Probing Possibilities of Applying Productive Pedagogy to English Teaching in China

Abstract

Productive Pedagogy has been proved an effective teaching approach in Australia for its combination of a diversity of essential teaching aspects. It takes four dimensions into consideration, namely intellectual quality, connectedness, supportive environment and recognition of differences, which is supposed a very comprehensive understanding of the essence of teaching. Productive Pedagogy stresses a high level studying and improved learning outcomes over superficial knowledge knowing. With the help of this teaching approach, students are more likely to develop a variety of abilities such as deep learning, critical thinking, problem solving and so on. Different from Productive Pedagogy, English teaching in China still exists in grammar-translation, schools, teachers, parents and students are stopping at fragmented language learning. As a result, Chinese students are weak at thinking critically and solving real problems. How to change teaching model in China and by what way? Is it possible to apply completely this new teaching approach to China’s English teaching? Productive Pedagogy is discussed in this paper for its advantages to produce students’ learning outcomes. However, different countries have different culture and teaching and learning environment, when applying a new way, it needs to take the real context into account. In China, it is possibly to introduce Productive Pedagogy in private schools initially rather than public schools due to the supportive leadership, learning community, teaching and assessment philosophy in private schools. To specific, some productive activities together with Productive Pedagogy moving beyond China’s current English teaching model have also been suggested.