How to Implement Humanistic Education Through English Reading Teaching in Middle Schools文献综述

 2022-08-29 11:05:57

Literature Review

--How to Implement Humanistic Education through Teaching Reading in Middle Schools

I. Humanistic Education

Webster`s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language defines humanism as follows: any system or mode of thought or action in which human interests, values, and dignity predominate. Humanism first appears in Latin as “humanitas” which was translated from Greek by Roman orator Cicero, who holds the view that only educated man can be called a real person. Edwords (1989) argues that humanism is a school of thought that believes human beings are different from other species and possess capacities not found in animals. Therefore humanists give primacy to the study of human and interests. Chinese scholar Si Xiaohong (2002) says that humanism involves the key content and leading token of the overall development of human qualities. Humanism is a dynamic concept. Humanism is given different connotations during different periods. So different people view it differently and there is no precise description of it. Humanism is a thought which puts human being into consideration. Human beings must take responsibility for our own lives and the world in which we live.

Humanistic education is a very popular topic which draws many scholars` attention. People with different background may view humanistic education differently. Humanistic education is a holistic and integrated approach to educating the human person, both as an individual and as a member of society, which focuses on the full development of the dimensions and capacities of a person (UNESCO, 2002). Though humanistic education has different theoretical approaches, the aim of humanistic education has one thing in common. It serves the goal and value orientation of education, in the meantime, represents the basic educational force to foster humanism and promote overall development of men. Maslow (1968) harbors the idea that humanistic teaching approach is based on the premise that students have the need to become adults who are self-actualized. Maslow puts forward a hierarchy of needs which is a set of needs that a person must obtain in order to reach self-actualized. Another leading figure of humanistic education at that time was Rogers, who has been called the father of humanistic education, applies his researching results to person-centered teaching. He holds that teachers should care about students. In Freedom to Learn, Rogers (1969) says that the only man who is educated is the man who has learned how to learn; the man who has learned how to adapt and change; the man who has realized that no knowledge is secure, that only the process of seeking knowledge gives a basis for security. With different social backgrounds, humanistic education is given different definitions. Even to this day, it plays an extremely important role in the educational field. UNESCO`s view about humanistic education is more relevant with current social background. So it is considered as a holistic and integrated approach to teaching the human beings. Humanistic education put students at the center of education, letting them become thoughtful men and whole-person. What`s more, humanistic education should also be associated with life-long education.

Humanistic education has gone through the long evolution and ripe day by day. According to different historical background, it was given different connotations. The dominant view is called modern humanism and traces its lineage to Socrates. Socrates` thoughts about human beings were totally different from the philosophers who paid more attention to the universe. Until the 60s, humanistic psychology appeared. Rogers had done a lot of research on learning and he is regarded as a most significant person in humanism field. Under the influence of humanistic psychology, humanistic education becomes popular in the 1960s and 1970s. It is believed that education should be individual-centered. In the early 21st century, humanistic thought is a broad thought which plays a very important role in all aspects of the human world. In western countries such as America, education is deeply affected by the humanistic education and students` interests are well-protected.

Like the development in western world, the development of humanistic education can also be retrospect to ancient time. In ancient China, many educationists like Confucius stress humanistic education. He emphasizes that educators should educate different students in different ways. Cai Yuanpei, a well-known Chinese contemporary educationist, states that teachers should understand children and serve their students. Feng Tianyu (1997) points that modern civilization has brought unparalleled convenience to people`s material life, however, people`s spiritual life is in crisis. His idea is also applicable in the field of education where students` interests and creativeness are neglected. In the past few decades, educators began to understand the importance of humanistic education in English class. Tan Jiashan (2004) claims that English education has its own humanistic value and is important in the overall development of students` qualities. Dang Zhengsheng (2006) believes that the teacher of English language must practice and carry out the Humanistic Education theory, take a learner-centered perspective, and give more encouragement and appreciation of the learners. English Curriculum Standards (2011) also stresses the importance of humanistic education. English education in China should pay attention to the overall development of students.

II. Humanistic Education in English Curriculum Standards (2011)

According to Chen Xiaotang and Gong Yafu (2005), Chinese government has attached great importance to English education over the past three decades, but the understanding about the purpose of English education is not comprehensive enough. In the previous English education, teachers pay more attention to words and grammar teaching. As for the evaluation, they give comments on studentsrsquo; performance in terms of grades in the examination. Teachers usually regard English as a communicative tool, focusing on its function as an instrument and ignoring the discipline of humanity. Schools and teachers realize the importance of humanistic education but didnrsquo;t find ways to combine humanistic education with English teaching. English Curriculum Standards (2011) puts forward the view that the nature of the English course is both instrumental and humanistic. It is the high point of this curriculum. Chen Xiaotang (2012) explains that instrumental means to learn English as a communicative tool, and humanistic refers to promote the all-round development of man through learning English. Students should be treated as independent men. They should learn both subject knowledge and basic quality of men, they should build moral integrity and a healthy outlook on life, they should establish both national spirit and an awareness of respect for cultural difference. The curriculum describes the aim of the English class is not only to help students to obtain language knowledge and language skills, but also is a way to enrich their experience and cultivate their humanity. Students` overall developments are the motivation and the goal of the English class. Under the new curriculum, the role of English teachers is redefined. They are not only just teaching English, but also take on the responsibility to assist students to become true men.

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