Language Education in China: The Cult of English

Abstract

This introductory chapter situates my study against the backdrop of a growing enthusiasm for English in different education sectors in the context of a fast globalising China. It links the Chinese desire for English proficiency with modernity and prosperity and claims that the general ideology of language learning that the Chinese people have acquired is that they are denied success in education and career development if they are not efficient in English. It therefore foregrounds the importance and necessity of an investigation of English language ideologies in English education in China, considering the facts that Chinese is the first language spoken by the greatest number of people in the world and that English is the most widely spoken language in the world. It outlines the main issues and the structure of the book by framing the research context, aims, questions, significance and scope of the research.