On Humanistic Values in College English Reading Teaching from the Perspective of Discourse Analysis

Abstract

For years, college English education across China has prioritized the training of basic language competencies. Educators mainly focus on improving learners’ listening, speaking, reading, writing and translation skills, yet pay insufficient attention to the humanistic education embedded in discourse teaching. The prevailing practice of prioritizing instrumental functions over humanistic cultivation makes it hard for college English courses to cultivate learners’ comprehensive humanistic literacy. These essential qualities include value orientation, cross-cultural awareness and critical thinking, even though language proficiency gets improved in the process. Based on the theoretical framework of discourse analysis and grounded in authentic classroom teaching cases, this research paper systematically sorts out humanistic connotations inherent to college English reading curricula. Textual analysis and instructional practice jointly verify that discourse analysis transcends its conventional positioning as a linguistic teaching technique and serves as a reasonable and practicable teaching path to advance humanistic education within college English classrooms.