ESL\EFL in China

Articles written by Niu Qiang, PhD and Martin Wolff, J.D about English language teaching and learning in China. *

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Preface
In the past twenty years English language has reached fever pitch in some economic free zones of China and has spread across the vast continent of China impacting on primary schools, middle schools, universities and colleges of higher education. Everyone in China is being exposed to the English language in one form or another. At any given moment at least 600 million Chinese citizens are studying English, which is more than twice the number of people living in the United States of America.

English as a Foreign Language: The Modern Day Trojan Horse?
Throughout China, the National language, Mandarin, is spoken by only 53% (Yan 2005) of the Chinese population while most primary schools, all middle and senior-middle schools, colleges and universities have mandatory English instruction.
English Today, Volume 21, Issue 04, Oct 2005 http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=336621

China or Chingland
This article does not pretend to provide a solution to any pressing social, economic or political issue, nor does it rely upon any prior academic research for its suppositions. Instead, it is an attempt to spark public interest, analysis and debate on what may be the defining moment in the shaping and development of the new China as “Chingland,” with “Chinglish” as its national language. “Modernization” was one of the buzzwords of the recent 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. However, use of this term appeared to consistently imply “Westernization”; there appeared to be a lack of clear differentiation (and appreciation of the difference) between the two terms. It is the perception of this lack that sparked the authors’ interest in the subject matter of this article.
English Today, Volume 19, Issue 02, Apr 2003 http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=148783

English or Chinglish
A great deal has been written and said about various approaches to the successful methodology for teaching English as a foreign/second language in China. Entire professional Journals are devoted to the subject, such as Teaching English In China, and Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, to name a couple. But no matter how much is written, and no matter what teaching method is employed; the bottom line is that the average Chinese student learns to orally communicate in Chinglish i.e. Mandarin sprinkled with English or English with Mandarin induced syntax.
English Today, Volume 19, Issue 04, Oct 2003 http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=190687

China ESL- an Industry Run Amuck?
In 1862, under the Great Qing Dynasty, the first English Language School was officially opened by the Chinese Government to train ten men for the newly created diplomatic corps. Now, China annually recruits 100,000 'Foreign Experts' (FE) to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) with an accompanying 10 billion Yuan price tag.
(2003) Progress in Education Vol. 12 Ch. 3, Nova Publications https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1333

Chinese University Diploma: Can its International Image be Improved?
China is mass-producing university graduates like a modern factory assembly line produces consumer goods. Educating a Nation of 1.3 billion people is a monumental task beyond belief. As with any production process, educating China is not without its problems and defective products do occur. Without adequate quality assurance the end product may be unacceptable in the marketplace. Such is the case with so many diplomas from Chinese universities and colleges; they just do not garner the international respect and admiration to which they aspire.
(2007) Frontiers in Higher Education, Ch. 8, Nova Publications https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=4362

China's EFL/ESL Goals and Objectives
Most of us begin studying English at 12 or even younger. By the time we graduate from the university, we have studied English for over 10 years. However, the result is awful. Many students can say nothing but some simple phrases. Even for some English majors, writing an article in English also means nothing other than making countless mistakes.
English Today, Volume 20, Issue 03, Jul 2004 http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=230471

Can you get a First Class Education at a Third Tier College in China?
Few students in Chinese 3rd tier colleges are currently receiving a first class education. Unfortunately this means that they do not develop their full potential and consequently do not contribute fully to China’s society. A paradigm shift in teaching methodologies is needed to ensure that students are taught effectively. More appropriate texts should be adopted. Active participation needs to be emphasized, making students responsible for their own learning. Students need to be introduced to computers and while at college, become fully computer literate. It will be difficult to move away from traditional teaching and assessment methodologies but change is essential for 3rd tier college students to receive a first class education and be competitive in the limited job market.
(2004) Progress in Education Vol. 13 Ch. 2, Nova Publications https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=313

EFL/ESL Teaching in China: Questions - Questions - Questions
This article raises numerous fundamental issues which appear to have been overlooked by China in its exuberance to embrace EFL/ESL teaching as China rushes to join the new world order and partake of its share of the global economic pie. This article establishes a solid and fundamental legitimization for asking the politically incorrect, controversial and sensitive questions but leaves their final resolution to the language teachers, graduate students and linguists who have the inherent fundamental duty to seek the answers.
(2007) Frontiers in Higher Education, Ch. 10, Nova Publications https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=4362

China EFL/ESL JOBS: A Case of False Advertising
China has an established advertising law designed to prohibit misleading advertisements. The purpose of the advertising law is to protect those intended to be effected by the advertisement in question. Many commercial web sites, both inside and outside China, regularly advertise to recruit EFL/ESL teachers for employment in China.

China EFL/ESL: The Unqualified, Teaching (sic) The Unmotivated, In A Hostile Environment
This article launches a frontal assault on the current EFL teaching program in China that recruits unqualified people to teach (sic) EFL in China to unmotivated students who, for the most part, are assigned to English classes against their will and are expected to acquire English in a hostile environment.
(2007) Frontiers in Higher Education, Ch. 11, Nova Publications https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=4362

Chinese Business Institute Students Speak Out
At an institution of higher learning in one of China’s richest coastal cities, the college students are invited to make their complaints known. The students’ complaints registered in this report clearly demonstrate that they are keenly aware of the necessary elements of a quality education. Their concerns track with the concerns expressed in published articles on applied linguistics.
(2007) Frontiers in Higher Education, Ch. 12, Nova Publications https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=4362

Linguistic Failures
It is undeniable that England has given the modern global community - English as the international language of commerce, British common law, contract law and maritime (Admiralty) law. Whether by accident or design, the effect of these contributions on the world is a fundamental destruction of individual ethnic customs, social structure and culture. There appears little or no dissent amongst linguists for the proposition that language and culture are inseparable.
English Today, Volume 23, Issue 01, (2007) http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=684808

Teaching With Movies
With an appreciable increase in the use of movies or captioned films to teach English as a foreign language in China, the authors embarked upon a four-year experiment to determine the efficacy of using English language movies to teach business to Chinese students. It became clear that a cavalier use of movies is an abuse of the use of movies since the appropriate use of movies requires many elements: 1. Typical movies that are educational, informative and entertaining is the first condition in successful movie teaching; 2. A functional workbook to the movies for the students to prepare before watching the movies is the second condition for effective teaching through movies. 3. Various classroom activities to induce/elicit timely and optimal output from students is the last but most important condition to create an acquisition environment for communication. Activities such as dubbing, story retelling, acting, discussing, debating, role playing, etc are but a few proved very effective techniques the teacher can employ to engage the students.
English Today, Volume 23, Issue 02, Apr 2007 http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=1036144

China EFL: A New Paradigm
Colleges and universities throughout Mainland China must develop a new management strategy that increases economic efficiency while simultaneously improving the quality of the educational product being delivered to the student/consumer.

China EFL: Why Chinese Universities Do Not Provide an English Speaking Environment
There is a new expression in vogue on Chinese university campuses. “We must create an English speaking environment.”  This statement is usually uttered by a Chinese administrator using Putonghua.  Chinese administrators are under the false impression that the creation of an English speaking environment simply requires providing an opportunity for oral English output.