Comparative Research On Implementing The Communicative Language Teaching In Public Language Schools And Private Language Schools

Current literature about CLT in China is mainly about adult learners in universities, so the final claims of the literature on this topic could not apply directly to young learners. However, young learners in secondary and elementary schools should not be neglected in the discussion of CLT in China. This study tries to explore this virgin ground: the feasibility of implementing CLT to Chinese young learners in private language schools by comparing the condition between public secondary schools and private language schools. This study also tries to analyze the inter-relationship between EFL teachers and young learners in China and uses questionnaires , interviews and classroom observations as approaches to meet this purpose.Findings of the study include the following content: First, respondent teachers'personal information,which are also analyzed deeply with complexities of Chinese educational system as its background. Second, findings relating to teaching in classrooms are presented. Class size, the use of communicative language, the use of grammar teaching and the variation of activities in the classroom are analyzed one by one. Third, findings relating to teachers'perceptions of CLT are presented, including teachers'attitudes to the feasibility of implementing CLT, the most difficult part of CLT and possible solutions suggested by participant teachers. At last, findings relating to learning (from young learners'perspective) in CLT are presented. Major activities students do in class and the number of students speaking English in and outside the class are analysed.