Review of the Implementation of PBL Teaching Model in Chinese College English Education

Abstract

As English has become the international language across the globe, Chinese higher education institutions has begun to pay more attention to English education. As a new teaching model, Problem-based Learning (PBL) has been widely researched and applied in Western countries, and numerous studies have shown that it has a significant effect on second language acquisition. Although some Chinese scholars have also investigated the integration of this model in college English classrooms in recent years, the scope of studies is still limited and most of them are only based on proposals rather than empirical studies. This paper reviews a number of previous studies to explore the current research of the application of PBL teaching model in Chinese College English education, its implications for both the learners and the education system, as well as the possible strategies for its use. Through the above methods, this paper demonstrates that PBL has critical implications and facilitative effects on the teaching of English in Chinese higher education institutions. It can not only compensate for the shortcomings of the current traditional teaching model of college English, but also promote students' language acquisition and competence in many ways. The implication of this paper is to provide directions for the reform of English education in Chinese higher education institutions, to present the prospect of the integration of PBL in Chinese College English education, and to offer valuable information for future research in this field.