EFL Teacher Education in China and Moldova: A Comparative Study

1. EFL Teacher Education in China and Moldova: A Comparative Study YaminQian VictorinaBaxan Qian & Baxan

2. Contents • Brief introduction: The authors • Theoretical Framework • Research Questions • Context • Method • Data Analysis • Findings • Discussion • Further Discussion Qian & Baxan

3. Authors’ Background • YaminQian • VictorinaBaxan Qian & Baxan

4. Theoretical Framework • From examining teaching as a set of discrete behaviors to studying teachers’ thinking and, later teachers’ cognition (Freeman & Johnson, 1998) • The context that student teachers are embedded in and the nature of interactivity within such a context (Bax,1997; Graves,2009; Norton,2006) • The impacts of institutional negotiation for legitimacy of a program on student teachers’ understanding of, and negotiation of being teachers (Ramanathan, Davis & Schleppegrell,2003) Qian & Baxan

5. Research Questions • What are the similarities and differences between the two EFL teacher education programs from China and post-Soviet Moldova? • What are the implications for EFL teacher education in the two respective contexts? • What are the implications for effective teacher education in the Asian and Moldovan context? Qian & Baxan

6. Context • P.R. China • Moldova Qian & Baxan

7. The attributes that this comparative study looks at: the syllabus, the history of educational institutions, staffing. Qian & Baxan

8. Method: 1. Qualitative Study: 2. Document analysis Qian & Baxan

9. Findings (I): China • Knowledge Base of Syllabus • 67 percent (N=1812 hours) on language learning • 12 percent (N=336) on language teaching • Six percent (N=162 ) on social context knowledge • Four percent (N=96）on cultures • Nine percent (N=256) on another foreign language learning • Two percent (N=54) on computer science Qian & Baxan

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11. 2) History of the School of Foreign Studies (China) • from School of Foreign studies to Russian teacher education to English teacher education faculty • faster development of Russian teacher education between to faster development of English teacher education afterwards Qian & Baxan

12. 3) Staffing (China) • In total 53 faculty members, 19 faculty members have Ph.D degrees. • On its official website, only three doctoral supervisors are introduced in details. • Professors specialized in linguistics or applied linguistics are introduced in details. • No introduction on faculty members specialized in education. Qian & Baxan

13. Findings (I): Moldova • Knowledge Base of Syllabus • 67 percent (N=3014 hours) on language learning (inlc. 2nd foreign language) • 14 percent (N=619) on language teaching • 5 percent (N=256 ) on social context • 10 percent (N=438) on learning culture • 4 percent (N=168) on other subjects, such as computer science, logic Qian & Baxan

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15. 2) History of the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literature (Moldova) • established in 1954 • had several names throughout its history: Department of English Philology, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Department of English Language and Literature and it is known as the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures • consists of five subdivisions: Department of English Philology, Department of English Language, Department of French Philology, Department of French Language, and the Department of German Philology • offers specializations in English, French, German and Spanish Qian & Baxan

16. 3) Staffing (Moldova) • a total of 63 faculty members, with 7 full professors • 32 junior faculty members • official website does not provide details about staff education • No faculty members specializes in education – usually such faculty are cross-appointed form the Faculty of Pedagogy/Education Qian & Baxan

17. Discussion (I): Similarities: Courses: Experience as learners . Both programs have the majority of hours spent on language learning Qian & Baxan

18. Similarities 2. Historical Aspects of Institutional Development Both programs take EFL learning as a science rather than levels of socio-cultural discourses (Doman, 2005). Qian & Baxan

19. Differences: Social Context Courses in the Moldovan program focus more on social, economic and historical aspects of the country. Qian & Baxan

20. 2. Cultural Knowledge • The Moldovan program has a higher proportion of culture-related courses • Chinese program: more diversified in regards to content of cultures. • The Moldova program focuses more on cultural knowledge. Qian & Baxan

21. 3) Length of the Program Moldova: Five years; China: Four years Moldova: more hours on learning the language. Qian & Baxan

22. 4) Staffing • China: Higher percentage of staff members with PH.D • Both the percentage is low compared to universities in North America. Qian & Baxan

23. Conclusions and Implications • More education-related courses, including teaching methods courses. • More courses on multiculturalism • More reflective practice Qian & Baxan

24. Limitations of the study: Interviews with students, teachers and administrators will undoubtedly develop a more comprehensive perspective on EFL teacher education programs in China and Moldova Qian & Baxan

25. Thank You Qian & Baxan