This article is an empirical study on the washback of the writing section （i.e. writing subtest as in this paper） of College English Test Band Four （CET-4） on ELT in Chinese colleges and universities so as to prom...This article is an empirical study on the washback of the writing section （i.e. writing subtest as in this paper） of College English Test Band Four （CET-4） on ELT in Chinese colleges and universities so as to promote the positive effects and diminish the negative ones. The study collected data from 181 college English learners, nine college English teachers and two CET-4 raters through interview, observation and documentary analysis. Findings indicate that CET-4 writing subtest produces more negative impacts than positive ones. Moreover, the findings also indicate that the washback of CET-4 writing is weakened by other sections of the test.展开更多
The teaching of grammar has received increasing attention in recent language teaching and learning literature. The major argument lies in teaching grammar as product or as process. Teaching grammar as product focuses ...The teaching of grammar has received increasing attention in recent language teaching and learning literature. The major argument lies in teaching grammar as product or as process. Teaching grammar as product focuses on giving learners a clear and explicit framework about the language; while teaching grammar as a process emphasizes the use of language by the learner. This paper gives a brief introduction of teaching grammar as product and as process and points out that language teachers can choose the more appropriate approach of them in the specific context.展开更多
In recent years, research emphasis in the field of SLA （second language acquisition） has shifted to the study of the learning process and behaviors of learners than that of teachers. Researches concerning the learn...In recent years, research emphasis in the field of SLA （second language acquisition） has shifted to the study of the learning process and behaviors of learners than that of teachers. Researches concerning the learners＇ language learning strategies and learning styles have been conducted in different cultural backgrounds. However, comparatively speaking, there are few studies focusing on the relationship between language learning strategies and learning style preferences in English learning among Chinese students. This paper elaborates on the research questions and hypotheses according to the English Learning Questionnaire, which consists primarily of SILL （Strategy Inventory for Language Learning） （Oxford, 1990） and PLSP （Perceptual Learning Style Preference） Survey （Reid, 1987） to identify their English learning strategy uses and learning style preferences. Then, with statistical analysis （by SPSS （Statistical Product and Service Solutions）） of the results of the questionnaire, discussions are made on the correlation between learning strategies, learning style preferences, and their gender differences, followed by pedagogical implications for English teaching and learning in the university settings in China.展开更多
Computer Assisted Language Learning （CALL） is playing a more important role in Teaching of English as a Foreign Language （TEFL）. Teachers of English classroom need to discover more benefits from the computer as an...Computer Assisted Language Learning （CALL） is playing a more important role in Teaching of English as a Foreign Language （TEFL）. Teachers of English classroom need to discover more benefits from the computer as an assisting tool. This paper first deals with the roles of the computer, and then expatiates on the benefits software can bring to both English teachers and learners. This paper also suggests some tasks designed upon software and attempts to serve as a little drop which can make a shower on a further study on CALL.展开更多
This study investigates how Chinese logogriphs are comprehended by learners of Chinese as a foreign language(CFL)with different Chinese proficiencies and cultural backgrounds.Eighty-eight CFL learners from four cultur...This study investigates how Chinese logogriphs are comprehended by learners of Chinese as a foreign language(CFL)with different Chinese proficiencies and cultural backgrounds.Eighty-eight CFL learners from four cultures(South Koreans,Southeast Asians,Western Caucasians and Arabs)were divided into two Chinese proficiency groups according to their HSK scores,and 15 L1 Chinese speakers also took part in the experiment as a control group.The participants were asked to write down how they interpreted Chinese logogriphs in questionnaires.An ANOVA analysis was conducted to examine the effects of Chinese proficiency and cultural background on logogriph comprehension.The results indicate that the accuracy of logogriph comprehension and the frequency of adopting logogriph-solving strategies positively correlated with the learners’Chinese proficiency,and that those with higher proficiency used more linguistic and cultural knowledge of the target language.As for cultural influence,Western Caucasians tended to think more visually than the other three cultural groups,and South Koreans and Southeast Asians were better at activating Chinese semantic knowledge.The closer the CFL learners’culture is to Chinese culture,the more similar strategies they adopted to those of L1 Chinese participants.Moreover,the participants’Chinese proficiency and cultural background show an interactive effect on their logogriph comprehension,with the former factor having a greater influence than the latter in this process.展开更多
The paper first introduces to readers what culture really is, and then focuses on the lexical differences in Chinese and English ——lexical vacancy and lexical association. Through a detailed analysis, it is conclude...The paper first introduces to readers what culture really is, and then focuses on the lexical differences in Chinese and English ——lexical vacancy and lexical association. Through a detailed analysis, it is concluded that lexical differences between Chinese and English result from cultural diversities, with which particular languages are associated. Obviously, culture plays a significant role in determining the uniqueness of a lexical system. Therefore, the lexical differences caused by culture should be taken into account in any cross-cultural exchange.展开更多
Culture teaching is an inseparable part of an English major program to enhance students＇ intercultural competence. Yet, in practice, culture teaching does not receive due attention. More often than not, culture is ta...Culture teaching is an inseparable part of an English major program to enhance students＇ intercultural competence. Yet, in practice, culture teaching does not receive due attention. More often than not, culture is taught and intercultural competence is developed randomly by individual teachers. The practice lacks cooperation, unity and coherence at the curriculum level. This paper proposes a systematic approach to plan, organize and coordinate culture teaching and to enhance intercultural competence for English major students. The theoretical assumption is a language is inseparable from its relative culture and the foreign culture should be openly addressed in actual teaching.展开更多
This paper first relates the problem concerning the cultivation of foreign language talents in foreign language education, and then puts forward some suggestions to its resolution. This paper intends to contribute a l...This paper first relates the problem concerning the cultivation of foreign language talents in foreign language education, and then puts forward some suggestions to its resolution. This paper intends to contribute a little to the improvement on the mode of cultivating foreign language talents.展开更多
English writing is gaining great attention and emphasis in Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Technology syllabus, and having an important role to play in learning and communicating. However, of the five items of ...English writing is gaining great attention and emphasis in Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Technology syllabus, and having an important role to play in learning and communicating. However, of the five items of CET-4 （listening, reading, vocabulary, cloze and writing）, writing remains the most difficult. Some new methods and activities are needed to maximize the efficiency of traditional methods and keep students interested in this course. This paper provides a step-by-step description of an integrated approach and activities in a writing course for non-English major students, which combines reading with writing and makes teaching writing become an integrated and interesting process.展开更多
How to make college English teaching （CET） tailed to the requirement of the society is a topic of great significance. This paper is meant to give a description of CET from a new aspect——dynamic context. By giving ...How to make college English teaching （CET） tailed to the requirement of the society is a topic of great significance. This paper is meant to give a description of CET from a new aspect——dynamic context. By giving an analysis of the current situation of CET in China as well as the introduction of the theory of DC, this paper attempts to give a description of CET in dynamic contexts （DC） to improve the students＇ communicative competence to meet the need of the society.展开更多
文摘This article is an empirical study on the washback of the writing section （i.e. writing subtest as in this paper） of College English Test Band Four （CET-4） on ELT in Chinese colleges and universities so as to promote the positive effects and diminish the negative ones. The study collected data from 181 college English learners, nine college English teachers and two CET-4 raters through interview, observation and documentary analysis. Findings indicate that CET-4 writing subtest produces more negative impacts than positive ones. Moreover, the findings also indicate that the washback of CET-4 writing is weakened by other sections of the test.
文摘The teaching of grammar has received increasing attention in recent language teaching and learning literature. The major argument lies in teaching grammar as product or as process. Teaching grammar as product focuses on giving learners a clear and explicit framework about the language; while teaching grammar as a process emphasizes the use of language by the learner. This paper gives a brief introduction of teaching grammar as product and as process and points out that language teachers can choose the more appropriate approach of them in the specific context.
文摘In recent years, research emphasis in the field of SLA （second language acquisition） has shifted to the study of the learning process and behaviors of learners than that of teachers. Researches concerning the learners＇ language learning strategies and learning styles have been conducted in different cultural backgrounds. However, comparatively speaking, there are few studies focusing on the relationship between language learning strategies and learning style preferences in English learning among Chinese students. This paper elaborates on the research questions and hypotheses according to the English Learning Questionnaire, which consists primarily of SILL （Strategy Inventory for Language Learning） （Oxford, 1990） and PLSP （Perceptual Learning Style Preference） Survey （Reid, 1987） to identify their English learning strategy uses and learning style preferences. Then, with statistical analysis （by SPSS （Statistical Product and Service Solutions）） of the results of the questionnaire, discussions are made on the correlation between learning strategies, learning style preferences, and their gender differences, followed by pedagogical implications for English teaching and learning in the university settings in China.
文摘Computer Assisted Language Learning （CALL） is playing a more important role in Teaching of English as a Foreign Language （TEFL）. Teachers of English classroom need to discover more benefits from the computer as an assisting tool. This paper first deals with the roles of the computer, and then expatiates on the benefits software can bring to both English teachers and learners. This paper also suggests some tasks designed upon software and attempts to serve as a little drop which can make a shower on a further study on CALL.
文摘This study investigates how Chinese logogriphs are comprehended by learners of Chinese as a foreign language(CFL)with different Chinese proficiencies and cultural backgrounds.Eighty-eight CFL learners from four cultures(South Koreans,Southeast Asians,Western Caucasians and Arabs)were divided into two Chinese proficiency groups according to their HSK scores,and 15 L1 Chinese speakers also took part in the experiment as a control group.The participants were asked to write down how they interpreted Chinese logogriphs in questionnaires.An ANOVA analysis was conducted to examine the effects of Chinese proficiency and cultural background on logogriph comprehension.The results indicate that the accuracy of logogriph comprehension and the frequency of adopting logogriph-solving strategies positively correlated with the learners’Chinese proficiency,and that those with higher proficiency used more linguistic and cultural knowledge of the target language.As for cultural influence,Western Caucasians tended to think more visually than the other three cultural groups,and South Koreans and Southeast Asians were better at activating Chinese semantic knowledge.The closer the CFL learners’culture is to Chinese culture,the more similar strategies they adopted to those of L1 Chinese participants.Moreover,the participants’Chinese proficiency and cultural background show an interactive effect on their logogriph comprehension,with the former factor having a greater influence than the latter in this process.
文摘The paper first introduces to readers what culture really is, and then focuses on the lexical differences in Chinese and English ——lexical vacancy and lexical association. Through a detailed analysis, it is concluded that lexical differences between Chinese and English result from cultural diversities, with which particular languages are associated. Obviously, culture plays a significant role in determining the uniqueness of a lexical system. Therefore, the lexical differences caused by culture should be taken into account in any cross-cultural exchange.
文摘Culture teaching is an inseparable part of an English major program to enhance students＇ intercultural competence. Yet, in practice, culture teaching does not receive due attention. More often than not, culture is taught and intercultural competence is developed randomly by individual teachers. The practice lacks cooperation, unity and coherence at the curriculum level. This paper proposes a systematic approach to plan, organize and coordinate culture teaching and to enhance intercultural competence for English major students. The theoretical assumption is a language is inseparable from its relative culture and the foreign culture should be openly addressed in actual teaching.
文摘This paper first relates the problem concerning the cultivation of foreign language talents in foreign language education, and then puts forward some suggestions to its resolution. This paper intends to contribute a little to the improvement on the mode of cultivating foreign language talents.
文摘English writing is gaining great attention and emphasis in Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Technology syllabus, and having an important role to play in learning and communicating. However, of the five items of CET-4 （listening, reading, vocabulary, cloze and writing）, writing remains the most difficult. Some new methods and activities are needed to maximize the efficiency of traditional methods and keep students interested in this course. This paper provides a step-by-step description of an integrated approach and activities in a writing course for non-English major students, which combines reading with writing and makes teaching writing become an integrated and interesting process.
文摘How to make college English teaching （CET） tailed to the requirement of the society is a topic of great significance. This paper is meant to give a description of CET from a new aspect——dynamic context. By giving an analysis of the current situation of CET in China as well as the introduction of the theory of DC, this paper attempts to give a description of CET in dynamic contexts （DC） to improve the students＇ communicative competence to meet the need of the society.
