Appendix

Questionnaire
Professional Development: Secondary Teachers of English in China

[Editor's note: Some expressions in this questionnaire were followed by parenthetical translations into Chinese. These have been removed since they will not show up correctly on most browsers.]

          
This questionnaire is designed to understand the professional development of teachers like you who teach English in
secondary (Grades 7-12) schools in China. The questionnaire consists of three parts: your educational background, your 
teaching context, and your professional development. Please put a tick  next to your appropriate choice. Thank you very 
much for your help. 

Part One  About your educational background

 1.  When did you start learning English? 
        [  ] elementary school
        [  ] junior secondary school
        [  ] senior secondary school
                              
 2.  What methods were used when you were taught English in high school (see definitions on the last page)? 
        [  ] grammar-translation            [  ] audiolingual method          
        [  ] communicative method
        [  ] other (please specify) ______________________________________________

 3.  Where did you spend most of your childhood education in China?
        [  ] rural areas     [  ] big cities        [  ] medium-sized cities           

 4.  What is your qualification in English language teaching (check all that apply)?
        [  ] Certificate from teachers' colleges, specify what kind ___________________________ 
        [  ] Bachelor degree, specify what kind _________________________________________
        [  ] Master degree, specify what kind  __________________________________________
        [  ] other (please specify) ____________________________________________________ 

 5.  In what types of contexts have you been teaching English? 
        [  ] elementary school 
        [  ] junior secondary school 
        [  ] senior secondary school 
        [  ] other (please specify) _____________________________________________________ 

 6.  How long have you been teaching English?
        [  ] less than one year      [  ] 1-2 years           [  ] 3-4 years       
        [  ] 5-9 years               [  ] 10-14 years         [  ] 15-20 years                   
        [  ] over 20 years

Part Two  About your teaching context

 7.  What formal qualifications are required to teach English in your school? 
        [  ] Certificate from teachers' colleges  
        [  ] Bachelor  
        [  ] Master           
        [  ] other (please specify) ____________________________________________________

 8.  How many class hours per week are you required to teach in your school? 
        [  ] 8-9 hours                                [  ] 10 hours
        [  ] 11-12 hours                              [  ] 13-14 hours              
        [  ] over 15 hours

 9.  How many students on average are there in your class? 
        [  ] 21 - 30            [  ] 31 - 40              [  ] 41 - 50
        [  ] over 50 students (Please give the exact number _________)

10.  Do your students have to take any standardized municipal, provincial or national test? 
        [  ] Yes                    [  ] No
       If yes, specify what __________________________________________________________

11.  Does this affect the way you teach?               
        [  ] Yes                    [  ] No
       If yes, specify how___________________________________________________________
                                                                      
12.  What are your responsibilities in your school (check all that apply and put an asterisk * beside your main responsibility)?
        [  ] teaching     [  ] curriculum development     [  ] material development 
        [  ] research     [  ] administration             [  ] student placement   
        [  ] testing
        [  ] other (please specify) ____________________________________________________           

13.  How often do you do the following activities in your regular teaching?
            1 = never, 2 = seldom, 3 = sometimes, 4 = often, 5 = always
        1 [  ] Reading
        2 [  ] Listening
        3 [  ] Writing
        4 [  ] Speaking
        5 [  ] Practicing grammar items
        6 [  ] Learning vocabulary       
        7 [  ] Carrying out group discussion
        8 [  ] Doing language games
        9 [  ] Doing simulated exam papers


14.  How is your teaching evaluated in your school (check all that apply and put an asterisk * beside the primary one)? 
        [  ] Your own reflections on teaching
        [  ] The performance of your students' in tests and public exams
        [  ] The overall inspection of your students' work by your school
        [  ] The overall completion of the subject contents
        [  ] Anonymous student evaluation of teaching
        [  ] Evaluation by colleagues
        [  ] Evaluation by principal or school inspectors

15.  What are the factors that most influence your teaching (check all that apply and put an asterisk * beside the most 
       influencing factor)? 
        [  ] Professional training
        [  ] Academic seminars or workshops
        [  ] Teaching experience and belief 
        [  ] Teaching syllabus
        [  ] Past experience as a language learner 
        [  ] The need to obtain satisfaction in teaching
        [  ] Textbooks
        [  ] Public examinations
        [  ] Learners' expectations

16.  List three main challenges you face in teaching English in China? 
        (1) ______________________________________________________________________
        (2) ______________________________________________________________________
        (3) ______________________________________________________________________

17.  List three challenges your students face in learning English in China? 
        (1) ______________________________________________________________________
        (2) ______________________________________________________________________
        (3) ______________________________________________________________________

18.  What activities do you use to motivate your students in learning English (check all that
       apply and put an asterisk * beside the most commonly used)?
        [  ] To do more simulated exam papers 
        [  ] To use more authentic materials
        [  ] To organize real life language activities
        [  ] To do more interesting language games
        [  ] To give students more encouragement to learn
        [  ] To create a positive attitude toward language learning
        [  ] To provide students with effective language learning strategies
        [  ] To have better classroom discipline    

Part Three  About your professional development 

19.  What is the most popular teaching method you use in your teaching?
        [  ] grammar-translation method             [  ] audiolingual method
        [  ] communicative method                   
        [  ] other (please specify) ______________________________________________          
                  
20.  Which of the following activities have you been involved with over the past five years (check all that apply and put an 
       asterisk* beside 2 main ones)?
        [  ] curriculum or syllabus                             [  ] research reports 
        [  ] teaching materials                                 [  ] designing tests
        [  ] organizing extracurricular activities in English   [  ] test preparation

21.  What professional development activities have you participated in over the past five years (check all that apply and 
       put an asterisk* beside the one that helps you the most professionally)? 
        [  ] conferences                           [  ] summer courses             
        [  ] workshops                             [  ] visiting other schools  
        [  ] observing other teachers' classes

22.  What other learning experiences have contributed to your professional development
       (check one that helps you the most professionally)? 
        [  ] membership in professional language teachers' association
        [  ] internet resources (participation in listserves, worldwide web resources)
        [  ] working with other teachers in your school
        [  ] writing reflective journals about your teaching
        [  ] other informal learning (please specify) 
                _____________________________________________________________________

23.  Do you have access to English teaching journals, reference books, and Internet resources (e.g., articles, web sites)?  
        [  ] Yes __________________________________________________________________   
        [  ] No ___________________________________________________________________
           
24.  What do you like to learn more about English language teaching (check 2)?
        [  ] communicative language teaching             
        [  ] materials development                               
        [  ] classroom management                                             
        [  ] testing and evaluation          
        [  ] unit, lesson, and curriculum (syllabus) planning
        [  ] computer-based and computer-assisted teaching and learning
        [  ] other (please specify) ____________________________________________________          

25.  In what ways would you need to improve your language teaching most?
        [  ] formal educational opportunities such as an advanced degree (specify degree to be sought)
               _______________________________________________________________________
        [  ] formal distance education (home study) courses and/or programs
        [  ] workshops or summer courses (specify topic or topics) 
               _______________________________________________________________________
        [  ] working with other teachers at your level  
        [  ] working with a mentor with more experience and expertise
        [  ] being observed by others and receiving feedback
        [  ] other (please specify) ____________________________________________________ 
                     
26.  Why did you decide to become an English language teacher (list three reasons that motivated you to enter this
       profession)?
        (1) ______________________________________________________________________
        (2) ______________________________________________________________________
        (3) ______________________________________________________________________

27.  Do you think you will continue to teach English?          
        [  ] Yes                 [  ] No               [  ] Not sure

28.  Please specify three major reasons for your choice.
        (1) ______________________________________________________________________
        (2) ______________________________________________________________________
        (3) ______________________________________________________________________

End of the questionnaire.
Thank you very much.


Grammar-translation method emphasizes that learners learn the rules of the language rather than its use. Grammar is taught by means of long and elaborate explanations and exercises in translating from and into the target language are common classroom practice.

Audiolingual method emphasizes the leaning of the foreign language by means of dialogue memorization and pattern drills. Listening and speaking skills are developed first followed by reading and writing.

Communicative method claims that language is acquired through communication and thus it aims at developing students' four communicative skills integratedly through various activities. These activities provide learners with opportunities to use the target language for communicative purposes.