Chinese EFL Teachers’ Cognition of CLT in Elementary Schools
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1304.18Keywords:
teachers’ cognition, communicative language teaching, teaching curriculum, English language teachingAbstract
This study investigates Chinese elementary school teachers’ cognition of CLT (communicative language teaching). Prepared interviews were conducted with eight Chinese teachers who teach English in different elementary schools in China, with the interviews being translated and transcribed in English. Through repeated reading of the transcripts, the participants’ thinking about the main features of CLT was analysed from a linguistic perspective to determine their attitudes towards and knowledge of CLT, their view of language acquisition, and their practice in real life. The results indicate that EFL teachers hold positive attitudes towards CLT in elementary school teaching in general; their divergences from the principles of CLT are caused by their previous experience, their knowledge of CLT and considerations that affect teaching practice in classrooms. The study provides a lens for future teachers’ training adaption and exposes the limitations of the current teaching curriculum in China.
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