Foreign Language Education for Sustainable Development in China: A Case Study of German Language Education

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This study focuses on the education of languages other than English(LOTEs) by drawing SWOT analysis. Four trends were obtained in the sustainbale development of foreign language education in China.

The topic on LOTEs is quite important and the findings of this study may provide suggestions for the multilingualism education in China. The writing quality of this paper on the whole is quite good and the methodology is rigid. However, there are also some minor problems need to be addressed. For example, line 585 "Global issues, such as climate change, urgently requires a shift toward the education of sustainable development." "climate change" was mentioned suddenly. This sentence could be reorganized to make it more logical. Therefore, please carefully check  throught the language of this study.

 

Author Response

We appreciate your comment. Thank you for underlining this deficiency. The whole article has been read repeatedly and similar problems were revised and modified.

In the last chapter, in the sentence "Global issues, such as climate change, urgently requires a shift toward the education of sustainable development." "climate change" was mentioned suddenly and cannot fully represent current global issues. So, “climate change” was removed. We also amended the language in other parts. You can see the text in red in the new manuscript.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

 

The theme is clear and has practical significance. Foreign language education has always been an important part in the process of sustainable development in China. Taking German teaching as an example can play a better representation and authenticity.

The writing is detailed and appropriate, and the logic is good. The descriptive analysis of the trend is relatively comprehensive and effectively reflects the current situation of foreign language education in China.

The transition from German education to foreign language education can be more smooth and detailed.

 

Author Response

Please see the attachment. 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

In this paper, the SWOT analysis takes into account external and internal factors and its aim is to identify the main strengths and weaknesses of promoting multilingualism and promoting LOTEs within Chinese foreign language education for sustainable development education. Indeed, foreign language education can and should acquire an essential role in sustainability literacy. This article is therefore an interesting contribution to critical reflection on the topic.

 

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

The paper entitled "Foreign language education for sustainable development in China: a case study of German language education" is interesting in that it is a status report on foreign language education in China: through an analysis of weaknesses, threats, strengths and opportunities, it explores trends related to sustainability in foreign language education. Interestingly, the authors also raise issues related to foreign language teaching methods (introduction of culture, new technologies, curricula, teaching materials, etc.).

In my view, the paper presents some aspects that should be reviewed. First of all, this article is more of a report; in my view, it should be restructured and expanded to meet the standards of a scientific research paper. In this sense, I think it would be essential to justify the use of SWOT analysis in the study of linguistic sustainability. On the other hand, I think it would be important to carry out an analysis from a broader theoretical framework, including studies on top-down language planning. It would also be necessary for the authors to review studies on linguistic prejudices: from the point of view of linguistic rights and linguistic equality, and therefore, if we start from the idea that there are no languages better than others and that there are no languages more useful than others, there is no argument that multilingualism is more beneficial than monolingualism (also in second languages teaching and learning). And this question should be at the basis of a study such as the one presented here, so that the theoretical framework should be extended with studies on language prejudices, as well as on top-down language planning, linked to second language teaching.

I also think that the description of the context should be improved: although throughout the article some questions about the characteristics of foreign language teaching in China are detailed (what languages are taught, what methodologies are used, etc.), I think it would be interesting to dedicate a section to explain these questions so that the reader can have a clear idea from the beginning about the sociolinguistic situation and the teaching of foreign languages in the country in public schools.

The wording should be revised, as some repetitions can be detected (see, for example, the first two paragraphs of section 3.1). There are also some contradictions in the text (e.g. in the last paragraph of 3.1. it is mentioned that there are a large number of LOTE learners and German learners in particular, when the issue of low numbers of learners had been classified as a negative factor).

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 4 Report

Thank you very much for your answers. I understand the justification for the comments I have made.