EFL Teacher Education in China and Moldova: A Comparative Study Yamin Qian Victorina Baxan Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

Contents Brief introduction: The authors Theoretical Framework Research Questions Context Method Data Analysis Findings Discussion Further Discussion Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

Authors’ Background Yamin Qian Victorina Baxan Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

Theoretical Framework From examining teaching as a set of discrete behaviors to studying teachers’ thinking and, later teachers’ cognition (Freeman & Johnson, 1998) The context that student teachers are embedded in and the nature of interactivity within such a context (Bax,1997; Graves,2009; Norton,2006) The impacts of institutional negotiation for legitimacy of a program on student teachers’ understanding of, and negotiation of being teachers (Ramanathan, Davis & Schleppegrell,2003) Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

Research Questions What are the similarities and differences between the two EFL teacher education programs from China and post-Soviet Moldova? What are the implications for EFL teacher education in the two respective contexts? What are the implications for effective teacher education in the Asian and Moldovan context? Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

Context P.R. China Moldova Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

The attributes that this comparative study looks at: the syllabus, the history of educational institutions, staffing. Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

Method: 1. Qualitative Study: 2. Document analysis Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

Knowledge Base of Syllabus Findings (I): China Knowledge Base of Syllabus 67 percent (N=1812 hours) on language learning 12 percent (N=336) on language teaching Six percent (N=162 ) on social context knowledge Four percent (N=96）on cultures Nine percent (N=256) on another foreign language learning Two percent (N=54) on computer science Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

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2) History of the School of Foreign Studies (China) from School of Foreign studies to Russian teacher education to English teacher education faculty faster development of Russian teacher education between to faster development of English teacher education afterwards from School of Foreign studies to Russian teacher education faculty in 1949 from Russian teacher education to English teacher education faculty in 1950s faster development of Russian teacher education between 1940s to 1950s faster development of English teacher education afterwards Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

In total 53 faculty members, 19 faculty members have Ph.D degrees. 3) Staffing (China) In total 53 faculty members, 19 faculty members have Ph.D degrees. On its official website, only three doctoral supervisors are introduced in details. Professors specialized in linguistics or applied linguistics are introduced in details. No introduction on faculty members specialized in education. Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

Findings (I): Moldova Knowledge Base of Syllabus 67 percent (N=3014 hours) on language learning (inlc. 2nd foreign language) 14 percent (N=619) on language teaching 5 percent (N=256 ) on social context 10 percent (N=438) on learning culture 4 percent (N=168) on other subjects, such as computer science, logic Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

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offers specializations in English, French, German and Spanish 2) History of the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literature (Moldova) established in 1954 had several names throughout its history: Department of English Philology, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Department of English Language and Literature and it is known as the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures consists of five subdivisions: Department of English Philology, Department of English Language, Department of French Philology, Department of French Language, and the Department of German Philology offers specializations in English, French, German and Spanish Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

3) Staffing (Moldova) a total of 63 faculty members, with 7 full professors 32 junior faculty members official website does not provide details about staff education No faculty members specializes in education – usually such faculty are cross-appointed form the Faculty of Pedagogy/Education Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

Discussion (I): Similarities: Courses: Experience as learners . Both programs have the majority of hours spent on language learning Both programs have the majority of hours spent on language learning, focusing on different aspects of linguistics. Language teaching comes second: 14 percent in Moldovan program and 12 percent in Chinese program Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

2. Historical Aspects of Institutional Development Similarities 2. Historical Aspects of Institutional Development Both programs take EFL learning as a science rather than levels of socio-cultural discourses (Doman, 2005). China had undergone the change from educating a large number of Russian teachers to English teachers. However, the ideology of teacher education remained under the influence of the former USSR for a long time. Moldova’s foreign language education has retained many features of the Soviet teacher training programs. Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

Differences: Social Context Courses in the Moldovan program focus more on social, economic and historical aspects of the country. Although percentagewise the two programs have an almost equal number of courses , the program in China has distinct ideological courses (i.e. focusing on communist theories and policies), while courses in the Moldovan program focus more on social, economic and historical aspects of the country. This is an interesting finding since the Moldovan program that we analyzed was offered between 1993-1998, while the Chinese program is currently (2009) being offered. Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

2. Cultural Knowledge The Moldovan program has a higher proportion of culture-related courses Chinese program: more diversified in regards to content of cultures. The Moldova program focuses more on cultural knowledge. The Moldovan program has a higher proportion of culture-related courses: 10 percent (N=438 hours), compared to four percent (N=96 hours) in the Chinese program. Chinese program: more diversified in regards to content of cultures, ranging from brief introduction of English speaking countries, culture of European countries, to cross-cultural communication. The Moldova program focuses more on the ecological aspect of cultural knowledge, although it also has introductory courses on cultures of the United Kingdom and the United States. Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

Moldova: Five years; China: Four years 3) Length of the Program Moldova: Five years; China: Four years Moldova: more hours on learning the language. The program in Moldova lasted for five years while the program in China is four years in length. Percentagewise both Chinese and Moldovan students spend 67% of their program on language learning. However, Moldovan students spend more hours learning the language: 3014 hours compared to 1780 hours spent by Chinese students. Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

China: Higher percentage of staff members with PH.D 4) Staffing China: Higher percentage of staff members with PH.D Both the percentage is low compared to universities in North America. The university in China: 35.84% (N=19) staff members have Ph.D. degree or professorship. The university in Moldova: 8% (N=7) staff members have Ph.D. degree or professorship. The percentage is low compared to universities in North America Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

Conclusions and Implications More education-related courses, including teaching methods courses. More courses on multiculturalism More reflective practice An effective teacher education program for preparing teachers of Foreign Languages in China and Moldova would require more education-related courses, including teaching methods courses. EFL teachers trained in China and Moldova need to learn about multiculturalism as well. The culture courses that are included in the programs studied are not sufficient to prepare them to function in a multicultural society, such as Canada; they simply provide a cultural (and historical) perspective on English-speaking countries. Reflective practice is another aspect of EFL teacher education that is missing in China and Moldova Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

Limitations of the study: Interviews with students, teachers and administrators will undoubtedly develop a more comprehensive perspective on EFL teacher education programs in China and Moldova Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018

Thank You Qian & Baxan 11/24/2018