Mixing Old and New: A Fresh Take on Teaching English

In the world of college English teaching, there's a shift happening. It's not just about learning the language anymore. It's about understanding culture and expressing it in English. This is where the "Production Oriented Approach" (POA) comes in. It's a method that focuses on creating and producing, not just consuming. A recent study took this approach and mixed it with traditional teaching methods. The goal? To see if this blend could help students understand and express Chinese culture better. The test case was a paragraph about "Tai Chi, " a well-known Chinese practice. The study lasted a semester. It involved both online and in-person teaching. The results were promising. Students who used this mixed method showed better English skills and a deeper understanding of Chinese culture. They also felt more confident about their cultural identity.But it's not just about the students. Teachers also benefited. They became better at designing lessons that mix theory and practice. This could be a big deal for college English courses. It might even help in teaching other subjects too. The study also talked about something called "Curriculum ideological and political. " It's a big term, but it basically means teaching values and ideas through the curriculum. The mixed teaching method seems to help with this as well. However, it's important to think critically. While the results are positive, it's just one study. More research is needed to see if this method works in different settings. Also, not all students learn the same way. What works for one might not work for another.