The Impact of Educational Reform on China’s Magazines for Teaching English

This paper examines the effect of China’s government education policy reform, adopted in 2001, on English-language magazines and periodicals for teaching English to young people. This “Character Education” reform occurred when globalization and economic decentralization were transforming China. In response, teaching methods and curricula for teaching English were being revamped. In this study, four of the most popular publications for teaching English to young people were analyzed over a 10-year time period. Three of the four adapted their formats and content, and one changed its name to Crazy English. The publications that succeeded were targeted to readers’ increasingly diversified needs and demands. The future of these publications is also discussed. 

This paper examines the effect of China’s government education policy reform, adopted in 2001, on English-language magazines and periodicals for teaching English to young people. This “Character Education” reform occurred when globalization and economic decentralization were transforming China. In response, teaching methods and curricula for teaching English were being revamped. In this study, four of the most popular publications for teaching English to young people were analyzed over a 10-year time period. Three of the four adapted their formats and content, and one changed its name to Crazy English. The publications that succeeded were targeted to readers’ increasingly diversified needs and demands. The future of these publications is also discussed.