The language learning preferences of EFL students are often assumed and not readily understood by foreign teachers. This study sought to determine the types of language learning classroom activities preferred by adult learners of English in Taiwan. Student responses were then compared with responses from native-speaking teachers of EFL.

Providing an East-West flow of language teaching knowledge and know-how to balance prevailing Western-centric perspectives, this book is an in-depth investigation of the impact of Western-based language teacher education on the pedagogy and practice of Chinese English language teachers who received their training in Western institutions or those that emphasize Western-based teaching approaches. A significant and growing number of these teachers will influence millions of language learners in China over the next decades. The Pedagogy and Practice of Western-trained Chinese English Language Teachers: Forefronts Chinese teachers’ voices and experiences in the context of their workplaces and classrooms Connects and balances theory and practice using a sociocultural lens Discusses the Chinese government’s policies on the training of teachers and analyzes them in terms of their impact on both American and Chinese higher education institutions This is a must read book for anyone interested in learning theory adopted from a Western perspective and applied within an Asian setting.

With radical social change and educational reform taking place in China since 1976, the English teaching system there has been changing accordingly. The Chinese Traditional Method (CTM) is giving way to the Western Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach. This research is a study of both Chinese and expatriate English teachers who are involved in classrooms and affected by reforms. The goal of this research study is to identify the extent to which Chinese and expatriate English teachers use CLT in China, to discover the possible factors that prevent them from using CLT and to explore an English teaching method that may fit into the Chinese setting. The finding shows that both Chinese teachers and Americans used the CLT approach in their teaching. As for the extent to which they use CLT, overall variation between the two groups is not as obvious as variation within groups. Both Chinese and American teachers have encountered obstacles in introducing CLT. Recommendations were offered for teachers, students, and administrators.

"This study examines traditional Chinese education and its influence on second language (L2) teaching and learning. Since English instruction in Taiwan focuses on grammatical competence, Chinese learners (L2), therefore, have less possibility of gaining communicative and cultural competence. This study, thus, recommends an innovative TESOL method---Communicative Language Teaching (CLT} including its history, theory, advantages, limitations and socio-cultural considerations. Ten Taiwanese students studying in the Unites States were interviewed, and they stated a clear preference for CLT, especially for Taiwanese planning to study abroad. An adapted speaking unit is also provided for functional use in Taiwan. The researcher also identifies obstacles to CLT use in a traditional setting and suggests ways to combine the traditional method with CLT in Taiwan. A literature-based CLT curriculum for the book Children of the River (Crew, 1989) is included"--Document.