Pre-service EFL teacher education in Mainland China: Case studies of BA/TEFL curriculum development

This research focused on the curriculum planning process of BA/TEFL programs at normal universities in Mainland China. It aimed to examine the procedures that each program followed in curriculum improvement, especially with regard to the level of involvement of different stakeholders and other possible factors, which had an impact on the curriculum decisions. This study was conducted because there was a pressing need to improve pre-service teacher education programs in the Chinese educational context, and curriculum development was of primary importance.; Following a constructivist paradigm, the research employed a case study approach combining qualitative and quantitative research methods to explore the process of curriculum development of two BA/TEFL programs in Mainland China. Research data sources included questionnaire responses, interview data, university archives and documents, and field notes from case-site visits. The questionnaire survey was completed by 137 graduating student teachers and 86 past graduates teaching in secondary schools, from both programs. Altogether 54 stakeholders in the programs, i.e. program heads, teacher educators, student teachers, past graduates and employers, were interviewed to find out their opinions about strengths and weaknesses of the programs. Content analysis was carried out to identify the salient features of the curriculum planning process, which included decision-making features and degree of involvement by various stakeholders.; The results revealed that the curriculum processes at both BA/TEFL programs followed a primarily top-down approach, and the program heads played an essential role throughout the entire process. Teacher educators and student teachers were not very actively involved. Past graduates and schools that employed the graduates were almost never consulted about the curriculum. The findings also revealed that student teachers from the two case sites held different attitudes towards their learning and professional preparation in their respective programs; this was largely due to the variations in the curricula. Factors such as student in-take, the educational backgrounds of the teacher educators and the approaches adopted for the English language enhancement courses may also have contributed to the cultivation of pre-service teacher qualities.; The research findings shed light on our understanding of the process of curriculum planning and revision of BA/TEFL pre-service teacher education programs in normal universities in China. They have helped raise awareness that curricular decisions directly affect the degree of student teachers' preparedness for their future teaching profession. Therefore, it is very important for curriculum decision-makers to identify and cater for the needs of program recipients in the process of curriculum development.; This research has implications for the curriculum development of BA/TEFL programs not only in normal universities but also comprehensive universities that have started teacher education practice. It also has indicated that there is a need to develop TEFL professional standards in the Chinese context, which would inform the curriculum improvements of the BA/TEFL programs in terms of the forming and revision of the curriculum goals and objectives.