A Study of the Development of Experiential Business English coursebooks from the

Perspective of Experiential Learning

Zeng Jing, Mo Zaishu Hunan University, Changsha

Outline

Background

Experiential learning theory

Characteristics of Experiential Business English Coursebooks

Conclusion

1.Background

Experiential learning

Business English coursebooks

Experiential Learning

Business English coursebooks

Experiential Business English coursebooks

2.Experiential Learning Theory

Experiential

Learning Theory (ELT)

Experiential Teaching

Embodied Philosophy

Origin

孔子《礼记•中庸》“好学近乎知，力行近乎仁。” To be fond of learning is to be near to knowledge. To practice with vigor is to be near to magnanimity. (Doctrine of the Mean)

荀子《荀子•儒效篇》“不闻不若闻之，闻之不若见之；见之不若知之，知之不若行之；学至于行之而止矣。”（ Confucian Devotional Writing）

   Not having heard is not as good as having heard, having heard is not as good as having seen, having seen is not as good as mentally knowing, mentally knowing is not as good as putting into action; true learning is complete only when action has been put forth. 朱熹“切己体察” reflecting upon yourself and comparing your own experiences with the book .

陶行知“生活即教育，社会即学校，教学做合一” Life is education, society is school, teaching, learning, and practicing should be united.

毛泽东《实践论》“通过实践而发现真理，又通过实践而证实真理和发展真理” Discover the truth through practice, and again through practice verify and develop the truth.

Origin of ELT--At home

Origin of ELT--Abroad

Researcher Viewpoint J. J. Rousseaul Naturalism J. S. Bruner “Knowing is a process, not a product”J. Dewey “Learning by doing”J. Piaget Theory of cognitive developmentK. Lewin Group dynamicsC. R. Rogers Significant learning & meaningless

learningD. Kolb Experiential learning cycle

ELT: Experiential education (Greeno & Msmapg 1998)

The pedagogy of experiential education calls educators to "purposefully engage learners in direct experience and focused reflection in order to create knowledge, develop skills, and clarify values".

Experiential education focus on how learners create and discern meaning through direct experience in particular social and physical contexts.

In other words, what, where, and with whom learners have experiences constitute how and what they know.

ELT: Embodied Philosophy

Lakoff & Johnson. Philosophy in the Flesh: The Embodied Mind and is Challenge to Western Thought ,1999.

Embodied mind1

Cognitive unconscious2

Metaphorical thought3

Characteristics of Kolb’s ELT

1 Learning is best conceived as a process, not in terms of outcomes.

2 Learning is a continuous process grounded in experience.

3The process of learning requires the resolution of conflicts between dialectically opposed modes of adaptation to the world.

4 Learning is a holistic process of adaptation to the world.

5Learning involves transactions between the person and the environment.

6 Learning is the process of creating knowledge.

ConclusionLearning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience.

Kolb, D. A.(1984) Experiential learning: experience as the source of the learning and development

3.Characteristics of Experiential Business English coursebooks

3.1 Experiential Business English represents the process of learning

Experiential learning theory proceeds from a different set of assumptions, learning is described as a process whereby concepts are derived from and continuously modified by experience. Learning is emergent process whose outcomes represent only historical record, not knowledge of future. (Kolb,1984)

How to stimulate inquiry and skills?Principle of stageDifficulty of text

Principle of stage

3.2Experiential Business English represents the continuity of learning

Learning is a continuous process grounded in experience has important educational implication, it implies that all learning is relearning.

How to form a good habit? Preview Interactive task

3.3Experiential Business English represents the resolution of learning

Conflict, differences, and disagreement are what drive the learning process.

In the process of learning one is called upon to move back and forth between opposing modes of reflection and action and feeling and thinking.

How to improve the ability of resolution?

Language review

3.4 Experiential Business English represents the adaptation of learning

Learning is not just the result of cognition but involves the integrated functioning of the total person—thinking, feeling, perceiving and behaving.

It encompasses other specialized models of adaptation from the scientific method to problems solving, decision making and creativity.

How to make students to adapt new situation? Authentic business audiovisual material

3.5 Experiential Business English represents the transaction of learning

In Piaget’s terms, learning occurs through equilibration of the dialectic processes of assimilating new experiences into existing concepts and accommodating existing concepts to new experience.

Following Lewin’s famous formula that behavior is a function of the person and the environment, ELT holds that learning is influenced by characteristics of the person and the learning environment.

How to make transaction effective? Stereoscopic teaching material Classroom atmosphere

3.6Experiential Business English represents the creativity of learning

ELT proposes a constructivist theory of learning whereby social knowledge is created and recreated in the personal knowledge of the learner.

This stands in contrast to the “transmission” model on which much current educational practice is based where pre-existing fixed ideas are transmitted to the learner.

How to make learning creative?

ExerciseClassroom feedback

4. Conclusion

1) From the perspective of ELT, Experiencing Business English coursebooks reflect the six characteristics of ELT more comprehensively, it is a positive attempt to current business English materials.

2) Implication for the compilation of the experiential business English textbooks

Readability Cultural differences Objective of teaching

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