An Inquiry into Teachers' Lesson Preparation in Mainland China: The Examples from Three Primary Schools

Lesson preparation In Mainland China's primary school has been chosen as the topic of this inquiry. In terms of lesson preparation, daily preparation and preparation before public lesson have been both included. Three primary schools located in the Northwest Mainland China have been invited as the cases. Case study approach has been employed with the strategies of observation, interview and document analysis. In addition, there were two researchers in the field to carry out triangulation. Based on field data, it showed that individual lesson preparation and lesson preparation in team were both present. Individual lesson preparation focuses on the analysis of teaching materials, as well as the setting of teaching objectives and detection of could-be -troubles in teaching etc. Lesson preparation in team employs the scaffolding to polish lesson plan. In addition, the team members observe the actual teaching and discuss the ways to modify the lesson. This process actualizes the spirit of action research. Lesson p