformations.

Case Study of Three Arab American Language Identity： Bilingual, Binational, or Both

Growing applied linguistics research has discussed the upsurge of the usage of Arabic language among Arabic speakers in the United States （Bale, 2010; Sehlaoui, 2008）; language contact and conflict among Arab Americans （AAs） （Rouchdy, 2002）; and how mobility--both virtual and physical--influences their identities （Duff, 2015） This study researches how AAs define their affiliation to the Arabic language in the United States to understand their attitudes on language variety and ethnic diversity, religion and identity, and stereotypes of Arabs. After analyzing interviews, all three AA participants self-selected their identity based on linguistic and physical contexts Thus, the findings suggest further research on AAs should consider cyber identity as a factor for bilingual speakers and compare it with Arabic speakers in their home country

An Autoethnography on Language Ideologies in English Curriculum Development

The paper examines how language ideology in English education affects its curriculum development. By exploring the topic from an autoethnographic perspective, the researcher describes how his transnational learning and teaching experience informed his perception of language ideological changes in English curriculum development. The researcher＇s lived experiences from China to the United States witness how English curriculum develops in an ideological continuum from functional ideology to critical ideology, with cultural ideology and progressive ideology existing between the two extremes. The author then concluded： While language ideology has evolved from stage to stage, due to effects of factors like student acceptance and political ideology, English curriculum in China is still dominated by functional ideology. The paper finally proposes how English language curriculum development should go at the current stage of internationalization.

Native-speakerism in China:An Investigation of Foreign Language Education Policy and Learners’Attitudes

With the development of globalization,the use of English is no longer restricted to native speaker(NS)but also widely spread to non-native speaker(NNS).The importance of English learning is also acknowledged by Expanding and Outer Circle,and English as a foreign language(EFL)education plays a significant role in China’s education.Admitting the fact that non-native English teachers(NNESTs)take up a large proportion of English teachers,English language teaching(ELT)is still greatly influenced by native-speakerism.This research aims to investigate language ideologies reflected in Chinese foreign language education policy(FLEP)at higher education level,and Chinese English learners’attitudes towards native-speakerism and English teachers.A mixed method of policy analysis and survey is adopted in this research.After conducting analysing two FLEPs in higher education level,it is found that linguistic instrumentalism is the prominent language ideology,although native-speakerism and standard English ideology is implicitly demonstrated.Questionnaire is used to investigate 58 Chinese English learners’attitudes,revealing that most participants do not demonstrate bias towards either NESTs or NNESTs.Instead,the strengths and weaknesses of both NEST and NNEST are identified,though participants adhere to native-speakerism in terms of English variety.Overall,English learner’s attitudes are consistent with language ideologies in FLEPs.This research may provide implications for future studies on addressing native-speakerism in Chinese FLEPs,as well as relationship of students’attitudes and language policies.

An Instrumental Tool Held at Arm's Length: English as a Vehicle of Cultural Imperialism in China

The English language is seen by the Chinese as a tool of significant pragmatic value, both by the individual and the state. Discourse on English language education within China has, both historically and at present, pitted the pragmatic value of English against concerns of cultural and linguistic erosion and imposition. Concerns over the corrupting impact the English language may have on the Chinese language, and further on Chinese culture, uneasily coexist with an acceptance of the English language＇s role as the key to modernization and economic development. Voices of past and present, have at their core a desire for the protection of a reified cultural identity or essence. However, cultural and linguistic influence has not merely been imposed upon China from external forces, but has been actively drawn in by domestic forces. Such domestic forces range from foreign language education policies that meet the demands of a globalized market-driven economy, to a market demand for English language media such as TV programs, movies and literature. Ultimately, the presence and significance of these domestic forces undermines a view of the English language as a vehicle of cultural imperialism in China.

A critical discourse account of the process of ideological expressions in theẸdo(Bini)guilds

The study examines how language,peculiar to members of the guilds inẸdo,is used to express their cultural ideology.This is expected to provide the necessary insight and comprehension of the nature of the guilds’socio-cultural activities resulting in the distinct ideology expressed by them.Data were purposively collected through the indepth interview of key informants(individuals with knowledge of the activities of the guilds examined)and direct observation of the interaction between the members of the different guilds.The collected data were subjected to discursive analysis.The language used by the guilds in interaction among members is a marker of the guilds ideological orientation as this serves to bring members together while at the same time separates those that are not members of the respective guilds.The choice of language use by these groups therefore is determined by the ideological orientation of the guilds which seeks to maintain the relevance and supremacy of the group in the largerẸdo(Bini)society.