优化折衷教学法在小学英语教学中的应用
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山东师范大学
硕士学位论文
优化折衷教学法在小学英语教学中的应用
姓名:***
申请学位级别:硕士
专业:英语语言文学
指导教师:***
20040426
中文摘要
‘法门常在,法无定法”是对英语教学方法论的形象总结。
这就是说
英语教学要在遵德教学一般嫂律的翦提下,在充分考患语言教学特点的基础上,尽可能做到因人而宜、因材施教、注重效果,切忌生搬硬套。
旌英语教学法经过500多年的发展演变之后,折衷教学法因其博采众长、兼容
并包的特点已经逐渐被一些英语教育、教学家接缡为一种较为理想的选
,百飞>
择,但折衷法也并非尽善尽荧j本文描述了中国小学英语教学法研究的现状,弱颓了英语教学法酶发簇历程,解析了英语教学之所以走上折衷豹聚因,反思了前辈们对理论折衷教学和实践折衷教学的观点,提出了对折衷教学法豹藜试识——优讫撬囊教学法,论涯了在小学英语教学中实蔑傀纯折衷法的可行性,在此基础上结合具体教材的教法提出了在小学阶段实践优化折衷法豹指黪原刘弱具体实麓方法。
体文由六部分组成。
除引言和结论外,论文主体部分共分四章:~、
、
、
中国小学英语教学法的研究现状;二、对折衷教学法的反思;三、优化折衷教学法及其在小学英语教学中的可行性;四、在小学英语教学中实践优化折衷教学法的指导原则与方法。
}…矿’刁
弓l言论述了小学英语教学的必要性及重要性,进而指盘了论文的撰写目的、切入点、研究内容及组织结构。
第一章鼹嚣态小学英诱教学法磅究瀚现状避行了总体攒述。
本章麸小学英语教学法理论研究入手,对目前中国小学教师使用的教学法和教学横式特剜是小学荚谬教学中存在和鲞魂豹主要蠢蘧徽了接透性醛究。
篇二章对折衷教学法进行了全面反思。
f本章首先简要回顾了外语教学
、
法的演变过程并得出结论:外语教学法的折衷趋势是由这~学科发展的历史继承性所决定的。
每~派教学法都在~定程度上与它之前的教学法有着密切关系。
教学法的多样化使得各种流派取长补短、互相渗透,你有中我、我中有你,逐步出现了折衷的趋势。
对此,教学法家们众说纷纭,葵衷一是。
≯…了歹
第三章道过反思理论折衷教学差瑟实戏折衷教学,笔者提出了对折衷教学法的新认识并指出:优化据衷教学法符合现代英语教学翘律因两是值强
,
提倡的。
耀港从小学生的自身特点与学习环境两个方面阐述了优化折衷教学法在小学英语教学中的可行性。
首先论述了小学英语教学的特殊地位,进而从小学生的兴趣、认知、学习动机、心理特点和生活经历等方面阐述了小学英语教学的特殊性,其次缁合国内具体情况,概括了小学生的学习环境特点,最后得出结论:优化折衷教学法与小学英语教学实际密切相关,是一种比较理性的选择厂歹’万
第四章主要阐述了在小学英语教学中实践优化折衷教学法的基本愿涮和鬃俸方法。
茬对中酱小学英舔教学及折衷教学法全甏磺究的基穑主,
\
本章络合其俸教孝芎兹教法提基了在小学英语教学中实践优纯折衷教学法的五条基本指导愿则:寓教予乐原则、直观性原则、阶段性原剡、缮体性原则、入本原则及相应的操作方法,如游戏法、情景法、任务法、示范法等。
r谤一矿’
潞论部分简要概括了论文的主要内容及研究意义,指出了研究过程中的局限和不足并为其他对该领域感兴趣并准备进~步探讨的研究者们提出了几点建议,了’谚
关键词:优化折衷教学法;小学英语教学;原则和方法论文分类号:H319
Abstract
Teachingmethodsshouldbeadaptive.ThisisarevealinginsightintoEnglishteachingmethodology,Ontheonehand,Englishteachingshould
followtheuniversallawofteachingandtakeintoconsiderationthecharacteristicsoflanguageteaching.Ontheotherhand,Englishteachingmethodsvary弼獭differentteachers,differentbooksanddifferentsituations。
ThereforeitisnecessarytochoosespecificmethodsSOastomakethemas
effectiveaspossible.Afternearlyfivehundredyears’developmentandevolutionoflanguageteaching,EclecticTeachingApproachhasbeenhi曲ly
regardedasartideallanguageteachingapproachbecauseofitscomprehensivenessandextensiveness.HoweveLitisfarfrombeingperfect
whenemployedinEnglishlanguageteaching.Basedonacriticalreviewofthe
EclecticTeachingApproach,thisthesisintendstoproposetheOptimizedEclecticApproach(OEA)andprovidesomeguidingprinciplesandcorrespondingmethodsforapplyingOEAto研maryschoolEnglishteaching.Thisthesisconsistsoffourchaptersbesides“Introduction”and
‘Conclusion:”‘"CurrentResearchesintoPrimarySchoolEnglishTeacNngApproachesinChina,…‘ACriticalReviewoftheEclecticApproachinTEFL,”
andItsFeasibilityinPrimarySchoolEnglish“OptimizedEclecticApproach
Teaching’’and‘‘MajorPrinciplesandMethodsforApplyingOptimizedEclectic
ApproachtoPrimarySchoolEnglishTeaching”.
TheIntroductionisfirstconcernedwiththeimportanceofprimaryschool
;i
Englishteaching,andthenclarifiesthepurpose,perspectives,andtheorganizmionofthisthesis
ChapteroneoffersanoverallreviewofthecurrenttheoreticalandpracticalresearchesintoprimaryschoolEnglishteachingapproachesinChina
andpointsoutsomemajorproblemsintheseresearches
ChaptertwoservesasacriticalreviewoftheEclecticApproachinTEFL
ItfirstoutlinesthedevelopmentofEnglishteachingapproachesandelaborates
thetendencytowardseclecticism.ThenitexaminesvariousopinionsontheEclecticApproachofscholarsathomeandabroad
ChapterthreeproposestheOptimizedEclecticApproach(OEA)onthebasisofotherlinguists’studiesinordertobringintofullplaytheeffectivenessofeclecticteaching,andanalyzesthefeasibilityofOEAinprimaryschoolEnglishteaching.OEAisinaffinitywiththetraitsoftheinterest,cognitive
level,learninghabitsandmotivation,psychologicalcharacteristics,lifeexperiencesandtheleamingenvironmentofprimaryschoolstudentsChapterfourputsforwardmajorprinciplesandcorrespondingmethodsin
applyingOptimizedEclecticApproachtoprimaryschoolEnglishteachingonthebasisoftheabove—mentionedresearchesandlessonplansofsomespecifictextsfromseveraltextbooks.Thefivemajorprinciplesaretheprincipleof
edutainment,theprincipleofvisualization,theprincipleofgraduation,the
consideration.Theprincipleofappropriatenessandtheprincipleofhumanistic
fourmajormethodsaregamemethod,situationalmethod,task—basedmethodanddemonstrationmethod
TheConclusionbrieflysummarizesthemainpointsandtheresearchsignificanceofthethesis,pointsoutitslimitationandshortcomingsandfinallyprovidessomesuggestionsforfutureresearcherswhoareinterestedinthisfield
Keywords:OptimizedEclecticApproach;pnmaryschoolEnglishteaching;principlesandmethods
Categorynumber:H3t9
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本人声翻所呈交鲶学位论文是本久在导疼指导下进行豹磅究工{车
及取褥的研究成票。
据我所知,除了文中特别翔以标注襄致澎黪选方
外,论文中不包含其他人已经发表或撰写过的硪究成果,也不包含为获得——(注:如没商其他需要特别声明的,本栏可空)或其他教育机构的学位戚证书使用过的材料。
与我~同工作的同志对本研究所做的任何贡献均已在论文中作了明确的说明并表示谢意。
一一虢电影翮搏签字基觏:2。
蓬年b2∥基锄≥
签字冒期:2004年幼“|j
,,
IntroductjOn
ForeignlanguageteachinginEuropehasahistoryofabout500years.Duringthisperiodvariousteachingapproachessucceededoneanotherduetodifferentsocialandhistoricalbackgrounds.EnglishteachinginChinaalsohasalonghistoryofmorethan100years.Afterthefoundingofthep.R.C—esp.sincethepracticeofreformandopeninguppolicy,manywesternschoolsofteachingmethodologyhavebeenintroducedtoChinatogetherwiththeintroductionofadvancedwesternscienceandtechnology.Thishas,toagreatextent,tedtotheprosperityofEnglishteachinginChina。
Forinstance,EnglishisofferedasanobligatorycourseinalmostallmiddleschoolsanduniversitiesandnumerousresearchesandexperimentsOilEnglishteachinghavebeenaccomplished。
Moreover,Englishteachingasanindustryhasmaderapidprogressduringthepastfewyears.VarioustypesofEnglishtrainingschoolsaresetuptomeetthedemandofEnglishlearners。
ThishascontributedmuchtotheoverallimprovementofnationalEnglishlevel.
However,itisanobviousfactthatresearchinprimaryschoolEnglishteachinghasbeengreatlyneglected,Eventillthemid1990’SthenumberofprimaryschoolswhichofferedEnglishcoursewasquitesmall,Inanarticleentitled‘'AnInvestigationandAnalysisofCurrentResearchesintoBasicEnglishEducationinChina,’’SunXiaoyingmadeasurveyofresearchesintoelementaryEnglisheducationfrom1995to1997.Viewedfromtheperspectiveofresearchscope,papersonmiddleschoolEnglishteachingobviouslyoutnumberedthoseonprimaryschoolEnglishteaching。
(SunXiaoying,1998)Thisisonlyoneexampleamongmany.Asisknowntoall,inthe2151centurythestatusofEnglishasaninternationallanguageandamajormediumintheInformationAgeismoreandmoreprominent.SotostartEnglisheducation
}
fromprimaryschoolstudentshasbecomeimperative.Furthermore,itisarationalsteptomakesuchastartbecauseEnglisheducationisasystematicprojectwhosedifferentstagesarelinkedtoeachotherjustlikeringsonachainOnthischain,primaryschoolisaspecialringsinceitisthestartingpointandfoundationforothers.Therefore,whetheritissolidornotcertainlywillberelatedtothechain’Soveralleffect.Childhoodisanidealperiodforacquiringanativeoraforeignlanguage.Medicalevidencesandpsychologicalexperimentshaveprovenconclusivelythatchildrentakeanaturaldelightinlearningnewspeechpattemsbecauseoftheirstrongimitativeability.Theylearnaforeignlanguagemorequickly,moreeasilyandmoreaccuratelythanadolescentsandadultsbecauseoftheirflexiblespeechorgans,theirlackofinhibitionandtheirapparentphysiologicalneedtocommunicatewithotherchildren.Childrenmakenoattempttoanalyzelanguageasadolescentsoradultsdo.TheydonotintendtocomparewordsinaforeignlanguagewithChineseequivalentsimmediatelyaftertheyhearorsaythem.Inaddition,theperiodthroughprimaryschoolisthebesttimetoacquireinterculturalcommunicativeawareness.Sotherearesoundreasonsforteachingyoungchildrenaforeignlanguageandthecultureofpeoplewhospeakthatlanguage.(MaryFinochiaro,1964)Childrenhaveanaturalgifttolearnaforeignlanguagecomparedwithteenagersandadultsanditgoeswithoutsayingthatchildrenarecomparativelypotentialinlearningaforeignlanguage,whichisfavorabletotheircognitive,emotionalandsocialdevelopment.ExperienceshowsthatSOlongaswefollowthelawofforeignlanguageteachingandlearning,haveaspecificpurposeemployappropriateapproach,provideeffectiveteachers,primaryschoolingisakeyperiodtodevelopstudents’intelligenceandideation,broadentheirmindsandhelpthemtoformgoodlearninghabits
SoitisvitaltostartEnglishteachinginprimarysch001.Thisissue
2
neglectedforSOlongtimehaseventuallycaughtourattention.In2001ChineseMinistryofEducationmadeagreatdecisionthatallprimaryschoolsinurbanareasshouldgraduallybeginEnglishCOUrSefromtheautumnof2001andinruralareas,thefollowingautumn.(EducationMinistry,2001)Subsequently,thefocusofprimaryschoolEnglishteachingturnsfromthequestion‘‘IsitnecessarytobeginEnglishcourseinprimaryschool?”tothequestion“HowtoteachEnglishcoursewellinprimaryschool?”
Sofar,themostvitalfactorthatrest矗ctstheeffectofprimaryschoolEnglishteachingisthebackwardteachingmethod.ThequalityofEnglishteachingcannotbegreatlyimprovedifwestillconfineourselvestotraditionalteachingmethod.ThereforeoptimizingprimaryEnglishteachingmethodwillbecomeoneofthegreatstepsleadingtosuccessfulteaching,ThisisclearlyconveyedinformerVice—premierLiLanqing’Sremarksinasymposiumonforeignlanguageteaching,“Teachingmaterials,teachersandteachingenvironmentinforeignlanguageteachingareofcourseveryimportant,butthemostvitallypredominantistheproblemofteachingapproach.’’
Flexibilityplaysacrucialroleinlanguageteachingbecauseitiscloselyrelatedtomanyteachingvariables,suchaslearner,textbookandenvironment。
Therefore,inpracticalteachingitisunreasonabletosaythatacertainlanguageteachingmethodispermanentlyeffective.Teachingmethodsshouldvarywitheachotheraccordingtodifferentteachingparameters,Althoughtherearemanyteachingapproachesavailable,westillfinditdifficulttoachievesatisfactoryprimaryschoolEnglishteaching。
Thenitremainsanimportantmattertoimprovetheexistingteachingmethods.AsresearchersinthefieldofprimaryschoolEnglishteaching.weareduty-boundtoexertourselvestoexplorethemostappropriateEnglishteachingmethod。
Thisthesisisoneofthemanyattemptsaimedatthatgoal.Theauthor
endeavorstoproposethe“OptimizedEclecticApproach”asanidealEnglishteachingapproachandmakeafurthersteptoprobeintoitspracticeinprimaryschoolEnglishteaching.Intermsofstructure,thisthesisiscomposedoffourchapters.Inthefirstchapter,itmakesanoveralldescriptionofthecurrentresearchesintoprimaryschoolEnglishteachingapproachesinChina.Inthesecondchapter,itoutlinesthegeneraldevelopmentofEnglishteachingmethodologyintheWest,analyzestheCaUSeSfortheinclinationtobeeclecticNext,itsurveysvariousviewsontheEclecticTeachingApproach.TheninChapterThree,theauthorproposestheOptimizedEclecticApproachandelaboratesthefeasibilityofthenewlyproposedOptimizedEclecticApproachinprimaryschoolEnglishteaching,andfinallyinChapterFourtheauthorprovidessomemajorguidingprinciplesandrecommendedmethodsinapplyingOptimizedEclecticApproachtoprimaryschoolEnglishteaching
Eversinceitsappearanceinthe1970’S,theEclecticTeachingApproachhasbeenamuch.debatedissueandtillnowresearchershavenotcometoanagreementonwhetherEclecticTeachingApproachcanbecalledanapproachorwhatarealEclecticTeachingApproachis.Duetothisfact,theauthorintendstoengageinallacademicdialoguewithotherscholarsinthisfieldSOastopromotethestudyoftheEclecticTeachingApproach,whichmaybeofgreatbenefittoEnglishteachinginChina.
4
ChapterOneCurrentResearchesintoPrimarySchoolEnglish
TeachingApproachesinChina
ForeignLanguageTeachingCommitteeofChineseEducationMinistryheldthelstPrimarySchoolEnglishTeachingConferenceinZhuhmCityofGuangdongProvinceonNovember16.2000.Hereafter,allkindsofprimaryschoolEnglishteachingmeetingsandseminarsemergedlikemushroomsaRerrain.TakeShandongprovinceasanexample,therehavebeenthreeprimaryschoolEnglishteachingseminarssincetheyear2001,inwhichProfessorYangMin,anexpertofShandongNormalUniversity,explicitlyelucidatedthemainproblemsandclearlypointedoutthebasicteachingprinciplesandmajormethodsinp—maryschoolEnglishteaching.Theauthorofthisthesisparticipatedinsomeoftheseminarsandviewedmanyhigh—qualityEnglishlessonsduringthemeetings.Besides,inApril,2003theauthorattendedameetingOnprimaryschoolEnglishteachingheldinHangzhouCity,ZhejiangProvince,inwhichTEFL(TeachingEnglishasaForeignLanguage)experts,likeProfessorHuChundong,ProfessorZhang
JianzhongandProfessorBaoTianren,madeacademic
reportsonprimary
Englishteachingmethods.Inaddition,ForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressonceheldtwo“NewStandardEnglish”raseriesofprimaryschoolEnglishtextbooks)teachingseminars.
InmanyprimaryschoolEnglishteachingsemi’narsandmeetings,excellentprimaryschoolEnglishteachersdemonstratetypicalEnglishlessonsundertheguidanceofnewcurriculumcriteria,exchangelanguageteachingmethodswitheachother,listentothecommentsandtheoreticalguidesgivenbyTEFLexpertsandSOon.Allkindsofactivitiesandexcellentpaperschosenbyexpertsduringthemeetingsareofgreatinfluenceon
E
primaryschoolEnglishteachersaswellasprimaryschoolEnglishteachingapproach.Theseinstructiveseminarshavegreatlyenlightenedteachersonsubjectsabouthowtoteachandwhattoteach.TheauthorfindsthatcurrentresearchesonprimaryschoolEnglishteachingmainlydealwithproblemsinprimaryschoolEnglishteachers’training,primaryschoolEnglishtextbookcompilationandprimaryschoolEnglishteachingmethodetc.However,theauthorarguesthatamongtheabovethreeproblemsthemostimportantoneishowtoapplyproperteachingapproachestoprimaryschoolEnglishpractice.Thereasonisthatevenifwehaveteacherswhohavereceivednecessaryeducationandtrainingandtextbookswhichmeetourdemand,westillcannotensurethatwecarldoagoodjobincombingthetwo.ThusthefocusofthisthesisistofindabetterteachingapproachandpresentmajorprinciplesandconcretemethodstoguideprimaryschoolEnglishteaching
1.1TheoreticalResearchesintoPrimarySchoolEnglishTeachingApproachesinChina
AlthoughprimaryschoolEnglishteachingdoesnothaveanearlystart,manyinsightfulexpertsandresearchershavecontributedalottothetheoreticalstudiesofteachingmethodology.Onthebasisofwesternlinguisticpsychologicalandpedagogicaltheories,theymadenecessaryadaptationstointroducedEnglishteachingapproachesandproposedsomeindividualistic
modifiedversionsaccordingtospecificconditions.A
surveyofthesetheoreticalresearchesisquitenecessaryforourfurtherstudy.ThefollowingresearchesareconsideredasthemostinfluentialandrepresentativeonesProfessorZhangJianzhong,anexpertofEastChinaNormalUniversity
anEnglishteachingsystemcalled“Ten-Chinese—Characterputsforward
6
Method.”(QingYi,QingJing,ZhiShi,JiaoJi,TiaoKong)Helaysemphasisonemotionalinteractionbetweenteachersandstudents,attachesimportancetosituationalfactors.Themainteachingobjectsofthismethodremainarousing
student’Sinterestinlanguagelearning,cultivatingtheireffectivelearninghabits,developingthelearners’languageandcultureawareness,enhancingtheirinterculturalawarenessandpromotingtheiroveralldevelopment.Thismethodaimedatfivegoals:emotion,intelligence,cognition,strategyandknowledge.(ZhangAiqin,2000)
“ChildMindApproachinPrimarySchoolEnglishTeaching’’isproposedbyWuhuInstituteofEducationScience,AnhuiProvince.Basedonchildpsychology,thismodelfocusesonhowtoactivatechildren’Sinterest。
To
achievethegoat,theteachingprocessgoeshand穗handwith
aseriesof
activitieslikelistening,speaking,reading,writing,singingand
playing.Thisisatypicalpracticeofcognitiveclassroomteaching,whichischaracterizedby
moreinformationin。
putthaninformationout-put,more
listeningandspeaking
thanreadingandwritingandlanguagefimction
overlanguageform。
Thebasicprinciplesof‘'ChildMindApproach”are:love,interest,genuinenessandactiveness.The9tassroomteachingbasedonthisapproachischaracterizedby:
informationexchangeasgoal,thepracticeoflisteningand
speakingasmasterstroke,students’activitiesascarriegandmindoptimizationaslevee(ZhuXiangqun,2000)
“InteractiveTeachingMethod”isallEnglishteachingmodelpresented
by
teachersofEastBeijingRoadPrimarySchoolinShanghaiin1984.Itisa
modelcharacterizedbyoptimizedinteractionbetween
teachingandlearning.In
thismodel,educationalactivitiesareregarded
asacommunicationoflife
betweenteacherandstudents;theprocessofteachingandlearningisviewed
asadynamic,unifiedanddevelopingprocess.Inthisprocess,emphasisisputon
々
harmoniousinteractionbetweenteacherandstudents,studentsandstudents,individuallearnersandteachingmediaSOastocreateresonancebetweenteachingandleaningandeventuallypromoteteachingefficacy.Thismodelis
basedonthebeliefthatEnglishteachingisadynamicprocessinwhichthefunctionofteachersvariesaccordingtothedevelopmentofstudents’independenceinlearning.Toputitsimple,itgivesprominencetothefunctionofteacherforthetowgraders。
S/heteachesnotonlyknowledgeitself,butalsohowtolearnaswell。
Inthecourseofteachingandlearning,studentsgadually
habituatethemselvestotheirteachers’teachingmethodandlearnto
acquireknowledgefrompassivelearningtoactivelearning.Inlaterperiod,studentsplayadominantroleintheteachingandlearningprocessandthefunctionof
teacherisbelittled+Inthisway,interactiveclassroomEnglish
teaching
characterizedbyinteractioncameintobeing。
Itisdividedintothree
periodsaccordingtothedevelopmentofinteractiveteaching.Namely,startupperiod(reviewpastknowledgeandapperceivenewone),linkageperiod(understand,digestandconsolidateknowledge)andinitiativeperiod(masterandmanageknowledge).(XiaHuixian,2001)
ShanghaiWorldForeignLanguagesPrimarySchool,afamous
private
schoolinShanghai,establishedanewteachingsysteminwhichstructureandfunctionarecombinedtogether.(XiaHuixian,2001)ItputsequalemphasisonlinguisticcompetenceandcommunicativecompetenceandtheabilitytothinkinEnglish,Itsclassroomteachingprocedureispracticedasfollows:newknowledgepresenting,mechanicalpractice,meaningfulpracticeand
communicativepractice.Asadirectionalstep,new
knowledgepresentingistopresentvocabulary,sentencesanddialogues.Mechanicalpracticeistohelpstudentsacquirelanguageelementsandlinguisticknowledgebymeansofimitatingandmemorizing.Meaningfulpracticefocusesonthepragmatic
R
functionoflanguageandtriestohelpstudentsapplythelanguageknowledgetheyhavecoveredtotheunderstandingandexpressingofmeaning。
Communicativepracticeisastepinwhichtheteachercreatesvariouskindsoflivelysituationsandcultivatesstudents’competenceinthinkingandcommunicatinginEnglish.Obviousl!y.theabove—mentionedfourstepsfollowthesequencefromknowledgetocompetence.Thefinalgoalisstudents’abilityinexchanginginformation,expressingthoughtandemotioninEnglish.ProfessorBaoTianrenpresented“Four-In—OneTEFLApproach.”ThismodelincludesfourPs,namely,preparation,presentation,practiceandproduction。
ActivitiesinthePreparationphasemainlyinclude:toknowtheaimandcontentofanewlesson,topreparetheinputandoutputpractice,togathertheadditionalmaterials,tOwarlylupforthenewknowledgeandthetexts,tobefamiliarwiththenewwordsandgrammaticalpointsandtogothroughthewholeunit.ThePresentationphaseiscomposedofthefollowingactivities:setting,teachingnewknowledge,checkinglanguagepoints,intakingnewinfomaation,contentexplanation,roleplay,dialogues,explicitgrammarinstruction,usingthemodemaudio·visualteachingaids.ActivitiesinthePracticephasearemainly:translation,dictation,copying,readingaloud,meaningfuldrills,dialogues,games,questionandanswerandchecking+Itisveryimportantthatstudentshaveenoughpracticeofthenewlanguage.Studentscarl.dothisbylistening,repeating,writingandreadingthenewlanguage,usingawidevarietyoflearningactivities.StudentsCanpracticeindividually,inpairs,血groupsorasawholeclass.IntheProductionphase。
studentsshoulddoactivitiesthattheymayhavetodowhentheyleavetheclassroom,forexample,writingaletterorreadinganewspaperarticleandtellingsomeoneaboutit,ortakingpartinaninterview。
WeCantNnkofthisphaseasthefinalrehearsalforusinglanguageintherealworld.(BaoTianren,
q
2003)
1.2PracticalResearchesintoPrimarySchoolEnglishTeachingApproaches
Apartfromtheoreticalresearchesintoprimary"schoolEnglishteachingapproaches,therearemanypracticalresearchesintheformofteachingexperiments.Theyusuallyfollowtheorderoftheoreticalhypothesis,teachingexperiment,resultandevaluation.TheseexperimentscontributealottotheexplorationandfutureestablishmentofprimaryschoolEnglishteachingmethodologywithChinesecharacteristics。
Amongthem,thefollowingareworthourattentjon
In1996theEducationCouncilofChangshaCity,Hunan
Province,concludedtheresearchproject“GameMethodinPrimarySchoolEnglishTeaching”byfivebasicsectors.(LiuJianqing,1999)Theyare“warming。
up
withsongs”,“in拄oducfionwithgames”,‘'newknowledge
in-put”。
“practice
withplay”,and“consolidationwithcontests.”This
teachingmodelisdesignedtochangetheboringlanguagelearningintogamesthatareinteresting,lifelikeandeasytOaccept。
Thesegamescanworkasvariouskindsofcommunicativesituationsinwhichstudentsmaylearninplayandplayinlearn。
Theappropriateintroductionofgamesintoteachingishelpfultocultivatestudents’interest.Teachingwithgamesemphasizesstudents’subjectivity,asksfortheirCOlTtmonparticipationratherthantheteacher’Smonodrama.Thisreflectsthe
fullplayoftheteacher’Sroleofguideandstudents’roleof
participants。
Furthermore,GameMethodisinaccordancewiththephysiologicalandpsychologicalfeaturesofprimaryschoolstudents.Generallyspeaking,students
ofthisperiodarelively,activeandgladto
acceptnewandcuriousthings,The
ln
specialfeatureofinvoluntaryattentioningamesishelpfultoreducestudents’burdenandcultivatetheirgoodleaninghabits.7Focarryoutthismethod,teachersmustfollowseveralguidingprinciples,suchastheprincipleofbeinggoat—oriented,heuristic,diversifiedandflexible。
Anothernoticeablefeatureof獭ismodeliStheintroductionofcommunicativemethodtoclassroomteachingandagoodcombinationofleaningandpractice.GameMethodhasbeenprovedtobequiteeffectiveinthellexperimentalschoolsinChangshaCityandtheresultofanotherteachingexperimentOilthetextbookFunEnglishcarriedoutinShandongProvincealsoturnedouttobequitesatisfactory.Anotherimportantteachingexperimentisnamed“Seven—StepSituation—FunctionMethod”(ZhangAiqin,2000)carriedoutbyYangmingPrimarySchoolinWuxiCity,JiangsuProvincefrom1994to2000.Thesevenstepsare:i)understanding(studentsareaskedtowatchtherealobjects,pictures,orlistentothetapeSOastoperceivetheconversation),2)imitating(studentsareaskedtoreadafterthetapeSOastoacquirecorrectpronunciationandintonation),3)memorizing(studentsareasked幻memorizethecontentoftheconversationwiththehelpofsomekeywordsandphrasesprovidedbytheteacher),4)acting(studentsareaskedtomakeroleplaysingivensituationSOastopracticewhattheyhavejustcovered),5)reading(studentsareaskedtoreadwiththetape,readtogetherorreadindividually),6)performing(freepracticewiththelanguagematerialinsituations)and7)writing(studentsareaskedtowritetheirownconversationswiththelanguagematerialtheyhavecovered).Theapplicationofthismodeldiffersfromeachotherinthreedifferentphases。
豫efirstphase(Grades1-2)focusesonstudents’abilityinspeakingsimpleEnglishandtheirinterestinlearningEnglish.Thesecondphase(Grades3-4)isdevotedtothecultivationofstudents’listeningandspeakingability.Thethirdphase(Grades5-6)aimsatstudents’overall
l{
developmentinlistening,speaking,readingandwriting.Thissix—yearexperimentturnsouttobeasuccess,Thefollowingproposedobjectivesareachieved:affection,cognition,intelligence,strategyandinterculturalawareness.
The“Three—In—OneTeachingApproach”ispresentedbyMaCheng,directorofBeijingModemTeachingInstitute.HehasbeendoingresearchesintoprimaryschoolEnglishtextbooksandteachingmethodsoverthepasttenyears,andsummarizedthatthethreelanguageelementsof“sound,…'phoneme’’and“phoneticsymbols”shouldbecombinedtogetherintheteachingprocess.Theprocessoflanguagelearningisthatofperceivingandunderstandingsymbols.Primaryschoolstudents’understandingoflanguageisbasedontheperceptionofsoundandform.Thereforesound,formandmeaningasthreeintegratedpartsshoulddeserveequalemphasisfromtheverybeginningofEnglishlearning,Hefindsthatmanyprimaryschoolstudentscouldonlyrecognizeawordbyidentifyingtherelatedpicture。
Withoutthehelpofpicture,theycannotreadtheword,andsometimeseventheyspeakouttheword,theydonotknowitsmeaning.Hepointsoutthattheseparationofsound,formandmeaningbecomesamajorproblemamonglowergradersinprimaryschool。
Thetextbookbasedon“Three—In-One
TeachingApproach”hasbeenemployedinDaqingCityofHeilongjiangProvince,ShenzhenCityofGuangdongProvinceandmanyothercitiesforfiveyears,Morethantenthousandofprimaryschoolstudentshavetakenpartinthisteachingexperimentandmaderemarkableprogress.(QiaoJing,2002)
TheTask--orientedApproachorTheme-wbasedTeachingwascarriedoutinmanyprimaryschoolsinXuhuiDistrictofShanghaiCityintheyear2000.Followingthe“task—orientedmodel,’’primaryschoolEnglishteachersmakecertainmethemes,topicsandevensub—topicsofallunits,andregardthe
learningobjectivesofvariousphasesasitscorrespondinglearningtask.Theytrytoimproveprimaryschoolstudents’Englishcommunicativeabilitythroughthreesections:“pre—taskpreparation.…‘while—taskpreparation”and“post—taskactivity”.Thistask—orientedteachingexperimentalsorevealsfourproblemsFirstly,thecontentofthetextbookOxford丹妇g秽SchoolEnglish(ShanghaiVersion)shouldbeadjustedtoaccordwiththemeandstudents’lifeexperiencesSecondlNprimaryschoolEnglishteachershavenoreferencahleexperienceandmaybesusceptibletotraditionalteachingideasbecausetask-orientedteachingdesignisstillinaninitialstage.Thirdly,thefirstthreesemestersaimtoimprovestudents’listeningandspeakingability;thereforegreatdifferenceinstudents’writingabilityappears.Finally,therootedevaluationintraditionalEnglishteachingeasilybecomestheobstacleoftheTask—orientedApproach(shiJiaping,2002)
1.3MajorProblemsinResearchesintoPrimarySchoolEnglishTeachingApproaches
AfterasurveyofthetheoreticalandpracticalresearchesintoprimaryschoolEnglishteachingapproachesinChina,wemayfindthefollowingcharacteristics:
1.Mosttheoreticalmodelsandexperimentsareguidedbywesternlinguisticorpsychologicaltheories
2.ThecommunicativefunctionoflanguagereceivesspecialemphasisBesides,attentionisalsopaidtotheappropriateriseoflanguageandthepromotionofinterculturalawareness
3.Student—centeredteachingmentality.Alltheapproachesandmethodsarestudent-orientedandtheactivationoftheirinterestinlearningEnglishisthe
firstconcern
4.Thetrendtowardsvariety.Thetimewhenthereisonlyonedominantteachingapproachisover.Thecoexistenceofvariouskindsofteachingapproachesandmethodsisinevitable,Allofthemhavetheirmeritsanddemerits,thusthecompetitiveand,moreimportantly,thesupplementaryrelationbetweenthemiSalsohardtoavoid
Theaccomplishedtheoreticalandpracticalresearcheshavelaidasolid
foundationforourfutureexploration.However,therearealsoinvolvedintheseresearchestowardswhichweshouldholdaThefollowingaresometypicalones
someproblemscriticalattitude.
1.TherearetwoextremetrendsinresearchesintoteachingapproachesOneofthemistotreatEnglishteachinginprimaryschool,middleschoolanduniversityin
similarways.Theotherextremefiendistoinfantilizeprimaryschoolstudents,thatis,toequateEnglishteachinginprimaryschoolwiththatinpre—schoolperiod
2.Comparedwithhighgraders(Grade3andabove),lowgradersreceivelessconcerninEnglishteaching
3.AsfarasthegraduationofprimaryschoolEnglishteachingisconcerned,thereisnocleardifferentiation.
4.ThepromotionofinterculturalawarenessislimitedintheinputandacceptanceofEnglishculture,whiletraditionalChinesecultureis,toalarge
extent,neglected.Inasense,leaningaforeidialoguebetweennativecultureandforeigngn
CUl
languageisakindofcultural
ture.Withoutasolidnational
culturalidentity,thecompleteexposuretoaforeignculturemayresultintheunhealthyculturalpsychologyofprimaryschoolstudents
Tosolvetheseproblemsandensurethemutualpromotionandharmoniousdevelopmentofthelinguistic,communicativeandcognitivecompetenceof
primaryschoolstudents,wemustabsorbthebeneficialpartofvariousteachingapproachesandseekanoptimizedEclecticApproachSOastoachievemoreefficientandsuccessfulprimaryschoolEnglishteaching.
TheevolutionofEnglishteachingisaprocessrestrictedbyvariousfactorsThetrendtowardeclecticismisaninevitableresultdeterminedbytheobjectivelawoflanguageteachingitself.EclecticTeachingApproachisanidealchoicebutfarfrombeingperfect.Anoptimizedversionofthisapproachistheobjectiveofthisthesis.Thesepointswillbethefocusofthefollowingchapter
ChapterTwoACriticalReviewoftheEclecticApproachinTEFL2.1TheEvolutionofLanguageTeachingApproaches
Before19‘“century,Latin.TranslationmethodthemainEnglishteachingapproachadoptedwas1ntheearly20mcentury,duetotherapid
developmentofmonopolycapitalandfrequentintercommunicationbetweencountries,theDirectMethodemergedasthetimesrequired.WhentheU.S.AenteredWorldWarII,itwasurgenttotrainorallyskillfulAmericansoldierspostedalloverAsiaandEurope.ThereforetheAudio-lingualmethodcameintobeingundertheguidanceofthestructurallinguistsBloomfieldandSOID_ebehavioristpsychologists.Bythemid1960s,itbecameclearthatknowledgeofthestructurerulesalonewasinefficientpreparationforactuallyusingthelanguageinreallifesituations;hencesituationalmethodwasdeveloped.Beforelong,CommunicativeLanguageTeaching,layingstTessondomgthingsorperformingactsbylanguagelearningemerged.Recentlyfromthe1970sAmericanlinguistNoamChomsky,psychologistJ.B.Caroll,J.S.Brunnerandmanysociolinguistsoppugnedthemechanicalpracticeandresponseformofstructurallinguisticsandbehavioristpsychology.Inthisperiod,thelanguageteachingidearegardedcommunicationaspurpose,developingstudents’languagecompetence,activatingtheirenthusiasminlearningaforeignlanguage.Thereafter,manysmall—scaledteachingmethodscloselyrelatedto1earnersasindividualscameOUtoneafteranother
AmongthevariouskindsofEnglishteachingapproaches,thefollowingaregenerallyconsideredasthemajoronesthatmayrepresentthecharacteristicsofEnglishteachingindifferentperiods。