The Dialogic Ethical Triggering of Fusion of Horizons: Shadowing in English News Listening Classes at NEU

Dialogue and fusion of horizons are two important concepts of Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics, which falls into the pedagogical category of teaching English News Listening Classes. The course of English News Listening is one of the most fundamental and difficult courses in the curriculum for college students who are English majors. The simultaneous interpreting training method of shadowing is used in English News Listening Classes in helping students improve their language skill of listening and speaking. In fulfilling a teacher’s pedagogical performance of dialoguing and fusion of horizons, still one thing is important, i.e., solidarity triggered between students and teacher, which is the good or the ethical choice between students and teacher. In English News Listening Classes, “道”or “the way (Dao)” is shadowing. In teaching English News Listening, a “dialogue” of shadowing could be achieved between students and teacher is even more significant than that of other courses. This paper intends to present the dialogic ethical triggering of fusion of horizons in class. In another word, students’ knowing could be guided by teacher’s dialogic ethical triggering in English News classes. In voicing out the language, knowing in listening and speaking could help students have confidence in not only their language skills but in conquering their difficulties in their life. Teaching English News Listening at Northeastern University (NEU) in this way since 2013 has turned out to be good for students’ growth and maturation in life.

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