What is Learning Portfolios

This study investigated the potentiality for Western andragogy as a teaching method in China's high schools, particularly in teaching English as a foreign language (ESOL). A well-accepted instrument was modified and utilized for this study. Chinese teachers of English taught andragogically to some extent such as personalizing instruction, relating to experience, assessing student needs and climate building. The findings showed these teachers taught the lower levels of Bloom's (1956) taxonomy, which are characterized by rote learning, memorization, knowledge transmission, lecturing, and focusing on exams (Li & Cutting, 2011). These teaching methods run contrary to Western democratic approaches characterized by negotiating curricular priorities with students, giving out learning contracts and using learning portfolios instead of exams and involving students when planning lessons. The Western style of teaching is believed to contribute to the communicative/collaborative learning process when it comes to learning as a foreign language such as English.