Exploring English for medical purposes (EMP) teacher cognition in the Chinese context
It has been a growing trend in Chinese universities to shift from English for general purposes (EGP) to English for specific purposes (ESP) teaching. Against this background, large groups of teachers previously engaged in teaching EGP have become or are becoming ESP teachers, which means a complex p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1003739/full |
| _version_ | 1828172674248998912 |
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| author | Zhongkai Cao Zhongkai Cao Zaihong Zhang Ya Liu Liping Pu |
| author_facet | Zhongkai Cao Zhongkai Cao Zaihong Zhang Ya Liu Liping Pu |
| author_sort | Zhongkai Cao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It has been a growing trend in Chinese universities to shift from English for general purposes (EGP) to English for specific purposes (ESP) teaching. Against this background, large groups of teachers previously engaged in teaching EGP have become or are becoming ESP teachers, which means a complex process of learning for subject-specific information, transforming teaching practices and constructing new identities. Despite this, very little has been written about the ESP teacher cognition (TC) of language teaching or the factors influencing this shift in teaching. This study involved English for Medical Purposes (EMP) teachers in Chinese universities as participants, and a scale of EMP TC with 31 items was developed on the basis of questionnaire results. Data from exploratory factor analysis revealed six dimensions of the scale, namely, teacher attitude, teacher belief, teacher learning, teacher support, role identification, and teacher practice—that combine to constitute and influence EMP TC. While the identity factor has attracted wide attention in ESP teacher research, other factors have largely been neglected. Thus, this research highlights the importance of more factors in shaping and changing the language teaching cognition of EMP or ESP teachers in large, especially the teacher belief factor. In addition, results of independent samples t-tests indicated significant difference in EMP teacher learning in terms of gender, differences in EMP teacher attitude and teacher support in terms of EMP teaching experience. Suggestions for enhancing EMP TC are offered on the basis of the conclusions of this research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:44:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e10273e4918645a1ab5464559da3185f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:44:46Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-e10273e4918645a1ab5464559da3185f2022-12-22T03:49:11ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-09-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.10037391003739Exploring English for medical purposes (EMP) teacher cognition in the Chinese contextZhongkai Cao0Zhongkai Cao1Zaihong Zhang2Ya Liu3Liping Pu4School of Foreign Languages, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, ChinaSchool of Foreign Languages, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, ChinaSchool of Foreign Languages, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, ChinaSchool of Foreign Languages, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, ChinaSoochow College, Soochow University, Suzhou, ChinaIt has been a growing trend in Chinese universities to shift from English for general purposes (EGP) to English for specific purposes (ESP) teaching. Against this background, large groups of teachers previously engaged in teaching EGP have become or are becoming ESP teachers, which means a complex process of learning for subject-specific information, transforming teaching practices and constructing new identities. Despite this, very little has been written about the ESP teacher cognition (TC) of language teaching or the factors influencing this shift in teaching. This study involved English for Medical Purposes (EMP) teachers in Chinese universities as participants, and a scale of EMP TC with 31 items was developed on the basis of questionnaire results. Data from exploratory factor analysis revealed six dimensions of the scale, namely, teacher attitude, teacher belief, teacher learning, teacher support, role identification, and teacher practice—that combine to constitute and influence EMP TC. While the identity factor has attracted wide attention in ESP teacher research, other factors have largely been neglected. Thus, this research highlights the importance of more factors in shaping and changing the language teaching cognition of EMP or ESP teachers in large, especially the teacher belief factor. In addition, results of independent samples t-tests indicated significant difference in EMP teacher learning in terms of gender, differences in EMP teacher attitude and teacher support in terms of EMP teaching experience. Suggestions for enhancing EMP TC are offered on the basis of the conclusions of this research.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1003739/fullEMP teacherteacher cognitionteacher characteristicsEMP teachingChinese context |
| spellingShingle | Zhongkai Cao Zhongkai Cao Zaihong Zhang Ya Liu Liping Pu Exploring English for medical purposes (EMP) teacher cognition in the Chinese context Frontiers in Psychology EMP teacher teacher cognition teacher characteristics EMP teaching Chinese context |
| title | Exploring English for medical purposes (EMP) teacher cognition in the Chinese context |
| title_full | Exploring English for medical purposes (EMP) teacher cognition in the Chinese context |
| title_fullStr | Exploring English for medical purposes (EMP) teacher cognition in the Chinese context |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring English for medical purposes (EMP) teacher cognition in the Chinese context |
| title_short | Exploring English for medical purposes (EMP) teacher cognition in the Chinese context |
| title_sort | exploring english for medical purposes emp teacher cognition in the chinese context |
| topic | EMP teacher teacher cognition teacher characteristics EMP teaching Chinese context |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1003739/full |
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