When a populous giant such as the People's Republic of China takes up an interest this one being English--with such fervor, it is no small venture. In fact, one finds it difficult to know where to begin in describing circumstances and prescribing solutions concerning EFL in China. And since China has only in the last seven years opened its doors for serious Western interaction, there has not yet been time to probe extensively with statistical studies about English teaching progress in China, nor to make other than wide-sweeping generalizations about inconsistencies encountered. There is a joke we often heard duriog our six-month teaching term in Beijing, which I found repeated in my reading ... "those who stay in China for a week write a book about it. Those who stay a month write an article. And those who live a year or more there, . write nothing 11 (Maley, 1983, p. 97). Appropriately then, I might add: those who stay in China six months write a thesis. As I have indicated, the primary basis for the following curriculum modification I am proposing is a spring 1984 teaching experience in Mainland China. A colleague, Linda Stark, and I, through the recommendation of a visiting scholar to Oklahoma State University, received an assignment to teach in a small college on the outskirts of Beijing. My personal assignment was to provide native English instruction for middle school English teachers from small coal mining towns throughout Northeastern China. In a cooperative effort with the Chinese EFL teachers of these teacher trainees, I taught on alternate weeks two classes (41 students) of secondary teachers. Though later rewarding, initially the teaching experience was frustrating. A major problem identified by Chinese and Westerner alike concerns the conflicting perspectives and approaches expected of the foreign teacher working in China (J. Scovel, 1982; Maley, 1983; Wu, 1983). The students I taught expected me to expound upon antiquated textbook passages, to provide expert answers to all questions of grammar, and to give informative lectures on American and British literature. I, on the other hand, felt my function to be one of structuring a communicative classroom stressing all skill areas, informing these teachers of up-to-date methods and techniques, and providing them with cultural information on the United States. Though these objectives clearly stood in opposition, our ultimate goal was shared: increased skill in the teaching of English. What evolved, through a mutual reshaping of expectations, was a compromise. I began to explicate more completely on the textbook and to give lectures on English literature, while involving the students in highly structured communicative activities. Later, after returning to the United States and pondering this evolution in my teaching, I have now developed what is a personally satisfying proposal for a curriculum revision. Given the transitory role of the foreign teacher in China, everchanging TEFL practices and materials availability there, this model functions primarily as a foundation easily adapted in actual use. It is hoped that this proposal suggests a more efficient and pleasant experience for the foreign teacher, while respecting the tradition and pedagogical thought of the Chinese.Teaching English as a Second Languag
