At present, the issue of abolishing English as one of the three major subjects for middle school students has aroused widespread discussion and attention. Proponents believe that the degree of practical application of English is not proportional to the learning time and energy, and that Chinese has more advantages in vocabulary creation, expression richness, information transmission efficiency and cultural carrying capacity. Opponents worry that the abolition of English as a major subject will lead to an uneven distribution of resources for English education, which will exacerbate the language gap between social classes. However, it should be noted that English, as an important international common language, plays a key role in scientific research, textbooks, scientific reports, and high-quality documentaries. Therefore, while maintaining the important position of English, we should pay attention to improving the practicality of English teaching and taking into account students' solid learning of Chinese.
1. Practical application of English learning
Although many students work hard to learn English, they often find that their English proficiency is not up to the level required for daily life and work, especially when it comes to oral communication. This has caused many people to question and reflect on English learning. However, if we look around the world, we will find that almost all cutting-edge research, textbooks, scientific reports, and high-quality documentaries are first published in English. Therefore, whether it is for personal academic research or for the country's scientific and technological progress, English is a key key to open the door to a treasure trove of knowledge.
2. Comparison of the advantages of English and Chinese
English and Chinese have their own advantages. The English spelling is simple, the letters are easy to popularize, and the kanji is able to express a rich meaning through a single word, and has outstanding lyrical expressiveness. The evaluation of a language should not be limited to nationalism, but should take into account the usefulness and power of various languages in different contexts. Therefore, we should not simply compare English and Chinese, but should recognize their unique values in different times and environments.
1. The aggravation of the socio-linguistic gap
If English is no longer a compulsory subject, the distribution of educational resources in schools may be even more uneven. Because children from wealthy families have more learning resources, they can learn English through private tutoring and other means, so as to seize the initiative of international communication and competition. For children from ordinary families, the lack of such opportunities will lead to a narrower path to social mobility through the acquisition of foreign languages. This widening of the language gap can lead to social inequity and instability.
2. The importance and status of the English language
Although there is a certain disconnect between the practical application of English and the time and energy invested, English, as an important international common language, is still of great significance to the development of individuals and countries. Therefore, the status of English in the college entrance examination should remain unchanged, and attention should be paid to improving the practicality of English teaching, so that students can better apply what they have learned in real life and in the workplace.
In order to achieve a balanced development of disciplines, some experts proposed to reduce the weight of foreign language scores in the college entrance examination to 100 points. This can not only ensure the status of English in the college entrance examination, but also enable all subjects to be more equally valued. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account students' solid learning of Chinese and establish a sense of identity with the local culture. The importance of mother tongue education cannot be ignored, and by strengthening the cultivation of Chinese, students can better understand and inherit our traditional culture.
As an important international common language, English has a wide range of applications and influence around the world. While there may be a certain disconnect between its practical application and learning time and energy, we cannot simply abandon or weaken English education. Instead, attention should be paid to improving the practicality of English teaching and taking into account students' solid learning of Chinese. By balancing the development of various disciplines, we can cultivate more globally competitive talents and make greater contributions to the development of the country. Therefore, it is not a wise choice to cancel the main subject of English, and we should maintain and improve the importance of English, while paying attention to Chinese education and the inheritance of local culture.