A Study Of Pre-service English Teachers’ Professional Knowledge Structure

Since the promulgation of the new curriculum standard in 2001, how to improve the professional development of English teacher in China attracts high attention again. Undeniably, as the primary stage of teaching career, pre-service education is the main source of English teachers’ professional knowledge, so it will affect their professional development as well as the development of new curriculum reform. Thus, how to construct a reasonable knowledge structure for pre-service English teachers has become an urgent issue to be dealt with.Based on the Constructivist and Autonomous Learning theory, this thesis selects three-year academic English postgraduates in grade 2011 as research subjects. The research mainly answers the following three questions. (1) What is the current situation of pre-service English teachers’ professional knowledge? (2) In the aspect of pre-service English teachers’ professional knowledge structure, are there any differences between curriculum and teaching methodology majors and non-curriculum and teaching methodology majors? (3) What are the factors affecting the construction of pre-service teachers’ professional knowledge structure?The major findings of pre-service English teachers’ professional knowlege can be summarized in three aspects. (1) All the pre-service English teachers master the subject knowledge better than theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge. (2) There are some differences between the curriculum and teaching methodology majors and non-curriculum and teaching methodology majors. There is significant difference in the aspect of theoretical knowledge. Curriculum and teaching methodology majors have an obvious advantage of theoretical knowledge. While there is few differences between curriculum and teaching methodology majors and non-curriculum and teaching methodology majors in the aspects of educational knowledge and subject knowledge as well as practical knowledge. Most of pre-service English teachers have a good foundation of educational knowledge and subject knowledge, but they are weak in mastering practical knowledge. (3) There are three factors, including the deficiencies of theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge, the shortcomings of curriculum setting and the passive learning attitude of pre-service English teachers, preventing those students from constructing their professional knowledge structure. For improving the pre-service English teachers’ professional structure, the author presents some suggestions in detail from the aspects of curriculum provision, teaching practice and teachers’attitude.