The Shanghai Declaration of 2018 TESOL China Assembly

We, together with English language educators from China and across the world, are gathered in Shanghai under the theme “English Education in China: Striding into a New Era”. We are determined to take more energetic and sustainable joint action to inject fresh vigor and impetus into English education in China.

With socialism with Chinese characteristics having entered a new era, it is necessary to improve our ability to participate in global governance, adapt to the “Belt and Road” Initiative and meet the requirements of building with joint efforts a community with a shared future for mankind. A large number of professionals are needed for this, professionals with passion, a global perspective, the skilled use of foreign languages, knowledge of international rules and expertise in international negotiations. Foreign language ability, especially English language ability, is a key competency required of such international talents.

Since the beginning of this year, China’s Ministry of Education has issued a number of programmatic documents, such as The Curriculum Framework for General Senior High Schools (2017 edition), English Curriculum Standards for General Senior High Schools (2017 edition), National Teaching Quality Standards for Undergraduate in General Colleges and Universities, and China’s Standards of English Language Ability. These educational documents are a blueprint for the direction of China’s English education in the new era.

Grounded in China’s national conditions and current situation, and motivated by the needs of modern development, we are gathered here to engage in full-fledged seminars to learn about the characteristics and requirements of Chinese EFL learners, to carry out in-depth investigations into the status quo of English education in China, and to explore the theoretical mode and practical approach of China’s English education in the new era.

We recognize that China’s English education in the new era aims to achieve not only language goals, but also cultural goals, and more importantly, to achieve the moral goal of fostering virtue through education. Therefore, the coordinated development of these goals is of particular importance. The mission of China’s English education in the new era requires English teachers to meet higher standards for professional quality, subject knowledge and teaching competence, so as to ensure reform programs in English teaching are implemented. In this light, we promise to jointly undertake the following actions:

1. We will adhere to the goal of fostering virtue through education, work to reflect core socialist values, and promote development of learners’ integrated English key competencies, namely, language proficiency, cultural consciousness, thinking quality and learning ability -- more commonly known as English subject core literacy. Of these four key competencies, language proficiency is fundamental to linguistic development, cultural consciousness is orientational in the development of one’s values, thinking quality is essential in intellectual growth, and last but not least, learning ability is the prerequisite of linguistic, cultural and intellectual development. These four key competencies grow in an integrated and interactive manner, mutually influencing and promoting one another, all serving the general goal of China’s English education clearly spelt out in the English Curriculum Standards: English education for the mission of bringing out young talents with Chinese passion, international vision and cross-cultural communicative action.

2. We will guide students in their process of English learning to raise their cross-cultural awareness and establish consciousness of the community with a shared human destiny. They will appreciate the diversity and richness of world cultures, recognize the importance of people-to-people connections, and build stronger cultural confidence. They will imbibe correct values, healthy aesthetic taste and an improved sense of morality. They will learn to use English to tell stories about China and communicate with the rest of the world about fine Chinese culture.

3. We will create what is known as the “streamlined model for foreign language education”. This model aims to coordinate exertions from elementary to tertiary education and synchronize the efforts of varied fields in terms of educational and curriculum philosophy, teaching objectives, curriculum design, pedagogy, assessment, teacher training, textbook development and teaching resources. It is believed that the proposed streamlined model for foreign language education in China will overcome many drawbacks consequent of the current disconnected school segments and facilitate the healthy development of foreign language education in China.

4. We will promote graded English reading to foster English reading literacy. Consistent with and appropriate to the varied levels of cognitive development and English proficiency of learners in different age groups, methodical reading methods and plans will be projected, and tailored readings will be provided. Efforts will be made to reinforce learners’ appropriate foreign language reading habits, enhance foreign language reading experience, and improve English reading literacy in a step-by-step manner in the process of continuous reading.

5. We will facilitate the information and communications technology process of foreign language education, employ advanced scientific and technological resources to enrich teaching means, innovate teaching modes, balance the distribution of educational resources and improve teaching excellence. Drawing on the model within the “internet plus” framework, we will usher in a new foreign-language teaching paradigm, which should be characteristically appropriate and effective, and promote the modernization of foreign language education in China.

6. We will promote foreign language teacher education. Taking foreign language teachers’ development as a primary consideration and professionalization as the orientation, we will study and learn about what constitutes the crucial qualities of professional foreign language teachers, search for effective teacher training programs and models, develop a pluralistic system of teaching evaluation, and create a harmonious, enterprising and win-win environment of educational ecology for teacher development.

7. We will promote fairness in education and allow young people to share opportunities for a brilliant life. We will integrate various educational resources, increase support for English education in less-developed areas, and ensure every child of fair and quality English education, so that people may share the achievements of China’s reform and development.

8. We will update China’s English education to international standards and practice, learn from and draw on pioneering ideas and models in English education, pedagogy, assessment and teacher training. We will strengthen exchanges and interaction with international English education circles, promote an all-round development of China’s English education in line with international levels, and establish a system of English education which aligns with China’s national conditions, integrates Chinese characteristics and meets international standards.

Let us work together to enhance dialogue and exchanges in the international community of English education and promote the systematic, holistic and synergistic development of English education, therefore ushering in a new era of English education in China.