English Language Teaching in Vocational Senior Secondary Schools in China

Abstract

This chapter reports on a 2009 qualitative inquiry into English language teaching at three vocational senior secondary schools in a big industrial city in China. The qualitative study extends a quantitative study which investigated students’ English language learning motivation and their language achievement through a sample of 707 participants from the same three schools. In the current qualitative study, 23 student participants were selected from the same cohort of participants, using purposive sampling. In addition to the student participants, six teachers as well as six graduate students were selected via purposive or snowball sampling. Data collection was conducted by way of classroom observation, semi-structured interview and document analysis. The current study investigates curriculum discrepancies existing between the expected implemented English curriculum and the current implemented English curriculum at micro classroom levels at vocational senior secondary schools in terms of teachers’ English teaching. The research indicates that deficiencies exist in teachers’ classroom-based curriculum implementation and that a priority of needs should be established.