Abstract
This chapter introduces the development of an English language proficiency scale for English language teaching in the Chinese context. Based on the Communicative Language Ability model (Bachman (1990) Fundamental considerations in language testing. Oxford University Press, Oxford; Bachman and Palmer (1996) Language testing in practice: designing and developing useful language tests. Oxford University Press, Oxford) and the use-oriented principle, this scale defines English language competence for English language learners in the Chinese context, with specific reference to the teaching of English. According to the scale, English language competence consists of comprehension competence and expression competence. Unique to the Chinese context, the scale developers also incorporated into the framework the ability to mediate between English and Chinese, i.e., translation competence and interpretation competence. The English proficiency scale includes sets of “can-do” statements that define different standards for English learners at different levels. This chapter also highlights the rationale and characteristics of the proficiency scale and its significant implications for English language learning and teaching in China.
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Acknowledgment
This chapter was based on the Key Project of Philosophy and Social Sciences “The Development of China’s Standards of English” (15JZD049) funded by the Ministry of Education, P. R. China.
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Liu, J., Pan, M. (2019). English Language Teaching in China: Developing Language Proficiency Frameworks. In: Gao, X. (eds) Second Handbook of English Language Teaching. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58542-0_28-1
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