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Abstract Abstract: Against the background of developing the FLES (foreign language education studies) discipline, this research aimed at identifying the key problems existing in the curriculum design and its implementation at different stages of foreign language education in China in the hope of designing coherent and healthy curricula. A mixed method of quantitative research and qualitative research was adopted with semi-structured interviews, structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires as instruments of data collection, and the analysis of data revealed nine key problems that showed up in the design and implementation of English curriculum in China including: (1) the separation of language courses from disciplinary content courses for English majors, (2) a delay in offering disciplinary content courses for English majors, (3) a lack of language practice in the instruction of undergraduates’ English courses, (4) inadequate connection between the English courses and the disciplines of undergraduate and postgraduate non-English majors, (5) the obvious interference of examination-oriented instruction of junior and senior high English courses, (6) problematic transitions between junior high, senior high and primary school English courses, (7) the uneven distribution of resources in the instruction of English courses in senior high, junior high and primary schools, the excessive reliance on textbooks in the instruction of English courses in primary schools and the inadequate teaching hours of English course in primary schools. These big problems, together with others discovered in the investigation, will help probe into their causes and are likely to help the improvement of foreign language education in China.
Key words: FLES (foreign language education studies); foreign language education; English curriculum; problems with curriculum; key problems
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