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Abstract

The methodologies in language pedagogy used by teachers have been a neglected area of study in Mainland China. Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has become popular in second language teaching and it claims to hold the key to the door of effective language learning and teaching. However, the true value of any approach or perspective can only be tested and asserted within the classroom. Books, articles and innovation projects, although essential for spreading the popularity of a new approach and theoretically exemplifying its benefits, do very little to guarantee its implementation.
This study therefore attempts to present a contribution to the area where CLT is most lacking, i.e. research into its classroom implementation. The study aims to describe and assess the extent to which Chinese English language teachers have come to terms with CLT and are implementing a curriculum and utilising a series of textbooks based on principles of a communicative learner-centred approach in their classrooms.
Data for the research were collected from the Chinese English language teachers who teach at public secondary schools in Mainland China by using classroom observation, interviews, attitude scale and questionnaire. The results indicate that no matter how carefully curricula are developed or no matter how thoroughly materials are designed, it is the teachers and how they choose to exploit materials and use language in the classroom that determine whether a curriculum or a course is communicative. The findings also provide evidence of the gap that exists between the writings of academics and aspirations of the curriculum developers on the one hand and the actual classroom reality on the other, and point out the possible causes of this gap as well as the factors that to a great extent determine the successful implementation of a communicative learner-centred approach.

Item Type:	Thesis - PhD
Authors/Creators:	Wong, LT
Keywords:	English language, Language teachers
Copyright Information:	Copyright 2004 the author - The University is continuing to endeavour to trace the copyright owner(s) and in the meantime this item has been reproduced here in good faith. We would be pleased to hear from the copyright owner(s).
Additional Information:	Thesis (PhD)--University of Tasmania, 2004. Includes bibliographical references
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