Guiding opinions of the Ministry of Education on actively promoting English courses in primary schools
Education departments of all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government (Education Committees) and Education Committees of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps:
In order to carry out the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 15th CPC Central Committee and the Third National Conference on Education, and further implement the strategic guiding ideology of "education should face modernization, the world and the future", the Ministry of Education decided to set up English courses in primary schools as an important part of the curriculum reform of basic education in the early 21st century. The following opinions are put forward on offering English courses in primary schools.
First, actively promote the establishment of English courses in primary schools
The basic goals of promoting English courses in primary schools are: starting from the autumn of 2001, English courses will be gradually offered in primary schools in cities and counties all over the country; In the autumn of 2002, English courses were gradually offered in primary schools where towns and villages were located. The starting grade of English courses in primary schools is generally grade three. The education administrative departments of all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government may, in light of the actual situation, determine the working objectives and steps of offering English courses in primary schools in their respective regions.
In actively promoting the work of offering English courses in primary schools, we should protect and support foreign language teaching in other languages such as Japanese and Russian. Encourage schools that use other languages as their main foreign language courses to run their own characteristics. Actively support "double foreign languages" and other teaching experiments.
Second, the basic requirements for offering English courses in primary schools
English teaching in primary schools should be based on the Basic Requirements for English Curriculum Teaching in Primary Schools (Trial), pay attention to stimulating and cultivating students’ interest in learning English, cultivate a certain sense of language and a good foundation of pronunciation and intonation, and guide students to be willing to communicate in English simply. Prevent and correct the practice of teaching language knowledge such as pronunciation and grammar, and focus on cultivating students’ ability and interest in communicating in English. The evaluation of primary school English should be based on formative evaluation according to the requirements of curriculum objectives. It is not allowed to queue up students’ test scores as the basis for various evaluations and selections.
English courses in primary schools should follow the principle of short class hours and high frequency, and schools can carry out colorful English teaching activities through the combination of long and short classes and cooperation inside and outside classes. To ensure teaching activities at least four times a week, the school can arrange flexibly according to specific conditions. In primary schools offering English courses, from the third grade, the Chinese class will be reduced by one class hour, and the rest of the English teaching activities will be solved by local class hours.
All localities can determine the teaching methods of English in primary schools according to the actual situation. Change the traditional concept of classroom teaching, make full use of distance teaching methods and English teaching audio-visual resources, and create a good language learning environment for students. Cities or regions with better teacher conditions should actively use English audio-visual media in classroom teaching. In areas where English teachers are not qualified for the time being, English TV programs, videotapes, CDs and tapes should be actively used to carry out teaching activities under the guidance and organization of teachers.
From the first half of 2001, China Education Television will broadcast a series of training programs for English teachers in primary schools to improve their English teaching ability, and make some TV teaching programs for English in primary schools, which will be broadcast regularly and rolling from the fall of 2001, and at the same time provide corresponding audio-visual media for primary schools to organize English teaching.
Third, strengthen the management of primary school English textbooks
In view of the fact that there are a considerable number of primary school English textbooks in China, at present, the main way to solve the demand for primary school English textbooks is to organize the review of existing textbooks and standardize management in accordance with the Basic Requirements for Primary School English Curriculum Teaching (Trial). The textbooks approved by the examination will be included in the catalogue of teaching books for primary and secondary schools. Beginning in the autumn of 2002, English textbooks for primary schools that are not listed in the catalogue of teaching books for primary and secondary schools will cease to be used. New primary school English textbooks must be submitted to our department for approval. Encourage the development of high-quality English teaching software.
Fourth, strengthen the construction of English teachers in primary schools
Strengthening the construction of English teachers in primary schools is the basic condition to improve the quality of English teaching in primary schools. At present, we should focus on the training of primary school English backbone teachers and tutors to solve the urgent need of offering English courses in primary schools. Can carry out job-transfer training, for in-service primary school teachers with a certain English foundation, after passing the training, they can be transferred to engage in English teaching or take part-time English teaching counseling. Teachers’ colleges at all levels, teachers’ training colleges, and teaching and research offices in primary and secondary schools should train in-service primary school teachers under the planning and guidance of local education administrative departments. Strengthen the construction of English education majors in normal universities at all levels and types, and strive to expand and improve the scale and ability of training primary school teachers in normal universities. We should continue to run secondary foreign language normal schools well. Encourage and support qualified secondary normal schools to hold English professional classes. Secondary normal schools should offer compulsory English courses. Conditional secondary normal schools can be transformed into secondary foreign language normal schools.
According to the local reality, make reasonable provisions on the standard of primary school English teachers’ equipment, teaching workload, job appointment and salary. In order to attract excellent primary school English teachers, all localities can adopt appropriate encouragement policies according to the actual situation. Encourage non-normal college English majors to teach in primary schools.
Five, strengthen the leadership of English courses in primary schools.
Education administrative departments at all levels should fully understand the importance of promoting English courses in primary schools, strengthen leadership, formulate operational implementation plans, stress practical results and make steady progress. Conditional areas should provide necessary conditions for primary schools to receive English course programs. In particular, to solve the problem of cable TV reception, it is equipped with necessary equipment such as TV sets, video recorders and tape recorders. Other areas should make full use of the "radio and television project for every village" and the "school-to-school project".
Strengthen the scientific research on English curriculum and teaching in primary schools. I will set up a national primary school English teaching steering committee to guide the national primary school English teaching and scientific research. Teaching and research departments at all levels should be equipped with full-time primary school English teaching and research staff, and actively organize primary school English teachers to carry out teaching and research work.
All localities should set up a number of "demonstration classes", "demonstration schools" and "demonstration areas" in a planned way, carry out teaching reform experiments, sum up and popularize advanced experience, and play an exemplary role in promoting English courses in primary schools locally.
Attachment:
Basic requirements for English teaching in primary schools (for Trial Implementation). docx
the General Office of the Ministry of Education
January 20, 2001