English practice teaching has outstanding superiority over the extension and supplementation of English classroom teaching, and practice teaching is an indispensably important part of college English teaching. To stud...English practice teaching has outstanding superiority over the extension and supplementation of English classroom teaching, and practice teaching is an indispensably important part of college English teaching. To students, cultivation of the ability of practice is vital, affecting students＇ employment and future. To universities, teaching quality has a direct impact on the development prospect of schools and decides the future of schools. Moreover, local normal universities also undertake a more important task to cultivate local high-quality talents teaching primary and junior high schools. These teaching talents undertake the great task of English teaching over primary and junior high school students, and thus the construction and implementation of practice teaching system of English major in normal universities are urgent.展开更多
It is increasingly important for students to develop reading and writing abilities. Teachers should focus on the teaching of English textual patterns, which plays an important part in sending writers＇ messages. The p...It is increasingly important for students to develop reading and writing abilities. Teachers should focus on the teaching of English textual patterns, which plays an important part in sending writers＇ messages. The patterns used in the text help readers unfold the writer＇s message positively and actively. Students can write texts following textual patterns and using appropriate discourse signaling vocabulary. The importance of teaching the lexical signals and specific vocabulary is emphasized here. And the common core patterns in English texts are also analyzed. Besides, some instructional activities are discussed to develop students＇ reading and writing abilities, including raising awareness of textual patterns, focusing on signaling factors, reformulating and making a frame or a diagram.展开更多
The Tractatus de Purgatorio Sancti Patricii （Treatise on Saint Patrick＇s Purgatory）, written approximately 1180-1215 for a monastic audience in England, is credited with being the earliest literary vision of purgat...The Tractatus de Purgatorio Sancti Patricii （Treatise on Saint Patrick＇s Purgatory）, written approximately 1180-1215 for a monastic audience in England, is credited with being the earliest literary vision of purgatory. The description of purgatory in the work is basic to our understanding of it even today. The work quickly became popular and was copied in a number of versions, first in Latin for the clergy, and later in many vernacular languages. The Latin versions emphasize the religious aspects of the story, including homilies, exemplary tales, and testimonials unrelated to the basic plot, while the vernacular versions highlight the adventure of the knight Owein, downplaying or eliminating entirely many of the religious features and appealing to a lay audience who sought entertainment rather than edification. This essay considers the transformation of the Tractatus, particularly in two Anglo-Norman versions, one by Marie de France, the other by an anonymous redactor, on behalf of an audience that was becoming more familiar with romances and who craved them. Finally, the image of St. Patrick＇s Purgatory is so enduring that even today its reputed location in Ireland attracts tens of thousands of pilgrims annually.展开更多
The proliferation of travel literature brought the wider world to the doors of English homes and generated an interest in exotic cultures, ancient civilizations, and foreign wares. The number of travellers and travel...The proliferation of travel literature brought the wider world to the doors of English homes and generated an interest in exotic cultures, ancient civilizations, and foreign wares. The number of travellers and traveller＇s tales greatly increased after the end of the Napoleonic Wars and one destination that was particulary alluring was the biblical land of ancient Egypt. This paper examines British travelers to Egypt and how their published works both revealed and constructed a particular view of Egypt during the 19th century. Travel and travel literature accompanied and even facilitated the developing disciplines of archaeology and Egyptology, increasing the knowledge of and interest in the world of the Ancient Near East. This corpus of writing, often with its accompanying illustrations, also served to create a fabricated illusion of the biblical world, fashioned from both ancient and contemporary Egypt.展开更多
At present, English language teaching for English majors in local normal universities in China has been restricted by many aspects of factors, and the current situation is not optimistic. The main reason for this situ...At present, English language teaching for English majors in local normal universities in China has been restricted by many aspects of factors, and the current situation is not optimistic. The main reason for this situation is that the teachers and students of English majors in some local normal universities have some deviation in understanding the English language. The teachers can not have the right attitude towards English language culture teaching,and they make one-sided emphasis on the skill learning of English language majors,but ignore the normal teaching of professional English language culture. To improve this situation and improve the overall level of English majors in normal univerities, it requires us teachers and students to work together, improving the overall level of this course from the two aspects of ＂teaching＂ and ＂learning＂ , in order to help students to truly grasp the English language culture and skillfully use English in daily life and work.展开更多
Having examined the role, format and usefulness of test specifications in test development and evaluation, this paper sets out to investigate the significance of test specifications in the process of reading assessmen...Having examined the role, format and usefulness of test specifications in test development and evaluation, this paper sets out to investigate the significance of test specifications in the process of reading assessment. In order to exemplify how test specifications facilitate the operationalization of test construct and the development of items/tasks, this paper makes a close analysis of the new TEM4 reading test specifications. It is hoped that the discussion will throw light on how to translate construct into operational terms in test design and development.展开更多
Previous studies on Chinese English teachers’identity and autonomy have overlooked the group of female student-teachers(FSTs)from rural areas.Drawing on data from questionnaire responses,narrative frames and semi-str...Previous studies on Chinese English teachers’identity and autonomy have overlooked the group of female student-teachers(FSTs)from rural areas.Drawing on data from questionnaire responses,narrative frames and semi-structured interviews with research participants,this study first depicts the trajectories of identity construction and autonomy development of nine female student-teachers,and then identifies three main factors that affected their transformation from English learners to student English teachers,and the development of autonomy in such a process.The three factors are gendered ideology,affinity groups and family finance.This study concludes with some implications for policy makers and teacher educators on how to empower female student English teachers from rural China to transform from English learners to English teachers,and how to enhance their autonomy in such a transformation.展开更多
Language teacher professional development has recently shifted away from transmissionist approaches based on cascading or transfer of external knowledge toward social constructivist paradigm with a focus on the situat...Language teacher professional development has recently shifted away from transmissionist approaches based on cascading or transfer of external knowledge toward social constructivist paradigm with a focus on the situationality of learning and teaching as social processes of sharing and （re）constructing personal meanings, understandings, and skills. The social constructivist view of teacher education values teachers＇ agency in constructing and shaping personalized knowledge as a socially constructed experiential process in context. So, the researcher as an EFL educator in an Iranian teacher education university investi- gates the professional development of an EFL teacher during a three-year-time span both as a student and then as a teacher. Teacher journals, observation, and interview as three appropriate data gathering tools were used to obtain triangulated data. Student teacher professional change during the time span, multidimensionality of professional development, and discursively shaped personal beliefs and knowledge and their influence on teaching actions and practices were the emerged themes of data analysis based on Strauss （Qualitative analysis for social scientists. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1998） constant comparative method, including three steps of open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. The findings of this research challenge the transmission nature of teacher education which assumes student teachers as the conduits, requiring to be filled with skills, input, and knowledge lectured by educators as authority figures.展开更多
文摘English practice teaching has outstanding superiority over the extension and supplementation of English classroom teaching, and practice teaching is an indispensably important part of college English teaching. To students, cultivation of the ability of practice is vital, affecting students＇ employment and future. To universities, teaching quality has a direct impact on the development prospect of schools and decides the future of schools. Moreover, local normal universities also undertake a more important task to cultivate local high-quality talents teaching primary and junior high schools. These teaching talents undertake the great task of English teaching over primary and junior high school students, and thus the construction and implementation of practice teaching system of English major in normal universities are urgent.
文摘It is increasingly important for students to develop reading and writing abilities. Teachers should focus on the teaching of English textual patterns, which plays an important part in sending writers＇ messages. The patterns used in the text help readers unfold the writer＇s message positively and actively. Students can write texts following textual patterns and using appropriate discourse signaling vocabulary. The importance of teaching the lexical signals and specific vocabulary is emphasized here. And the common core patterns in English texts are also analyzed. Besides, some instructional activities are discussed to develop students＇ reading and writing abilities, including raising awareness of textual patterns, focusing on signaling factors, reformulating and making a frame or a diagram.
文摘The Tractatus de Purgatorio Sancti Patricii （Treatise on Saint Patrick＇s Purgatory）, written approximately 1180-1215 for a monastic audience in England, is credited with being the earliest literary vision of purgatory. The description of purgatory in the work is basic to our understanding of it even today. The work quickly became popular and was copied in a number of versions, first in Latin for the clergy, and later in many vernacular languages. The Latin versions emphasize the religious aspects of the story, including homilies, exemplary tales, and testimonials unrelated to the basic plot, while the vernacular versions highlight the adventure of the knight Owein, downplaying or eliminating entirely many of the religious features and appealing to a lay audience who sought entertainment rather than edification. This essay considers the transformation of the Tractatus, particularly in two Anglo-Norman versions, one by Marie de France, the other by an anonymous redactor, on behalf of an audience that was becoming more familiar with romances and who craved them. Finally, the image of St. Patrick＇s Purgatory is so enduring that even today its reputed location in Ireland attracts tens of thousands of pilgrims annually.
文摘The proliferation of travel literature brought the wider world to the doors of English homes and generated an interest in exotic cultures, ancient civilizations, and foreign wares. The number of travellers and traveller＇s tales greatly increased after the end of the Napoleonic Wars and one destination that was particulary alluring was the biblical land of ancient Egypt. This paper examines British travelers to Egypt and how their published works both revealed and constructed a particular view of Egypt during the 19th century. Travel and travel literature accompanied and even facilitated the developing disciplines of archaeology and Egyptology, increasing the knowledge of and interest in the world of the Ancient Near East. This corpus of writing, often with its accompanying illustrations, also served to create a fabricated illusion of the biblical world, fashioned from both ancient and contemporary Egypt.
文摘At present, English language teaching for English majors in local normal universities in China has been restricted by many aspects of factors, and the current situation is not optimistic. The main reason for this situation is that the teachers and students of English majors in some local normal universities have some deviation in understanding the English language. The teachers can not have the right attitude towards English language culture teaching,and they make one-sided emphasis on the skill learning of English language majors,but ignore the normal teaching of professional English language culture. To improve this situation and improve the overall level of English majors in normal univerities, it requires us teachers and students to work together, improving the overall level of this course from the two aspects of ＂teaching＂ and ＂learning＂ , in order to help students to truly grasp the English language culture and skillfully use English in daily life and work.
文摘Having examined the role, format and usefulness of test specifications in test development and evaluation, this paper sets out to investigate the significance of test specifications in the process of reading assessment. In order to exemplify how test specifications facilitate the operationalization of test construct and the development of items/tasks, this paper makes a close analysis of the new TEM4 reading test specifications. It is hoped that the discussion will throw light on how to translate construct into operational terms in test design and development.
基金supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2017M611602)
文摘Previous studies on Chinese English teachers’identity and autonomy have overlooked the group of female student-teachers(FSTs)from rural areas.Drawing on data from questionnaire responses,narrative frames and semi-structured interviews with research participants,this study first depicts the trajectories of identity construction and autonomy development of nine female student-teachers,and then identifies three main factors that affected their transformation from English learners to student English teachers,and the development of autonomy in such a process.The three factors are gendered ideology,affinity groups and family finance.This study concludes with some implications for policy makers and teacher educators on how to empower female student English teachers from rural China to transform from English learners to English teachers,and how to enhance their autonomy in such a transformation.
文摘Language teacher professional development has recently shifted away from transmissionist approaches based on cascading or transfer of external knowledge toward social constructivist paradigm with a focus on the situationality of learning and teaching as social processes of sharing and （re）constructing personal meanings, understandings, and skills. The social constructivist view of teacher education values teachers＇ agency in constructing and shaping personalized knowledge as a socially constructed experiential process in context. So, the researcher as an EFL educator in an Iranian teacher education university investi- gates the professional development of an EFL teacher during a three-year-time span both as a student and then as a teacher. Teacher journals, observation, and interview as three appropriate data gathering tools were used to obtain triangulated data. Student teacher professional change during the time span, multidimensionality of professional development, and discursively shaped personal beliefs and knowledge and their influence on teaching actions and practices were the emerged themes of data analysis based on Strauss （Qualitative analysis for social scientists. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1998） constant comparative method, including three steps of open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. The findings of this research challenge the transmission nature of teacher education which assumes student teachers as the conduits, requiring to be filled with skills, input, and knowledge lectured by educators as authority figures.
