An exploration of the potential approaches to lexis-focused College English teaching and learning in the 2007 curriculum: implications for teachers

Zhao, Yunlong (2015) An exploration of the potential approaches to lexis-focused College English teaching and learning in the 2007 curriculum: implications for teachers. MPhil(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

According to the author’s long-term observation of College English teaching and learning in Harbin University of Commerce in China, vocabulary accumulation and rote learning made up the repertoire of College English pedagogy and this was also argued by Hird (1995) and many other Chinese ELT researchers (e.g. Yan & Wu, 2002). After 2007, the new syllabus and textbooks have been released and the Internet-based approach to self-directed learning has been put into practice in the on-line course. However, there still seems a distance to the fundamental change of College English teaching and learning. The biggest challenges might lie in the teachers’ understanding of these potential innovative approaches proposed in the new syllabus and textbooks and their cognition of the nature of language and learning, so the old questions turn up again: What do we teach? and How do we teach? On the basis of this background, this research puts focus on exploration of potential approaches to lexis-focused College English teaching and learning in the 2007 curriculum and some possible challenges confronting the teachers in aspects of their classroom practice.
The issues to be investigated in this research are mainly involved with the essence of lexis or vocabulary in the College English curriculum and the potential approaches to innovating lexis-focused College English teaching and learning. In order to investigate these issues, two research methods are employed: namely literature review and documentary analysis. The former provides this research with a review of traditional College English pedagogy in China as well as the nature of language and learning from a lexical perspective. The latter tends to meet the answers of research questions via analysis of the syllabus-College English Curriculum Requirements 2007 and the textbook-New Horizon College English.
Throughout the documentary investigation in this research, it is found out that lexis as the basis of language system and lexis teaching and learning as the core of language pedagogy have been stereotyped to underpin the College English curriculum development. Being required in the syllabus document, learner autonomy as a catchall term underpinned with scaffolding and interaction, is emphasized in the new textbook with assistance of an on-line course. In term of textbook analysis, it is also found out that most of the requirements set in the College English syllabus are applied into tasks and activities, in which skill-based learning, lexis-focused learning and autonomous learning are potentially put into focus.
As for the conclusion, based on the potential challenges in front of College English teaching and learning and the findings from the documentary analysis in this research, some implications for the CE teachers are put forward. They are mainly concerned with lexis being the basis of language, the teacher being the learning-instructor and learner autonomy being the final goal of College English pedagogy.

• Item Type: Thesis (MPhil(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Keywords: Lexical Approach, CECR 2007, NHCE, Learner Autonomy.
• Subjects: P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > School of Education
• Supervisor's Name: Daborn, Dr. Esther
• Date of Award: 2015
• Depositing User: Mr. Yunlong Zhao
• Unique ID: glathesis:2015-6767
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 27 Oct 2015 14:19
• Last Modified: 03 Nov 2015 10:27
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/6767