Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Research Background 1.2 Objectives and Research Questions 1.3 Overview of the Study Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Conceptions of Practical Wisdom 2.1.1 Practice and Knowledge 2.1.2 Teachers Practical Knowledge 2.1.3 Practical Wisdom 2.2 Philosophical Perspectives of Knowledge and Practice 2.2.1 The Unity of Knowing and Acting (zhi xing he yi) in Chinese Philosophy 2.2.2 The Influence of the Unity of Knowing and Acting 2.3 Sociocultural Perspectives of Teacher Learning 2.3.1 Vygotskys Sociocultural Theory (SCT) 2.3.2 Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) 2.3.3 Teachers as Learners in Social Contexts 2.3.4 Engestr Activity Theory 2.4 Studies on Teachers Practical Knowledge 2.4.1 Teacher Knowledge: Pedagogy and Praxis 2.4.2 Narrative Inquiry into Teachers Experience 2.4.3 EFL Teachers Practical Knowledge 2.4.4 A Model of the Generation of TeachersPractical Knowledge 2.5 Towards a Conceptual Framework Chapter 3 Methodology 3.1 Rationale for Ethnographic Research 3.2 The Research Setting and Sample 3.2.1 The Setting of Foreign Language Education (FLE) in China 3.2.2 The Research Participants 3.3 Data Collection 3.3.1 SemiStructured Interview Schedule 3.3.2 EFL TeachersNarratives 3.3.3 Archives 3.4 Data Analysis 3.4.1 Narrative Analysis 3.4.2 An Ethnographic Approach 3.5 Issues of Concern 3.5.1 Validity 3.5.2 Ethical Considerations 3.5.3 Size and Variety of Teacher Participants Chapter 4 Life History of the Senior EFL Teachers 4.1 Professors Life Stories 4.1.1 Learning English 4.1.2 Study Overseas 4.2 Professor s Life Stories 4.2.1 Early Childhood 4.2.2 Adolescence 4.2.3 Study at University 4.3 Professors Professional Life 4.3.1 Becoming an English Teacher 4.3.2 Teaching Adult Beginning Learners 4.3.3 Creation of Rich Linguistic Environment for EFL Learners 4.3.4 Learning to Teach 4.3.5 Considerations of EFL Teaching as a Master Teacher 4.4 Professors Professional Life 4.4.1 Initial Stage: Struggling to Survive 4.4.2 Disruption in Teaching Career: Opportunity from Adversity 4.4.3 A Master Teacher 4.5 Master Teachers Philosophy of Life 4.5.1 Professor Y 4.5.2 Professor G 4.6 A CrossCase Analysis of Adult Beginning Learners and Teachers in EFL Context 4.6.1 Learning a Foreign Language as an Adult Beginning Learner 4.6.2 Effective Means for EFL Adult Beginning Learners 4.7 Summary Chapter 5 Teaching Practice of the Senior EFL Teachers 5.1 Professor Y Teaching LowLevel Students 5.1.1 First Priority of Grammar Instruction 5.1.2 Importance of Students Participation in Classroom Activity 5.1.3 Accuracy versus Fluency 5.1.4 Error Correction 5.1.5 EnglishOnly Communication 5.1.6 Constant Feedback from the Teacher 5.1.7 Emphasis on Book Reading 5.1.8 A Jingle 5.1.9 Summary 5.2 Professor G Teaching Senior EFL Students 5.2.1 A Poor Don Quixotes Emphasis on Accuracy 5.2.2 A Style of “Chalk and Talk” 5.2.3 Resonance with Students 5.2.4 Grasping Opportunities to Teach 5.2.5 Good Command of English versus a Conscientious Chinese 5.2.6 No AbsentMindedness to Students 5.2.7 An Alphabetical List of EFL Teacher Quality 5.3 Summary Chapter 6 Interpretation of Practical Knowledge of the Senior EFL Teachers 6.1 Features of EFL Teaching Practice of Professor Y 6.1.1 Developing Linguistic Knowledge via the FormMeaningUse Triad 6.1.2 Manipulation of LearnerBased Pedagogical Instruction 6.1.3 Maintaining Interaction with Students 6.1.4 Summary 6.2 Features of EFL Teaching Practice of Professor G 6.2.1 Humanistic Approach with Content Orientation 6.2.2 TeacherDirected Instruction 6.2.3 LearnerCentred Curriculum 6.2.4 Conceptions of EFL Teacher Quality 6.3 Summary Chapter 7 Understanding the Transformation of Practical Wisdom of the Senior EFL Teachers 7.1 Factors Influencing Practical Knowledge 7.1.1 Professor s Personal Life Experiences 7.1.2 Professors Learning Experiences 7.1.3 Professors Teaching Experiences 7.1.4 Professors Academic Background 7.1.5 Professors Personal Life Experiences 7.1.6 Professors Learning Experiences 7.1.7 Professors Teaching Experiences 7.2 Contextual Tensions and the Reconstruction of Practical Knowledge 7.2.1 Professors School Context 7.2.2 Professors Subject Matter 7.2.3 Professor s LowLevel Students 7.2.4 Professor School Context 7.2.5 Professor Subject Matter 7.2.6 Professor Senior EFL Students 7.3 The Driving Forces of the Transformation of Practical Wisdom of the EFL Teachers 7.3.1 Professor Pursuit of SelfPerfection 7.3.2 Professor Pursuit of SelfCultivation 7.4 Summary 7.5 The Conceptual Framework of Practical Wisdom Chapter 8 Conclusion and Implications 8.1 Conclusion 8.2 Implications 8.3 Limitations References Appendices Index Epilogue
List of Tables Table 3.1 Demographic and professional information of the participants (Till 2012)059 Table 3.2 The profile of the two teacher participants063 Table 3.3 Collection of field texts067
List of Figures Figure 2.1 The dynamic process of teachers practical knowledge generation (Chen et al., 2011)044 Figure 2.2 A preliminary model of EFL teachers practical wisdom047 Figure 4.1 Professors educational experience in English106 Figure 4.2 Professors educational experience108 Figure 5.1 An episode taken from a textbook written by Professor Y138 Figure 5.2 Prototypical units of the three dimensions (LarsenFreeman, 2005)140 Figure 5.3 Professor s list of EFL teacher quality164 Figure 7.1 The conceptual framework of practical wisdom237