Improvement Of Primary Schools English Teachers’ Professional Qualities And The Implication To English Teaching

Since the start of the reform of the new basic education program, a third grade primaryschool opened enrollment to invite students to join the program. Gradually, ordinary studentsemerged as a unique group in this primary school. English teachers began the task of teachingstudents how to learn English as well as laying a foundation for a lifetime of learning. Noweducators are confronting a new question: Can the existing teacher ranks satisfy the need ofthe shifting priorities in primary English education? To answer this question, it is necessary toinvestigate the professional qualities of the current teachers.The professional qualities of English teachers in primary school are part of Englishteachers’ professional qualities, which has no unified definition and recognition yet. Theprimary school English teachers are the key element of success to promote the primary schoolEnglish course setting. To some extent, the quality of the teachers plays a decisive role in thesuccess of the curriculum reform. Moreover, the quality of English teachers in primaryschools affects the quality of teaching at those schools. Based on the theory of teachers’professional qualities--using constructivist learning and lifelong learning concepts--thisthesis adopts literary analysis, a questionnaire, an interview, and statistical analysis methodsto investigate the professional qualities of primary school English teachers teaching today.One hundred and twenty-eight primary school English teachers who actively teach English inrural primary schools, and who are2012graduates of the teacher “national training plan”from Hunan Province, are investigated. The study considers the general situation, theprofessional ethics, the professional knowledge, and the professional abilities of theparticipants.The result of this thesis shows that current teacher professional qualities fall short of thecriteria required of a quality educational system. English language proficiency, especially theoral English ability of the teachers, is below average. Teacher understanding of Englishculture is superficial. Their level of professional ethics and ability to utilize resources arestandard. They lack adequate knowledge of relevant educational theories. The class organization emphasizes form but ignores practical effects. A deficiency in their talentsreduces the demand for attendance in their classes. Teachers often appear passive in the areaof professional development with little incentive to perform research. In light of the problemsdiscovered, this study presents several implications for the improvement of professionalqualities for English teachers. It is the objective of this study to support the implementation ofthe new base curriculum and to offer some implication for English teaching in primary schools.