ABSTRACT
There have been three stages in the history of teacher training in China that involve teachers in the entire nation including English language teachers in the rural areas. The three stages align with the three teacher policies mentioned in Pei, Pawan, and Jin’s Chapter 1. They can be referred to as the “diploma complimentary stage” (from 1970s to the end of 1980s), the “co-existence of diploma complimentary and continuing professional development stage” (in the 1990s), and the “continuing professional stage” (after 2000) (Li, Wu & Xu, 2006, p. 71). The first stage is a directive for employed teachers to work toward a teaching diploma through Adult Education departments at universities or colleges (教师进修学校, or jiaoshi jinxiu xuexiao). The second stage signifies that even with the diploma, teachers need to continue to pursue professional development to sustain their expertise. Finally, the third stage formalizes the requirement that teachers obtain degrees from teacher training institutions. Following the degree, teachers must pass certification examinations before they can be fully employed in schools (see Fan, Wang, and Chen’s Chapter 3). As to the latest certification reform along with the Chinese government’s issuance of the New Curriculum Reform in 2011, there is now an intense focus on helping to continuously update their teaching methods to adapt to students’ new learning styles.
