The College English Teaching Guide is a foundational document guiding English teaching in Chinese universities. Its first edition was released in 2015, and a revised version was issued in 2020 to adapt to societal developments in the new era. Research on the Guide falls into two categories: expert-led introductory studies and research on reforms and practices in college English teaching. Existing studies primarily focus on synchronic analysis from an educational perspective, lacking diachronic examination of the two versions and multi-perspective research. This study employs the discourse-historical approach (DHA) to conduct a sociolinguistic diachronic comparison of the 2015 and 2020 editions, investigating the co-variation between discourse and the new-era society.

1. Theoretical Basis

The discourse-historical approach (DHA), proposed by Ruth Wodak as a method within critical discourse studies (CDS), is introduced for its interdisciplinary nature, spanning linguistics, political science, and sociology. DHA aims to explore the socio-historical context and evolution of discourse, aligning with sociolinguistics in examining the co-variation between language and society. Wodak views discourse as a social practice, emphasizing its dialectical relationship with societal actions. In analyzing the diachronic dimension of discourse, DHA prioritizes integrating historical context and tracking discursive changes over time, making it consistent with sociolinguistic approaches to studying discourse-society co-variation.

2. The Discursive Nature of the College English Teaching Guide

The College English Teaching Guide is a discursively constructed reality in social practice, reflecting the values and ideologies of its framers. Its discursive nature manifests in three aspects: (1) Form—written and spoken discourse, where the written form conveys authority and guidance, while spoken forms include policy briefings; (2) Production—as a public good, it involves diverse producers (e.g., the Ministry of Education, advisory committees, and college English teachers) and leverages policy support, funding, and value-driven initiatives to enhance quality and efficiency; (3) Constructive Role—discourse is both socially constructed and socially constructive, serving productive, framing, and ideological functions. It defines teaching content, methods, and tools while establishing value orientations that guide institutions, teachers, and students, embedding state and party ideologies.

3. The Co-Variation Between the College English Teaching Guide Discourse and New-Era Society

This section examines the revisions to the College English Teaching Guide (hereafter Guide) and their alignment with societal developments in the new era. The 2020 edition updates five areas: ideological-political education, teaching requirements, content, methods/tools, and teacher development.

In ideological-political education, the 2020 Guide emphasizes guiding students to adopt correct worldviews, values, and outlooks on life, framing moral education as a core mission. This shift reflects the new era’s prioritization of integrating ideological elements into English teaching to cultivate students’ ethics, cultural literacy, and social responsibility.

For teaching requirements, the 2020 Guide raises English proficiency standards, stressing pragmatic skills (e.g., information processing, logical reasoning) and intercultural communication. This adjustment addresses current shortcomings—overemphasis on basic language skills at the expense of practical and cross-cultural competencies—while meeting global demands for intercultural interaction.

Regarding teaching content, the 2020 Guide adds requirements for textbooks to incorporate Chinese culture, showcase its distinctiveness, and amplify China’s voice. This revision responds to domestic and international contexts, promoting cultural confidence.

In teaching methods/tools, the 2020 Guide highlights modern technologies (e.g., big data, VR, AI) and advocates blended learning models. This aligns with intelligent technological trends, aiming to enhance pedagogy and personalized learning.

For teacher development, the 2020 Guide details the competencies, ethics, and ideals expected of college English teachers, addressing recent professional misconduct concerns and elevating overall teacher quality.

In summary, the revisions reflect new-era societal demands, updating teaching philosophies to cultivate talent suited to contemporary needs.

4. Conclusion

The Guide’s discourse co-evolves with new-era societal progress, mirroring shifts in college English education. Three recommendations are proposed: (1) The Ministry of Education should establish quality assurance and feedback mechanisms; (2) Advisory committees should guide universities in reforming teaching per the 2020 Guide; (3) Teachers must internalize the Guide’s principles and model its values. The revised Guide will advance teaching reforms, elevate higher education, and nurture talent for the new era.