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New English Curriculum for Chinese Primary Schools and
Junior/Senior Middle Schools
Experimental Version drafted by the Education Ministry of the PRC
Note on this translation This English version of China’s new curriculum for English is intended for VSO volunteers who would like to feel better informed about a document that is central to our work. However, it should in no way be regarded as an official translation. In fact, it is neither a word for word translation nor a summary. The appendix to the original, which includes lists of specific language items to be mastered, has been omitted, as have some level descriptors and sample learning activities. Despite trying to make it more readable, this version reflects the repetitive nature of the original, with the same key words cropping up over and over again. Volunteers should also refer to the more official (but still not completely official!) translation of the new English curriculum specifically for senior middle schools available from the Programme Office. Any feedback on this version would be welcome. Tim Martin Shaanxi Institute of Education, October 2005
Part 1: Introduction
With the advent of the information age and the global economy, English has become increasingly important. English is the dominant carrier of information and the most widely spoken language in the world. Many countries have made English a cornerstone of quality education when developing strategies for basic education.
Since China’s reform and opening, the scale of its English education has continually grown, attended by significant achievements in teaching and learning. However, English education in its current form is failing to meet the needs of contemporary social and economic development.
The current round of reforms to the English curriculum aim to end the following practices:
? Over-emphasizing the transmission and explanation of knowledge about grammar and vocabulary ? Neglecting to develop students’ ability to use language for real
In their place, the reforms aim to establish a curriculum that: ? Develops students’ comprehensive language competence
? Motivates students, is relevant to their life experiences and cognitive level ? Promotes task-based teaching methods
? Involves students in experiential, practical, participatory and cooperative learning
? Develops students’ positive attitudes, thinking skills, practical abilities, cultural awareness and autonomy through the language learning process
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1. The Nature of the New Curriculum
The new English curriculum strives to accomplish far more than just help students learn English. At one level learning English should involve helping students to:
? Develop a certain level of comprehensive language competence and the ability to use language for real communication
? Master certain basic language knowledge
? Master listening, speaking, reading and writing skills
However, at another level the curriculum should also serve students’ all-round development, providing them with opportunities to:
? Strengthen their interest in studying English
? Grow in self-discipline, perseverance and self-confidence
? Improve their cooperative, investigative and thinking abilities ? Develop their memory, imagination and creativity ? Adopt good study habits and effective learning strategies ? Develop as autonomous and lifelong learners
? Build moral integrity and a healthy outlook on life
? Establish both national spirit and an awareness of and respect for cultural differences ? Broaden their horizons and enrich their life experience ? Take part in cultural life ? Develop as individuals
2. Basic Principles of the New Curriculum
The curriculum promotes quality education (as opposed to exam-orientated education) and the all-round development of the students
To promote quality education particular attention must be paid to: ? Valuing each student’s feelings
? Stimulating students’ interest in studying English
? Helping students gain a sense of achievement and self-confidence
The curriculum must go beyond developing students’ comprehensive language competence to include areas such as:
? Improving students’ ability to contribute to cultural and social life ? Developing students’ practical abilities ? Fostering students’ creativity
The curriculum objectives are holistic and flexible.
The fundamental aim of the new English curriculum is to develop students’ comprehensive language competence. This aim is broken down into five general objectives. These objectives are then divided into nine ability levels with descriptors provided for each level. The five general objectives are:
1. Language Skills
2. Language Knowledge 3. Attitudes to Learning 4. Learning Strategies
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5. Cultural Awareness
This design allows students to progress systematically through each level whilst meeting the full range of the curriculum’s demands.
Students are put at the centre of the curriculum and individual differences are respected
Students’ must be at the heart of the new curriculum. For example, their developmental needs must be the central consideration when developing: ? Curriculum objectives
? The teaching and learning process ? The assessment process
? Teaching and learning resources
When implementing the curriculum each student must be allowed to develop individually under the guidance of the teacher:
The curriculum promotes activity-based methods, experiential and participatory learning
The curriculum promotes task-based learning whereby, under the guidance of the teacher, the students gain a sense of achievement by reaching the goals of the task. Task completion will involve the following types of learning: ? Sensory ? Experiential
? ‘Hands on’/practical ? Participatory ? Cooperative
In order to improve their ability to use language for real communication, students should also be able to: ? Adjust their learning strategies and control their emotions ? Form positive attitudes towards learning
The curriculum recognizes the important role of formative assessment in promoting student’ development
The assessment system should combine formative with summative assessment. The purposes of assessment should be to:
? Promote students’ comprehensive language competence ? Encourage and motivate students
? Help students become more autonomous learners ? Benefit students’ healthy personal development
? Give teachers useful feedback from which to develop teaching and learning ? Inform the ongoing development and perfection of the English curriculum
Formative assessment should be an important part of the English teaching and learning process with a particular emphasis on:
? Encouraging students’ active participation in learning ? Improving students’ self-confidence Summative assessment should focus on:
? Testing students’ integrated language skills ? Testing students’ ability to use language
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The curriculum expands the range of learning resources and opportunities available
The curriculum should strive to use and develop resources whose content is: ? Realistic
? Close to the students’ lives ? Contemporary ? Healthy
? Rich and varied
Active use should be made of: ? Audio visual material ? Print media ? The Internet
Students should be encouraged to take responsibility for finding, using and developing learning resources themselves.
3. The Curriculum Design
The curriculum follows the international practice of dividing the general objectives into different ability levels. When designing these nine levels consideration was given to the following: ? The nature of language development
? The different needs of different age groups ? The needs of different ethnic groups and areas ? The economic imbalances that exist in China
The aim is to have designed a system that is holistic and flexible.
The correspondence between the level system and the grade system is shown in the following diagram: Primary School Work towards: Notes Grade 3 Level 1 Students should start studying English in Grade 3 Grade 4 Level 1 Grade 5 Level 2 Grade 6 Level 2 The required standard for the end of primary school Junior Middle School Work towards: Notes Grade 7 (= Junior 1) Level 3 Grade 8 (= Junior 2) Level 4 Grade 9 (= Junior 3) Level 5 The required standard for the end of junior middle school Senior Middle School Work towards: Notes Senior 1 Level 6 Senior 2 Level 7 Senior 3 Level 8 The required standard for senior middle school graduation Level 9 An extension level for specialist schools and able students Diagram 1: The Levels and the Grades Part 2: Introduction to The General Objectives
The fundamental aim of the new curriculum is to develop students’ comprehensive language competence.
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This comprehensive language competence is achieved through the five general objectives as shown in the following diagram:
2. Language Knowledge
? Phonetics
? Vocabulary 3. Attitudes to Learning
? Grammar ? Motivation and
1. Language Skills ? Functions interest
? Listening ? Topics ? Self-confidence and
? Speaking perseverance
? Reading ? Cooperative spirit
? Writing ? National awareness
COMPREHENSIVE LANGUAGE COMPETENCE 5. Cultural Awareness 4. Learning Strategies ? Cultural knowledge ? Cognitive strategies ? Cultural understanding ? Metacognitive strategies ? Awareness of and ability in ? Communicative strategies cross-cultural communication ? Resource strategies
Diagram 2: The General Objectives
A further diagram illustrates the more comprehensive nature of the new curriculum compared to the old one: New Curriculum Attitudes to Language Learning Language Cultural Learning Skills Strategies Knowledge Awarenes
phonetics
vocabulary Language Skills
grammar
functions
topics
Comprehensive Language Competence
Diagram 3: Comparison of the Old and New Curriculums
? Language skills and knowledge form the basis of comprehensive language competence ? The students’ attitudes to learning strongly influence their learning and development ? Successful learning strategies improve the effectiveness of students’ learning
Language Knowledge Old Curriculum
英语新课标(英文版)
