Haiying Pan

Teacher self-efficacy (TSE) significantly influences teacher well-being and pedagogical quality, thereby impacting student learning outcomes. Despite the recognized effectiveness of Lesson Study (LS) in shaping teachers' practices and beliefs, there is a research gap in TSE, particularly in higher education. To address this, we conducted a longitudinal study at a northeastern Chinese university, tracking TSE evolution in three English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers, encompassing both novices and experienced educators, during a six-month LS program. We collected both quantitative and qualitative data, encompassing interviews, surveys, and observations. Underpinned by Bandura and Wyatt's self-efficacy theory, the impact of LS on teachers' TSE development was explored and interpreted. Our findings shed light on the many ways in which LS effects individual teachers' TSE. Notably, both novice and experienced teachers improved significantly in TSE, especially in the domains of instructional techniques and student engagement. However, in the context of classroom management, there was considerably less growth. Furthermore, our research identifies a number of challenges that can have a negative impact on teachers' TSE, such as adapting to students' changing needs, dealing with limited resources, managing time constraints, navigating the school examination system, and overcoming initial resistance to the LS approach.

In recent years, the challenges and lack of progress in writing argumentative essays in English have posed a pedagogical challenge for Chinese university students. To address this issue, this paper adopts an action research pedagogy and implements a 10-week intervention aimed at teaching argumentative writing based on the Toulmin model of argumentation. The instructional process followed a holistic-to-specific approach, encompassing the following three stages: (1) introduction of the general model, (2) instruction on the main dimensions of argumentative elements, and (3) teaching of the subdimension of argumentative elements. Data collection for this study included teacher-teaching diaries, students’ interviews, and four writing scores. Both paired-sample t-tests and repeated measures analyses were conducted, revealing significant improvements in students’ overall performance and the quality of argumentative elements across the different stages. This paper provides a comprehensive discussion on the impact of this whole-to-detail approach to teaching argumentation on the development of argumentative essay writing skills.

Due to the spread of the English language in various domains and the fact that English is used as a global language, researchers and educators have started to rethink the models and aims of English language teaching in different settings. From the World Englishes (WE) perspective, this study investigated the attitudes of Chinese university students toward the localized variety of “China English,” as well as the students’ identity construction and negotiation during their English language learning journey. Data were collected through a questionnaire completed by 190 respondents and interviews conducted with 20 participants. The findings revealed the students’ positive attitudes toward China English and non-conformity to English as a native language (ENL). This further reflected the communicative function of English and the students’ interest in forming a Chinese cultural identity. However, the students also showed self-contradictory attitudes toward China English, as most did not want to be clearly identified as Chinese when using English. The data revealed some important reasons for this attitudinal conflict, including the belief that ENL is the standard form of English, as well as the students’ desire to develop an identity as competent second language learners of English. The findings suggest the importance of increasing awareness of the global spread of English and reforming English curricula and assessment in contexts where local varieties of English are emerging.