Research On Foreign Language Teacher Certification Standards

With the development of teacher professionalization, implementing a strict teacher certification system to ensure teachers’high quality has become the choice of many countries. China first proposed teaching certificate in 1993. Till 2001, it took the country eight years to plan, adjust and fully implement this policy in the whole society.As China’s largest foreign language, English is attached great importance in China. We have to admit that many problems are existing in terms of foreign language teachers’ certification. Where in the direction of reform? With this question in mind, I cast my eye on America in that the teacher qualification system has been adopted for nearly two centuries. At the national level, there are two relevant standards:Model Standards for Licensing Beginning Foreign Language Teachers:A Resource for State Dialogue and World Language Standards. The former one is for novice teachers’ licensure and the latter one is for accomplished teachers’ certification. Through analyzing these two standards, I hope we can get some insights in order to establish our own foreign language teacher certification standards.After analysis, I found that, firstly, in terms of foreign language teacher certification, American standards are high, strict, rigorous and detailed. Secondly, World Language Standards is on the basis of Model Standards for Licensing Beginning Foreign Language Teachers:A Resource for State Dialogue, which are closely related to Standards for Foreign Language Learning:Preparing for the 21st Century and all three standards echo communication and understanding. Thirdly, the two standards’ core philosophy is:"learner-centered". Finally, in terms of the reform trend of teachers’ professional development, the two American foreign language teacher certification standards highlight the importance of creating cooperative culture of teachers.Although national condition is different, I believe that "Stones from other hills may serve to polish jade". So in the concluding part of the article, I have put forward some ideas on establishing foreign teacher certification standards with Chinese characteristics, such as basing on National English curriculum standard, creating different standards ladder and attaching importance to teacher cooperation.