%0 Journal Article
%T Research on Pathways for Foreign Language Classroom Innovation in Holistic Development at Private Universities
%A Rui Yan
%J Open Access Library Journal
%V 12
%N 4
%P 1-16
%@ 2333-9721
%D 2025
%I Open Access Library
%R 10.4236/oalib.1113300
%X Traditional foreign language education in China has long relied on the ¡°dual-basics¡± training model, which prioritizes linguistic fundamentals (phonetics, vocabulary, grammar) and basic skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing). While this instrumentalist paradigm enhances test-taking proficiency, it systematically neglects the cultivation of humanistic qualities and critical thinking, leading to widespread ¡°critical thinking deficiency syndrome.¡± Holistic education, emphasizing the integrated development of cognition, emotion, and morality, offers a theoretical framework to address the ¡°skill-over-humanity¡± dilemma in foreign language education. However, empirical validation of its practical implementation and pedagogical efficacy in private universities remains underexplored. This study conducts a quasi-experiment at Zhejiang Yuexiu University, comparing the effects of a holistic education model (experimental class, n = 40) with traditional pedagogy (control class, n = 40). Grounded in the ASK framework (Awareness-Skill-Knowledge), the study integrates blended learning and multidimensional assessment. Results indicate that the experimental class significantly outperformed the control class in attention span (82% vs. 68%, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01), CET-4 pass rate (85% vs. 70%, <em>p</em> = 0.042), and self-rated critical thinking (4.3 vs. 3.6, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). Qualitative analysis reveals high-frequency terms in experimental students¡¯ reflective journals, such as ¡°cultural empathy¡± (28.6%) and ¡°social responsibility¡± (15.4%), whereas the control group exhibited utilitarian concerns like ¡°exam pressure¡± (34.2%). The findings demonstrate that holistic education synergistically enhances language acquisition and humanistic literacy through contextualized interaction and metacognitive training, providing a replicable paradigm for transforming private university foreign language education from ¡°knowledge transmission¡± to ¡°value-oriented cultivation¡±.
%K Holistic Education
%K Private Universities
%K English Classroom Model
%K ASK Framework
%K Blended Learning
%K Pedagogical Efficacy
%K Quasi-Experimental Design
%U http://www.oalib.com/paper/6856886