Department of College English Teaching, September 17, 2010)

How to monitor students’ independent learning? Will Bingo Smart Essay Scoring System tells students the specific errors in their essays? What does the data bank of tests cover in the network teaching platform system of New College English? Why not leave the questions in Section A and Section B of listening comprehension tests (in View, Listen and Speak Course Book) in their audio form, just as the CET does?

These are some of the questions and suggestion triggered by Professor Xiong Haihong’s talk at College English Teaching and Reform Forum on September 17. As a teacher with honors and expertise at College English teaching and course book development in Zhejiang University, Xiong offered with her responses some promising alternatives to what a teacher can do in College English classes.

“The interactions between Xiong and teachers in our department have generated a sort of brainstorm of effective teaching and career development, which is in line with the supposed mission of College English Teaching and Reform Forum,” said Zhang Tao, the Chair of the forum and department director of College English Teaching. Zhang and her colleagues are facing up with challenges from the recent internalization call of the university authorities as well as the suggested shift of teaching focus in College English classes.

26 College English teachers present at the forum have shown their embrace for such talks. They are interested in making their own voices heard about concerns real and meaningful to their teaching practice while having responses and support from their peers with great expertise.

To Professor Xiong’s surprise, her father, Mr. Xiong Shoupeng (熊寿彭), was found to be the dean of Foreign Language Department of our university in 1961, a forerunner of our college. Before the forum, she just knew that her father had been a foreign language teacher in our university.