The 9th International Conference on English Language Teaching (ELT) In China (ELT2020)

The release of China’s Standards of English Language Ability (CSE) marks the beginning of an era in which English language teaching (ELT) in China can be guided by a national English proficiency scale. However, as a programmatic document with English proficiency descriptors, its applications in college English education are still restricted to assessment, teaching and learning cases, not involving English curricular development. This presentation takes an upper-intermediate English course offered by a new STEM university as a case to demonstrate its curricular development based on CSE descriptive frameworks for language comprehension and use strategies at levels 5-7. It shows not only the course objectives, structure, contents, resources, implementation, assessment and management, but also course participants' achievements in their English proficiency, academic ability, critical thinking and intercultural competence. This case study indicates that CSE plays an important role in guiding English curricular development. It can help universities to classify their English courses to form a general curricular framework and clarify their teaching objectives. Moreover, it can assist revisions of syllabi and teachers’ teaching manuals, help standardize teaching contents, and guide course assessments.

curricular develoopment,college English,CSE