The Contrastive Study On Teaching Methodology Systems Between Chinese And English As Second Languages

It is widely acknowledged that the theoretical frame or model of Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (TCFL) should be based on the combination of both Western and Chinese teaching and learning theories, particularly with stress on the uniqueness of Chinese Language and its specified teaching methods. It indicates the direction for TCFL to develop in the days to come and its current imperfection. In the past century, the development of teaching method has become the kernel of the Second Language Teaching Theories. The macro-objective of TCFL is believed to embrace two basic requirements: first, we need to reconsider the rational relationship between the Western Language Teaching Method Theories and the TCFL's, since TCFL has long been passively affected by the Western's in the theory development. Second, we need to probe into the uniqueness of Chinese language in TCFL and its relevant teaching methods.This dissertation initiates the reconstruction of language Teaching Methodology System (TMS) as a platform on which both requirements could be integrated for study. We suggest the contrast measure contained in Humboldt's Language's World Outlook be extended to the contrastive study of language Teaching Methodology Systems of both Chinese and English as second languages. The study should be carried out both diachronically and synchronically to discuss the characteristics in the construction of both Chinese and English language teaching theories, especially, the uniqueness demonstrated in the construction of language Teaching Methodology Principle (TMP) and Teaching Procedure concerning the arrangement of many key teaching factors. By means of the detailed contrastive study, we conclude that the ignorance or the lack of critical reference and inheritance of the unique language teaching traditions could be the source of those problems obsessing TCFL, such as the backwardness in TCFL's theory, faulty view on Chinese language basic structural unit and distortion of TCFL's teaching methods. Finally, based on the "Post-method Era" theory, this study constructively suggests a reconstructed TCFL's teaching methodology system with Teacher Autonomy as its essential principle, which is believed to provide one possibility to construct a theoretic model genuinely reflects Chinese language uniqueness and its relevant teaching and learning rules.This dissertation consists of seven chapters. Chapter 1: IntroductionIt is a general tendency of TCFL in theory development how to focus on the uniqueness of Chinese language while importing the Western teaching and learning theories. From which we draw up two considerations: how to correctly common on TCFL's existed theoretical frame and how to understand the uniqueness of Chinese language in TCFL. We suggest that it be important to dialectically judge the impact of the Western second language teaching theories and also review the prophase studies on the Chinese language uniqueness in TCFL. These two basic topics should be based on the Language's World Outlook in the frame of contrasting TMSs of both Chinese and English as second languages. This chapter sets an objective to sum up the teaching thoughts and methods in conformity with Chinese language uniqueness in TCFL. It initiates the scopes and research approaches for the contrast and discusses its possible significance.Chapter 2: Teaching Methodology System: Practicing the Teaching Theory and Theorizing the Teaching PracticeThis chapter is on the research review of TMS. In TMS's theoretical construction, this chapter mainly differentiates some basic concepts concerning language teaching method and emphasizing the TMS concept with the TMP as its core. Based on which, this chapter initiates a cubic construction model of TMS, inwardly focusing on the key functions and construction of the concept of TMP and outwardly discussing the status of TMS in the discipline of Second Language Teaching. It demonstrates the special feature of TMS to practice the teaching theories and theorize the teaching practice.Chapter 3: The Philosophy Foundation for Contrast and Construction of the Teaching Methodology System in Second Language TeachingThis chapter is mainly about the concept of Language Outlook and its philosophical foundation, proposing two approaches by which the Language Outlook affects the TMP: the Language Outlook determines the formation of basic language teaching content and objective, further manipulating the teaching procedures and selection of language teaching methods. Taking some typical Language Outlooks for comparison, this chapter states that the Language's World Outlook is the most genuine expression of the language nature, and spotlights its significances to the TMS: first, the Language's World Outlook makes a philosophical foundation for the contrastive study and provides a unique approach of contrast for the second language teaching research. Second, taking Chinese Language for example, the Language's World Outlook may reexplain the language nature in the second language teaching. This Outlook stresses the traditional thoughts and cultural characteristics of the specified nations behind language, and may reflects the traits and content of the target language, thus it may upgrade the objectives in the second language teaching.Chapter 4: The Contrast Study on the Teaching Methodology Systems of both Chinese and English as Second Languages in the Preceding TMS PhaseThis chapter mainly retrospects on the origins and the specified historical backgrounds of teaching both Chinese and English as second languages, briefly summing up their macro teaching characters. In the falsely framed TMS at this stage, this chapter makes detailed hierarchical contrasts between the two from the Language Outlook to the Teaching Methodology Principles and the Teaching Procedures on the level of Teaching Methodology Design. Accordingly, it concludes distinctive features and traits of teaching both Chinese and English as second languages in the history. This chapter also makes a case study on the advanced teaching thoughts and methods implied in Lao Qida, a typical textbook of teaching Chinese overseas popular in the Korean Peninsula during the transitional period from Yuan Dynasty to Ming Dynasty.Chapter 5: The Contrast Study on the Teaching Methodology Systems of both Chinese and English as Second Languages in the TMS PhaseThe teaching of both Chinese and English as second languages is diachronically divided into two phases of TMS, separately the one based on "Structuralism" and the one on "Functionalism". There exist many differences between the two in both external and inner structures of the system. This chapter synchronically makes detailed hierarchical contrasts between the two language teachings from the Language Outlook to the Teaching Methodology Principles and the Teaching Procedures on the level of Teaching Methodology Design. It mainly highlights the differences of the TMPs which symbolize the theoretical construction of different systems.Chapter 6: Reflection on the Theoretical Construction and Language Nature in Teaching based on the Teaching Methodology SystemBased on the discoveries from the above contrasts, this chapter summarizes typical features in the theoretical construction of the two language teachings from detailed formation of TMP and general development of teaching theory, and tries to explain the uniqueness and difference between the two by analyzing both Chinese and Western traditional thoughts. This chapter also studies TCFL's teaching grammar based on the "structuralism", and argues that the theory of "Zi" as the basic structural unit well reflects the Chinese language nature in the application, and helps TCFL's theoretical inheritance from the past up to now. This chapter concludes that to an extent, the confusions in TCFL's teaching theories and language natures could be ascribed to the crisis of historical inheritance.Chapter 7: "Post-method Era" Language Teaching and the Construction of TCFL'S Teaching Methodology SystemThis chapter analyzes "The Post-method Era" language teaching theory of Kumaravadivelu's which critically negates the limitedness of traditional concept of teaching method, and advocates constructing a new "down-up" teaching methodology system geared to the real teaching situation, with stress on teacher autonomy. Based on it, this chapter, comments on the current construction and relevant imperfection of TCFL's teaching methodology system, proposing a flexible paradigm of methodology system with teacher autonomy principle highlighted.