Presenter: David Nunan, Professor Emeritus, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
Friday, July 20, 2018
9:00 am-10:00 am
“It Won’t Work Here”: Revisiting Learner-Centered Language Education
In the 30 years since I published the first book-length treatment of learner-centeredness on language teaching, my thinking on the subject has evolved, but it hasn’t fundamentally changed. In the first part of the presentation, I will revisit the concept in the light of current trends such as globalization, technology, and 21st- century competencies, and I will link it to related concepts such as task- and project-based teaching, experiential learning, learner autonomy, and language learning beyond the classroom. In the second part, I want to interrogate a commonly voiced objection to the notion of learner-centeredness: “It’s all very well in theory, but it won’t work here.” I will draw on the experiences and perspectives of teachers from China who have undertaken graduate studies abroad before returning to China. In the final part of the talk, I will make a case for changing the Chinese curriculum, and I will present some practical ideas for infusing learner-centeredness into the curriculum.
David Nunan is Professor Emeritus of Applied Linguistics at the University of Hong Kong and Distinguished Research Professor of TESOL at Anaheim University. He is a former president of TESOL, and is currently a trustee and executive committee member of The International Research Foundation for English Language Education (TIRF). He has published over 30 books on curriculum development, language teaching methodology, research methods, and teacher education. His creative non-fiction books include a travel book and a memoir. The latest is Other Voices Other Eyes: Expatriate Lives in Hong Kong.
Keynote Presentations
Presenter: Ester de Jong, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
Friday, 20 July, 2018
10:00 am-10:50 am
The Changing Landscape of English Teaching: Integrating Content and Language
What does it mean to teach “English”? In this talk, we will explore how the teaching of English has changed, with a focus on the integration of language and content (subject matter) teaching. We will consider the implications of English language teaching models where content and language are closely tied together.
In this session, participants will
- Understand how the definition of English competence has changed
- Identify key features of language and content integrated approaches
- Learn about strategies for content-based EFL teaching
- Consider implications for EFL contexts
Presenter: Cheng Xiaotang, Beijing Normal University, China
Friday, 20 July, 2018
10:50 am-11:40 am
What Do We Learn from Students’ Memory of Their Past English Textbooks?
It has been well documented that ELT materials should be developed in a way that enhances learners’ motivation and interest, which can be achieved through providing interesting learning content and engaging learning activities. It has also been assumed that interesting content and engaging activities not only facilitate English learning but also stay in learners’ memory for a longer period of time. Similarly, what learners dislike most will also stay in their memory for a long time. This talk reports the preliminary results of a study which aims to find out college students’ deepest impression of the English textbooks they used prior to college. It is hoped that investigating what students still remember about their past textbooks will provide useful information about what students like or dislike about them.
Cheng Xiaotang is currently Professor of Applied Linguistic at the School of Foreign Languages and Literature of Beijing Normal University. He holds an MA degree in language teaching and a PhD degree in functional linguistics. He teaches and researches discourse analysis, language education, syllabus design, materials development, and teacher education. In past years, he has served as a key member of the National English Curriculum Standards Panel commissioned by the Chinese Ministry of Education, and has been extensively involved in the undergoing English curriculum reform in China.
Presenter: Gong Yafu, National Institute of Education Sciences, China
Saturday, 21 July, 2018
8:30 am-9:20 am
Re-conceptualizing Communication—Going beyond the Language and Culture
English-language education (ESL or EFL) has long been focused on developing learners’ communicative competence or language ability. Textbook writers tend to use language structures and functions as units of analysis (Long, 2015). However, the new goal of ‘whole-person’ development in basic education calls for a shift in ideology, goals, thematic content and teaching approach as well as curriculum framework. This paper argues that “communication” needs to be re-conceptualized as it involves not only linguistic factors, but also our characters, mindsets and values. To help students become good communicators through English language teaching, educators need to consider what character attributes and core competencies students should develop and how to integrate language learning with character education and thinking skills development. We also need to go beyond the linguistic domain and learn more about character education, developmental psychology, and essential life skills needed for the 21st century.
Gong Yafu is a senior research fellow at the National Institute of Education Sciences, China, and President of the National Association of Foreign Language Education (2001-2007) under the Chinese Education Society. Gong has more than 30 years' experience as a schoolteacher, a coordinator, a textbook writer, teacher trainer and an ELT researcher in China. His research interests include task-based language teaching, English language assessment, curriculum development and teaching English to young learners.
Presenter: Joy Egbert, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
Saturday, 21 July, 2018
9:20 am-10:10 am
Engagement, Technology, and Language Tasks: Optimizing Student Learning
If language learners are engaged in learning tasks they will perform better than if they are not, and effective uses of CALL technologies can support language task engagement. This interactive presentation reviews principles of task engagement, describes digital resources that can support task engagement, and provides examples of engaging computer-enhanced tasks that secondary teachers might use in their classrooms.
In this session, participants will
- List task engagement principles
- Explain how technology use may support task engagement
- Discuss ways to engage their students
- Reflect on ways to integrate engagement principles and technology into the classroom
Presenter: Mei Deming, Shanghai International Studies University, China
Saturday, 21 July, 2018
10:40 am-11:30 am
China’s English Key Competency Framework–Educating Students for the World with a Shared Future
This talk discusses the recent development of China’s English education reform and a significant breakthrough documented in the newly published National Senior High School English Curriculum Standards (2017), focusing on the major mission of school curriculum redesign with the subsequent outcome of China’s English Key Competency Framework (EKCF). According to the new framework, the learner’s English language competence, cross-cultural charisma, cognitive distinction and critical thinking, and learning ability, should be developed in a parallel and integrated manner to bring up future citizens with Chinese passion, world vision and proficiency in cross-cultural communication. The competency-oriented objectives of the EKCF embrace the “big idea” that 21st century school curricula should prepare students for life in the world with a shared future. The competency-oriented, student-centered, activity-based, task-contextualized and assessment-reinforced methodology, with substantial implications for teaching and learning English as a foreign language, is proposed and considered vital to achieving the well-defined curriculum objectives of China’s English education at the secondary level.
Mei Deming is Professor of English and Linguistics at Shanghai International Studies University, Vice President of China’s Academic English Teaching & Research Association, a member of the National Curriculum and Textbook Development Committee, Chief Designer of the National Curriculum Standards on High School English Education, and a member of the Shanghai Educational Testing and Assessment Committee and the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission. He is also the author and chief compiler of over 20 English textbooks, and has published an extensive number of linguistics and applied linguistics texts.
Presenter: Andy Curtis, Consultant, Ontario, Canada
Saturday, 21 July, 2018
11:30 am-12:20 pm
Action Research in the Language Classroom
Action research is a systematic, step-by-step guide that teachers can use to improve the quantity and quality of teaching and learning taking place in their classrooms. Teachers first identity an area they would like to change — which does not necessarily need to be a “problem” — then gather classroom data to establish a baseline. A series of interventions are then planned, carried out, and evaluated, in relation to the original goals.
In this session, participants will
- Identify an area of classroom change they would like to focus on
- Design methods for observing the current classroom situation
- Design interventions to be implemented
- Gather and analyze data based on these interventions
- Evaluate the outcomes of the intervention
Presenter: Liu Jianda, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, China
Sunday, 22 July, 2018
8:30 am-9:20 am
The Possible Impact of CSE on ELT in China
The Ministry of Education of China has issued the China’s Standards of English Language Ability (CSE) scale. This scale is the first of its kind to specify the standards learners should reach in language testing and assessment abilities. The CSE is use-oriented, and differentiates the levels of the standards in three stages (with a total of nine levels): elementary, independent, and proficient. Each level was described in detail with “can-do” statements. The CSE is not intended to be a teaching curriculum or a syllabus. Rather, it provides a link between English learning, teaching, and assessment in China. This talk first briefly introduces the CSE, then provides some context for the influence of the CSE on language learning, teaching, and assessment in China. It concludes with a discussion of the possible impact of the CSE on English learning and teaching, with a focus on English testing and assessment in China.
Liu Jianda is Professor and Vice-president of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies. He has worked on designing, developing, and validating language tests in China. His research interests include language testing, language pedagogy, pragmatics, and second language acquisition. He has published refereed papers in different academic journals. His recent book entitled Measuring Interlanguage Pragmatic Knowledge of EFL Learners, was published by Peter Lang. He is now leading the development of China’s Standards of English Language Ability (CSE).
Presenter: Liu Jun, Stony Brook University, New York, USA
Sunday, 22 July, 2018
9:20 am-10:10 am
7 Things Shaping the Future of English Education in China
The future of English education in China will be driven by seven major factors: Language policy, artificial intelligence, online education, teacher cognition, assessment, intercultural communicative competence, and digital young learners. The interface and interplay of these factors will shape the conceptualization of English education at a speed faster than we can imagine. The presenter will elaborate on this prediction with research and examples and call for new ways to train future English educators.
In this session, participants will
- Learn about the impact of the seven factors
- Understand the interconnections among these factors
- Reflect on their own teaching practice
- Identify areas for further education
- Learn new things and apply them in teaching
- Keep up with new technology and trends
