Glocalizing ELT Reform in China: A Perspective from the Use of English in the Workplace

Abstract

With the largest number of English learners in the world, the influence of the English language teaching (ELT) reform in China cannot be underestimated. This article explores the implications of the actual use of English in China’s workplace for ELT reform in the context of English as a lingua franca (ELF). On the basis of cross-validated data (questionnaire survey and focused interview) collected from 2495 participants, we argue that ELT reform in China should be geared towards using English communicatively in ELF settings –that is, firstly, ELT curriculum and pedagogies should focus more broadly on improving students’ communication skills instead of narrowly measuring whether they have successfully adhered to lexico-grammatical accuracy pertaining to Standard English norms. Secondly, the native-speaker-based pedagogical model of ELT in China should be enriched with judiciously selected indigenized variants as long as meaning is not adversely affected. Last but not least, for ELT reforms to bear fruit, it is absolutely crucial to ensure a steady supply of properly trained and resourceful ELT teachers.

Application of Artificial Intelligence Combined with 5G Technology in the Reform of English Teaching in Universities

“…The technological products of artificial intelligence and 5G are bound to bring about changes in the college English teaching model. With the improvement of the online teaching model, teachers will have a difficult time collecting, analyzing, and processing bid data as online education and their efficiency will suffer [ 1 ]. Artificial intelligence and 5G, on the other hand, can address these challenges in a systematic and time-efficient manner.…”

How do Chinese students effectively convey emotions through the discussion forums in the LMOOCs?

“…This, in our opinion, can possibly be attributed to the relatively easy access to the data by analyzing English MOOCs on iCourse. As China boasts the largest number of English learners in the world (He and Li, 2021) and iCourse is the largest MOOC platform in China (Wu and Chen, 2021), the choice of an overwhelming number of English MOOCs from iCourse would make data collection more easily accessible and feasible. However, this lack of data diversity could affect its reliability, as data heterogeneity is integral to the validity of analysis (Pitard, 2019).…”

EFL Teachers’ Attitudes Towards a Glocalized Approach: An International, Mixed-Methods Study

“…These findings are consistent with research also in the professional world. He and Li (2023) note that the Chinese EFL curriculum focuses heavily on grammatical accuracy and the native-speaker standard. Questionnaire data with professionals in various contexts indicated that such programs do not reflect real uses for English in the Chinese professional world; a more glocalized approach would include communication-focused methods, with the student at the center of learning experience.…”