A Case Study On The Development Of EAP Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge

In mainland China,an increasing number of higher education institutions,especially research-led universities,began to provide English for Academic Purposes(EAP)courses for non-English major undergraduates since 2012.The rise of EAP teaching provides college English teachers with not only new development opportunities but also challenges and difficulties.Pedagogical Content Knowledge(PCK)is the basis of teachers’ professional development and it represents teachers’unique professional understanding.This type of teacher knowledge is not only discipline specific but also subject matter specific.Thus,in the context of the transition from GE teaching to EAP teaching,due to changes in teaching content,college English teachers’ PCK needs to be developed to meet the new teaching requirements.Underpinned by Grossman’s(1990)four-dimensional model of PCK,which includes conceptions of the purpose of teaching,curricular knowledge,knowledge of instructional strategies,and knowledge of students’ understanding,this study aimed to investigate the development of college English teachers’ PCK of EAP teaching and find out factors influencing their development in the context of the transition from GE to EAP.Three college English teachers were invited to participate in this longitudinal multiple case study.Data were mainly collected through semi-structured interviews and supplemented by classroom observations and relevant teaching files.Results showed that the three participant teachers developed their PCK in different aspects,and none of them achieved comprehensive and systematic development.Appropriate understanding of EAP teaching was fundamental to teachers’ PCK development while content knowledge also facilitated the development of PCK components.Identified influencing factors included teaching experience,academic experience as well as informal learning activities.Since none of the three participants systematically developed their PCK,it is recommended that formal learning opportunities should be provided to help teachers adapt to the transition.The findings of the present study not only contribute to the understanding of college English teachers’professional development but also shed light on improving the quality of EAP teaching.