Graded English Series (GES)—A Possible Way Out for the Reform of the English Teaching in China

Abstract

To explore an effective way to change the awkward present situation of the examination-handling education in the English teaching in China, the vocabulary was defined as the only criterion to judge the level of a person's English learning and the only quantified index to be tested, an exclusive programme was compiled to formulate a graded vocabulary list by use of the world's authoritative corpora and various word lists, a vocabulary testing and analyzing system for English passages was developed, 3,000 English passages of 60-600 words were chosen, tested and analyzed one by one by means of the newly-developed graded vocabulary list, then, the passages were automatically classified into different grades with the vocabulary coverage rate (VCR) of >95% as the criterion, each was put in order and included into the corresponding grade, and then the passages in the same grade were properly arranged to form Graded English Series (GES), which satisfied the two conditions of the vocabulary coverage scope and rate, realizing the principle of 'proceeding in an orderly way and step by step' in the real meaning and giving a possibility of achieving the effect of 'half efforts but double gains' in teaching, and thus served as a cure for the stubborn and persistent ailment of the examination-handling teaching and an effective way to exercise the quality education in English teaching.