This paper regards the formulation of the first “College English Teaching Program” (1985/1986) as a symbol of the birth of EFL in China, and thereby the thirty years of EFL reform and practice are divided into three sequential periods of initial stage, development stage and transition period. It further discusses the main characteristics of teacher-student cognition of each period in turn. It is claimed that the teacher-student cognition has shifted its mode from “indoctrination and acceptance” to “guidance and autonomy” and then to “promotion and progress”. One of the key problems of current EFL pedagogic innovation is how to implement a proper positioning of teacher-student cognition. The planning and implementation of classroom practice demands an application of theories and methodologies of cognitive sciences and cognitive studies of EFL reform will contribute to the promotion of a new research paradigm.