School of Foreign Languages (SFL)
1. About us
The School of Foreign Languages (SFL) of Nanyang Normal University (NYNU) is one of the first batch of schools set up at the inception of NYNU, which, after over thirty years of development, has evolved into a full-fledged school of repute at NYNU. Driven by a firm commitment to ‘sustainable program development, high-quality teaching and talent cultivation, as well as steady enhancement of undergraduate education’, SFL sets as its goal the training of application-oriented talents through its undergraduate programs who possess solid Chinese and foreign language foundation and extensive specialized knowledge in the field of basic education. Currently, two BA programs are available at SFL, which are English (for TEFL, for business, and for translation and interpreting) and Japanese (for business). SFL consists of seven teaching and research sections, namely, Comprehensive English Teaching and Research Section, Linguistics Teaching and Research Section, Audio-visual Teaching and Research Section, Translation Teaching and Research Section, Literature Teaching and Research Section, Business English Teaching and Research Section, as well as Japanese Teaching and Research Section. SFL endows its students with better access to teaching and learning facilities through the provision of adequate tools, machines & computers, textbooks and materials, including six language laboratories, seven multimedia classrooms, one non-profit campus radio station (FM) for EFL learners, et cetera. In addition, there is one reference room at SFL which boasts a rich collection of books, journals, newspapers, magazines, and audiovisual materials relating to linguistics, literature and foreign language teaching, thereby lending the faculty members and students a helping hand in their pursuit of academic learning and research.
In recent years, SFL has scored impressive achievements in its undergraduate education. In 2007, its English program was designated by NYNU as one of the “key academic programs of NYNU”. In 2008, its English program was again listed as one of the “provincial-level characteristic programs in Henan”. In 2008, SFL was granted project approval for a “NYNU-level teaching team of instructors” responsible for the teaching of core courses in the English program, leading to three major courses including Advanced English being listed as NYNU’s quality courses. In 2009, the BA Program in English Language and Literature was approved as one of the “key academic disciplines of NYNU”. We, the faculty and staff of SFL, lay great store by the application of modern technologies and equipment to classroom teaching. As a result, one course (English Reading) has been designated as a university quality course in Henan Province and two network-based courses (English Reading and English Writing) as quality courses in NYNU. Additionally, British and American Literature courses have been awarded the NYNU-level quality course status and are now under construction.
Since 2010, SFL has been undertaking a teacher training program called the “National-Level Teacher Training Program for Primary and Middle School Teachers in China” sponsored by the Ministry of Education (MOE) of the People’s Republic of China. This program has benefited batches of middle school and elementary school teachers in Henan Province, receiving favorable acclaims from Henan provincial educational authorities, trainees, schools and other stake-holders concerned. With regard to student management, we require our students to develop their talents and skills, excel in their academic studies and realize their goals, meticulously cared and assisted by our devoted faculties and staff. Teachers at SFL will do whatever they can to enhance our students’ proficiency in both spoken and written English. In addition to academic excellence, our students are encouraged to become ‘all-rounders’ who are able to accumulate achievements in diverse areas, including a good knowledge of business and trade, proficient computer operation skills, et cetera. Therefore, SFL bases its curriculum arrangement on scientific methods and market demands. We encourage our students to enhance their academic expertise and gain professional perspectives and practical experiences via participating in a host of extracurricular activities such as English speech contests, English reading competitions, English debates, English drama contests, English corners, college English competitions, et cetera. What merits our particular attention is that our students have also garnered impressive honors and achievements in such large-scale examinations as Test for English Majors-Band 4 (TEM4), Test for English Majors-Band 8 (TEM8), and Japanese Language Proficiency Test-Level 1 (JLPT-N1). For example, the average passing rate of Japanese majors of Grade 2004-2008 in JLPT-N1 reached 60% at first attempt, which was in the front rank among colleges and universities in Henan Province. Attesting to the quality of our education programs, more than 400 students have been admitted to prestigious Chinese universities for MA studies such as Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Nanjing University, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Nankai University, Zhongshan University, China University of Political Science and Law, and Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, after finishing their BA program at NYNU.
SFL is proud to have churned out over 20,000 quality graduates since China’s reform and opening up in late 1970s, a majority of whom have become the backbones of English language education in senior and junior high schools across thirteen county-level divisions under the jurisdiction of Nanyang and even in other parts of Henan. Among these graduates, more than 300 proceeded with their MA studies and over 40 went on to pursue their Ph.D. degree. A number of our graduates have moved up to the ranks of influence and repute, some assuming office in government, some taking up important professional or academic positions, and some winning laurels at different levels. All the graduates of SFL, with their toil and moil, have not only yielded contributions to the society but also added to the honor and glory of their alma mater!
2. Academic Programs
Currently, there are two BA programs offered by SFL, which are English Language and Literature (for TEFL, for business, and for translation and interpreting) and Japanese Language and Literature. Besides, there is also an English (for TEFL) program for junior college education.
English Language and Literature
The BA English program offered by SFL, spanning four years, is approved as a provincial-level characteristic program in Henan. This program is aimed at preparing our students to become English teachers in senior and junior high schools as well as English practitioners in the field of English for Special Purposes (ESP). To that end, we endeavor to train our students to be proficient English language users, exemplary cross-cultural communicators, and enthusiastic disseminators of modern educational concepts and education technology. Major courses offered by the English program include: Basic English, Advanced English, English Reading (provincial-level quality course), English Teaching Methodology, Pedagogical Practice, English Listening and Speaking (NYNU-level quality course), English Grammar, English Writing, Linguistics, English Rhetoric, Translation and Interpreting, Introduction to English Speaking Countries, Selected Readings in English Literature (NYNU-level quality course), Selected Readings in American Literature (NYNU-level quality course), Japanese, Computer Science, et cetera.
Japanese Language and Literature
The Japanese program offered by SFL is a four-year BA program whose purpose is to train creative and business-minded talents both proficient in Japanese language and culture and adept at cross-cultural communications. This program puts great emphasis on the cultivation of students’ comprehensive Japanese competencies in listening, speaking, reading, writing and translating in order for them to meet diverse social needs henceforward. Major courses offered by the Japanese program include: Intensive Japanese Reading, Extensive Japanese Reading, Japanese Grammar, Japanese Listening, Japanese Speaking, An Introduction to Japan, Japanese Literature, Translation and Writing, Business Japanese, Business Japanese Correspondence, International Trade Practices, Electronic Business, English, Computer Science, et cetera. Graduates under this program may find employment in areas such as foreign trade, tourism, secretarial service, teaching Japanese as a foreign language, et cetera.
3. Faculty
SFL now has 61 faculty members, among whom three have obtained professorships, 14 associate professorships and 29 lectureships. In terms of academic degrees, three are Ph.D. candidates, one is a Ph.D. holder, and 47 are MA holders. Besides, SFL has also engaged foreign teachers and extramural experts for teaching, lecture tours and academic exchange meetings, including 10 foreign teachers, five part-time professors and two guest professors. Over 30 foreign teachers and experts have come to teach at SFL in the past. Moreover, SFL has successively sent 15 of its faculty members to Britain, Australia, Japan and the United states to study, do research or participate in degree programs.
4. Teaching and Research
Thanks to the painstaking efforts of SFL’s devoted faculty members, impressive achievements have been registered in the field of language teaching and research. Professor Liu Mingge is a recipient of the ‘Henan Young and Middle-aged Backbone Teachers Award’ and the third prize winner of ‘Ceng Xianzi Education Foundation Award for Outstanding Teachers in Teacher Colleges and Universities’. Professor Hu Tianfu was named an ‘Outstanding Teacher of Henan Province’ as well as an ‘Academic and Technical Leader of Henan Province’. Associate Professor Wei Lanzhi was honored with the title of ‘Advanced Individual for Teachers’ Code of Morality in Henan Province’. Associate Professor Zhang Anhua won the ‘First Prize Guide Teacher Award’ in the provincial-level teaching design demonstration contest held among teacher colleges and universities in Henan. In recent years, a number of SFL’s faculty members have won first and second prizes in English teaching competitions held in Henan Province. Besides, the teaching reform project undertaken by SFL and financed by loans from the World Bank in collaboration with MOE won the second prize in the ‘Henan Provincial Teaching Achievement Award’, whose results received favorable comments from experts attending a national English language teaching and learning seminar for teacher college teachers held in Guangdong Province. Another college English teaching reform project headed by Associate Professor Wang Jidong was awarded the second prize in the ‘Provincial Teaching Achievement Award’. Over the last three years, a total of 68 research projects undertaken by SFL’s faculty members gained project approval (including 18 provincial-level projects and fifty prefecture-level projects). Up to now, twenty seven projects have passed project appraisal and project closure procedures (including seven provincial-level projects and twenty prefecture-level projects). In recent years, the number of monographs and textbooks authored and/or co-authored by SFL’s faculty members exceeds thirty. Besides, SFL’s faculty members have also seen more than 300 research papers put into print in various journals at different levels, of which twelve are published in top-tier journals, over 80 in core Chinese journals and over 90 in core journals of social science.
5. International Collaboration
Be it local or international, educational or business-related, SFL has long recognized the value of partnerships, particularly interdisciplinary and/or extramural collaboration in training, research and student exchange. By giving full play to the advantages of the programs offered by SFL and especially by tapping into the opportunities arising from the provision of language training services, we wish to expand our network of partners such as companies, enterprises and businesses, and work with them to enhance the learning outcomes of our students, promote SFL’s transformation and development, and above all contribute to the development of local economy. Examples of SFL’s recent extramural collaborations include translation services for the Administrative Committee of Nanyang Yahe Industrial Area, oral English training services for 50 technical personnel of Nanyang Explosion Protection Group Co., Ltd., Japanese language training services for students of Nanyang Medical College, et cetera.
Contact us
Tel: 0086-377-63513556
Mailing Address: School of Foreign Languages, Nanyang Normal University, Wolong District, Nanyang 473061, P.R. China.
