Rousing Dragons

This broad-based qualitative study describes the development and deployment of culturally informed, literature-inclusive English-as-a-Foreign Language curricula in the People's Republic of China. Conducted at both the tertiary and secondary levels in three distinct regions of the country, this study involves a multi-year investigation into social constructivist assumptions about the nature of effective L2 literary discourse. The author makes the case that a well-conceived literature-inclusive curriculum has the capacity to meaningfully enhance mainland Chinese students' understanding and appreciation of English-speaking cultures, but also provide a framework for Chinese EFL students to nurture and better articulate their feelings and thoughts, increase their tolerance for ambiguity, and develop their reasoning skills and strategic linguistic competence.