A Study On The Implementation Of English Curriculum Policies For Basic Education Aimingat Key Competency Development

The key competency oriented basic English curriculum reform in China takes place in the context of a new round of deepening basic education reform with the national fundamental education design of “cultivating talents with morality” and the purpose of “developing students' key competencies”.The English Curriculum Standards for Senior High School(2017 Edition)promulgated by the Ministry of Education on 16 January 2018 marks the official start of the competency oriented English curriculum reform for primary and secondary schools.The new curriculum standards,which takes the full implementation of the Communist Party of China's educational policy as the guiding principle,the realization of the fundamental design of cultivating talents with morality in English education as the mission,and developing students' key competencies as the core curriculum policy philosophy,have built the key-competency-based curriculum structure and curriculum content in English teaching and,more than two years since officially promulgated,the standards have had a huge impact on English teaching in the entire basic education stage.Therefore,it has a great significance and effect on improving curriculum implementation to investigate the current situation of the implementation of the new round of basic English curriculum policies aiming at developing students' key competencies and discover the problems and positive experiences in the implementation process.This study explores the implementation of basic English curriculum policies under the reform of the competency-based English curriculum reform in primary and secondary schools,based on “The English Curriculum Standards for Senior High School(2017 Edition)” and other national curriculum policies with a focus on policy practices and evaluation of curriculum policy implementors,mainly front line English teachers as well as principals and researchers.This study,based on the related theories of implementation of curriculum policies,builds a theoretical model of research on the implementation of key-competency-oriented basic English curriculum policy to study and explain the cultivating concept and key competencies in English and the implementation of curriculum policies in term of schools and teachers,therefore make further policy recommendations.In this study,the mixed research method of quantitative research and qualitative research is used.Specifically,questionnaire survey,literature analysis and interview are used to collect quantitative and qualitative data and form a data triangle verification through the analysis of questionnaire data results,in-depth interviews between experts and teachers,and policy text analysis,and also a triangle verification in research perspectives respectively from teachers,education administrators(e.g.,principals and researchers)and policymakers.Finally,this study progressively analyzes the current implementation,influencing factors and improving methods of the basic English curriculum policies aiming at key competency development in the aspects of schools and teachers.This study believes that the improvement of the implementation based on key competency oriented curriculum policies should first promote teachers' understanding of curriculum policies.First,it is necessary to help teachers further understand the educational value of English curriculum policies in view of the philosophy of curriculum policies.Meanwhile,it is needed to assist teachers in understanding the specific requirements of English curriculum standards in order to increase curriculum operability.Secondly,policy implementation environment should be taken into consideration to value the role and influence of principals,experts,researchers,teachers and students in order to form multilateral communication and in-depth cooperation among principals,experts,teachers,researchers and other subjects of curriculum policy implementation.Moreover,school-based English curriculum is an effective way to promote key competencies cultivating goals,therefore it is required to further scientifically prove and carefully design the development progress of the school-based English curriculum.Meanwhile,since teachers' professional ability can largely determine the quality of the implementation of curriculum policies,the keycompetency-oriented curriculum reform should be used to further effectively promote the professional development of teachers.In addition,as the regional imbalance in the development of English teaching in China still exists,we should continue to increase investment in educational reforms in economically underdeveloped regions.Thirdly,the effective implementation of English curriculum policies also depends on further optimizing the implementation of the English curriculum aiming at key competency development in term of practice.This study maintains that the effective connection of English curricula in elementary and middle schools should be further strengthened,and the cultivation ways of key competency in English should be increased.