Higher Education of Social Science
Vol. 2, No. 1, 2012, pp. 26-31 DOI: 10.3968/j.hess.1927024020120201.2640
Higher Education of Social Science
ISSN 1927-0232 [Print] ISSN 1927-0240 [Online] www.cscanada.net www.cscanada.org
An Empirical Study on Speaking Proficiency Training for Chinese EFL Learners
MA Ruixue1, *; MA Zejun2; WANG Yijing3
Lecturer, main research areas are EFL teaching, second language acquisition and intercultural communication. School of Foreign Languages, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China * Corresponding author. 2, 3 School of Foreign Languages, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China Supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Number: DUT11RW412&DUT10RW413) and Liaoning Social Science Fund (Number: L11DYY032). Received 26 October 2011; accepted 20 January 2012
1
INTRODUCTION
In China, the rapidly developing economy leads to an increasing demand for talents well-equipped with not only professional skills but also proficient language skills. Since early the 21st century profound and nation-wide reforms have been undertaken in English teaching, for instance, with expansion of English language education into the primary curriculum (Zhao, 2008). In spite of having obtained longer period of language training, yet the learners’ performance is not satisfactory, especially in speaking. In job interviews given by foreign companies, they are too nervous to make a brief self-introduction. Most Chinese overseas students find language is the biggest obstacle that prevents them from getting used to the new environment.
Improving students’ speaking proficiency has always been a challenge for Chinese EFL teachers. With the traditional training mode students had low motivation to speak, insufficient exposure to authentic language input, inadequate teachers’ instruction on social strategies and no collaborative learning environment to find a partner to practice English with. Aiming at solving the
Higher Education of Social Science
ISSN 1927-0232 [Print] ISSN 1927-0240 [Online] www.cscanada.net www.cscanada.org
An Empirical Study on Speaking Proficiency Training for Chinese EFL Learners
MA Ruixue1, *; MA Zejun2; WANG Yijing3
Lecturer, main research areas are EFL teaching, second language acquisition and intercultural communication. School of Foreign Languages, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China * Corresponding author. 2, 3 School of Foreign Languages, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China Supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Number: DUT11RW412&DUT10RW413) and Liaoning Social Science Fund (Number: L11DYY032). Received 26 October 2011; accepted 20 January 2012
1
INTRODUCTION
In China, the rapidly developing economy leads to an increasing demand for talents well-equipped with not only professional skills but also proficient language skills. Since early the 21st century profound and nation-wide reforms have been undertaken in English teaching, for instance, with expansion of English language education into the primary curriculum (Zhao, 2008). In spite of having obtained longer period of language training, yet the learners’ performance is not satisfactory, especially in speaking. In job interviews given by foreign companies, they are too nervous to make a brief self-introduction. Most Chinese overseas students find language is the biggest obstacle that prevents them from getting used to the new environment.
Improving students’ speaking proficiency has always been a challenge for Chinese EFL teachers. With the traditional training mode students had low motivation to speak, insufficient exposure to authentic language input, inadequate teachers’ instruction on social strategies and no collaborative learning environment to find a partner to practice English with. Aiming at solving the
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