Abstract:

This paper argues that strengthening the cultivation of capacity to conduct research is an effective way to handle the reading and writing crisis and the absence of critical thinking among English major undergraduates in Chinese universities. It mainly discusses two questions: (a) why should English major students’ capacities for research be cultivated in their undergraduate years, and (b) how should this be done? The author contends that because the discipline of English is part of humanities and the aim of English major education is to produce high-quality talents with creative minds, it is necessary to emphasize the cultivation of students’ research abilities. The author suggests that educational administration, teaching methods and students’ learning styles should be reformed. At the level of educational administration, it is necessary to reform the administration philosophy, the curriculum, the methods of evaluation and the management of university students’ scientific research training practices. At the level of teachers’ teaching, it is important for the teachers to implement research-oriented teaching methods, enhance their own research abilities and shift the focus of supervision to the cultivation of students’ research capacity. At the level of students’ learning, it is suggested that students adopt a research-oriented learning style and thus gradually form a sense of academics.

Keywords: English major; reading and writing crisis; absence of critical thinking; the capacity of research; English teaching; personnel training; undergraduate

摘要：

为了解决英语专业本科生中存在的读写危机和思辨缺席等问题,我们应当加强对本科学生研究能力的培养。本文主要回答两个问题：为什么要在本科阶段开始培养英语专业学生的研究能力?如何培养英语专业本科生的研究能力?本文认为,这一方面缘于英语专业的人文学科属性,另一方面则是为了适应高素质创新型外语人才培养的目标要求。培养研究能力要在“如何做”上下功夫,将其视为一个系统工程,贯穿教育教学的全过程。具体来说,需要从教学管理、教师教学和学生学习3个层面去落实。在教学管理层面,要改进理念、调整课程设置、改革考试评价方式以及加强对学生创新实践的管理;在教师教学层面,应实施研究型教学模式,提高教师自身的科研素质,在指导本科生的过程中有意识地加强对学生研究能力的培养;在学生学习层面,应提倡研究型的学习风格,使其逐步形成学术研究的思维方式。

关键词: 英语专业, 读写危机, 思辨缺席, 研究能力, 英语教学, 人才培养, 本科生