The spread of English and its implications for ELT in China

Abstract

[EN]English is now the most important language in the world. It is deeply connected with everyone’s daily life. It has become a way through which people get to know the outside world. The reason to explain why English has spread so widely and rapidly becomes very clear by reviewing its expanding history. Colonization, the British Empire expansion and the U.S superpower boost the spread of the English language from the British Islands to the rest of the world. As the largest English language teaching and learning country in the world, China has witnessed the ups and downs of ELT inside the country throughout history. Because of the implementation of the Economic Reform in 1978, English has radically changed its status in China. People began to associate the language with both personal and national success. Nevertheless, there have been some problems that limit the performance of English teaching and learning in China. In order to improve learners’ English levels, it is necessary to find solutions and solve the problems from the root. [ES]English is now the most important language in the world. It is deeply connected with everyone’s daily life. It has become a way through which people get to know the outside world. The reason to explain why English has spread so widely and rapidly becomes very clear by reviewing its expanding history. Colonization, the British Empire expansion and the U.S superpower boost the spread of the English language from the British Islands to the rest of the world. As the largest English language teaching and learning country in the world, China has witnessed the ups and downs of ELT inside the country throughout history. Because of the implementation of the Economic Reform in 1978, English has radically changed its status in China. People began to associate the language with both personal and national success. Nevertheless, there have been some problems that limit the performance of English teaching and learning in China. In order to improve learners’ English levels, it is necessary to find solutions and solve the problems from the root. [ES]English is now the most important language in the world. It is deeply connected with everyone’s daily life. It has become a way through which people get to know the outside world. The reason to explain why English has spread so widely and rapidly becomes very clear by reviewing its expanding history. Colonization, the British Empire expansion and the U.S superpower boost the spread of the English language from the British Islands to the rest of the world. As the largest English language teaching and learning country in the world, China has witnessed the ups and downs of ELT inside the country throughout history. Because of the implementation of the Economic Reform in 1978, English has radically changed its status in China. People began to associate the language with both personal and national success. Nevertheless, there have been some problems that limit the performance of English teaching and learning in China. In order to improve learners’ English levels, it is necessary to find solutions and solve the problems from the root. [ES]English is now the most important language in the world. It is deeply connected with everyone’s daily life. It has become a way through which people get to know the outside world. The reason to explain why English has spread so widely and rapidly becomes very clear by reviewing its expanding history. Colonization, the British Empire expansion and the U.S superpower boost the spread of the English language from the British Islands to the rest of the world. As the largest English language teaching and learning country in the world, China has witnessed the ups and downs of ELT inside the country throughout history. Because of the implementation of the Economic Reform in 1978, English has radically changed its status in China. People began to associate the language with both personal and national success. Nevertheless, there have been some problems that limit the performance of English teaching and learning in China. In order to improve learners’ English levels, it is necessary to find solutions and solve the problems from the root. English is now the most important language in the world. It is deeply connected with everyone’s daily life. It has become a way through which people get to know the outside world. The reason to explain why English has spread so widely and rapidly becomes very clear by reviewing its expanding history. Colonization, the British Empire expansion and the U.S superpower boost the spread of the English language from the British Islands to the rest of the world. As the largest English language teaching and learning country in the world, China has witnessed the ups and downs of ELT inside the country throughout history. Because of the implementation of the Economic Reform in 1978, English has radically changed its status in China. People began to associate the language with both personal and national success. Nevertheless, there have been some problems that limit the performance of English teaching and learning in China. In order to improve learners’ English levels, it is necessary to find solutions and solve the problems from the root. [ES] El inglés es la lengua más importante del mundo. Está intrínsecamente conectada con el día a día de todas las personas. Es un instrumento que sirve a los hablantes para conocer el mundo exterior. La razón que explica por qué el inglés se ha extendido tan rápidamente se encuentra en su historia. La colonización, la expansión del imperio británico y el poder de los Estados Unidos han propiciado el salto del inglés desde las Islas Británicas al extranjero. China, la mayor comunidad de estudiantes y profesores del inglés del mundo, ha sido testigo de la fluctuación de la enseñanza del inglés a través de su historia. Debido a la puesta en marcha de la Reforma Económica de 1978, el inglés ha cambiado radicalmente su estatus en China. La población ha empezado a asociar la lengua con el éxito, tanto a nivel personal como nacional. A pesar de ello, ha habido algunos problemas que limitan la enseñanza del inglés en China. Para poder mejorar el nivel de los hablantes, es necesario encontrar soluciones para solventar los problemas desde la raíz. [CN]英语是当今世界最重要的语言，并且与人们的日常生活紧密相连。它已然成 为人们了解世界的重要渠道。通过回顾英语的发展历史，我们可以清晰地了解英 语在全球范围内广泛且迅速传播的主要原因。殖民主义，大英帝国的扩张和美国 作为超级大国的影响力加快了英语从英国本土走向世界舞台的传播速度。与此同 时，作为世界上最大的英语教学国家，中国见证了英语教育在其历史上的一系列 变动。由于 1978 年经济改革的实行，英语在中国的地位被彻底改变。人们逐渐 开始把英语和个人的成功，甚至于国家的成功联系起来。然而一些固有的问题始 终限制着近些年来英语教学在中国所取得的成果。为了提高英语学习者的语言水 平，找到相应办法并从根本上解决这些问题便显得尤为关键。 关键词：英语的传播，英语教学在中国的发展，英语教学在中国所遇的问题，英 语教学在中国所遇问题的解决办法。