A Survey of English Classroom in China 英语课堂教学研究.doc

A Survey of English Classroom in ChinaABSTRACTTeaching is an art as well as a science. With the reform of English teaching, teachers come to get a comprehensive understanding of the new notions and methodologies on English language teaching. However, how to apply the theories to practice successfully as well as the effects on the application deserves serious consideration. We need to look for a way to improve the standard of English teaching effectively. This essay aims to analyze some of the undesirable problems in English teaching and help teachers acquire the effective approaches to solve these problems they inevitably encounter. What is an excellent English class? It is neither simple accumulation of thousands of English words and phrases, nor endless sentence pattern drills, let alone the boring repetition. It should be full of humanity, culture, and affectivity, that is to say, the teacher should give his or her students a precious giftthe strong desire to learn. Key words: English teaching disadvantages the improvement of standard of teaching英语课堂教学研究摘 要教育不仅是一门艺术，也是一门科学。伴随着英语教学改革的春风，广大英语教师对教学的新理念和新方法有了全面的了解和认识。但如何在课堂教学中科学成功地去应用，以及运用的成效如何，至今都还不能说完美无缺。在实际的教学过程中，还存在许多问题，需要深入去探讨和研究，寻找一条实际高效教学之路。此文针对当前英语教学课堂的主要不良现象，逐一进行研究，使广大英语老师对课堂教学中的弊端有一个全面清晰的认识，从而找到有效的思路来提高教学质量和教育水平。一堂优秀的英语课应该是怎样的呢？不是大量英语单词的堆积，也不是无休止的句型练习，更不是枯燥乏味的抄写。一堂优质的英语课应当充满人文性，文化性，情感性。激发学生浓厚的学习兴趣是英语教师应该给予学生们的一件珍贵礼物。关键字： 英语教学 弊端 教学质量的提高ContentsABSTRACT.摘要.Introduction 1.1 The Context of This Essay.11.2 An Overview of Contemporary English Language Teaching .2 Four Undesirable Problems in English Classroom.52.1 A Notice to Cramming Education.52.2 The Formation of Dumb English.92.3 The Reform of Traditional Pedagogy162.4 The Acquisition of Learning Competence.19 Views on Language and Language Teaching.233.1 The Instrumental View.233.2 The Structural View.233.3 The Functional View.233.4 The Interactional View243.5 The Experiential Cognitive View. 243.6 The Innatist View.24 Theories and Approaches on Language Learning and Teaching.254.1 Theories.254.1.1 Communicative Competence.254.1.2 Krashers Input Hypothesis and Input Processing.264.1.3 Longs Interaction Hypothesis.264.1.4 Swains Output Hypothesis.274.1.5 Interactional Competence.274.1.6 Vygotskys Zone of Proximal Development.284.1.7 Chomskys Language Acquisition Device.284.2 Approaches.294.2.1 Traditional Approaches.294.2.2 Humanistic Approaches.31 Practices in FLT.405.1 Auditing Class.405.1.1 Auditing Common Teachers .405.1.2 Auditing Famous Teachers.405.2 Practice in Real-world English Classroom. 41 Conclusion.43Reference .44Appendix .47Acknowledgement. 50Introduction1.1 The Context of This EssayThe purpose of this essay is to illustrate the problems that English teachers frequently encounter in their teaching career and solve them with different approaches.Background: Nowadays, English is a popular subject in China. In primary schools, middle schools, high schools, universities and beyond, students have been steeping themselves in learning English. Dating back to the last century, professionals in English education put forward plenty of English teaching theories and methods. Since the early 1900s, the study of a foreign language has been regarded as one of the fundamental subjects in the curriculum of Middle Schools. Since 1978, the development of ELT can be divided into four major phases: Restoration, Rapid development, Reform and Innovation. In recent years researchers have developed a range of perspectives for improving the quality of English teaching and learning. With economic globalization and Chinas opening-up policy, the English teaching quality began to be given more attention. Consequently the English teachers should improve the teaching level to meet the demand of the times. 1.2 An Overview of Contemporary English Language TeachingIntroduction to the content:This essay can be divided into six main parts. Each deals with a central theme but integrates with the other parts as a whole. Part 1 introduces the background of the thesis and contemporary English teaching. Part 2 provides four main undesirable problems of English teaching. Part 3 gives an overview of language and language teaching. Part 4 outlines the main theories and approaches of EFT. Such as Communicative Competence, Chomskys Language Acquisition Device, Swains Output Hypothesis. Part 5 focuses on the practice in real-world English classroom. Part 6 summarizes the significance of teaching application and development in brief.Raising the questions:Faced with the current situation of English classroom in China, the problems of English classroom in real-world can be concluded into four main ones.Analyzing the questions:By using language investigation and research from professionals and practicing teachers we adopt the useful theories and practice to analyze these questions.Solve the questions:Judging from all evidence, I will arrive at the conclusion, so that we can improve the quality of English teaching and learning.Ideology There are major methods and approaches in FLT, such as the Grammar -Translation Method (also called the Traditional Method, the Old Method, or Classical Method), the Direct Method, the Audio-lingual Approach (ALM), the Silent Way, Suggestopedia, Community Language Learning, Total Physical Response(TPR), the Cognitive Approach, the Communicative Approach, Task-Based Language Teaching(TBLT) and Learning-Centered Education. There are also the models of the process of FLT, such as the PPP Model, Harmer's ESA Model, Ur's PPT Model, and Willis TBL Model.Methods of study:Technical line:Consulting data and authority, look up technical files, check the references in the library, bookshop and on the Internet.Program of the experiment:Listening to English lessons at different phases, such as Primary Schools, Universities.Concluding the experience and teaching methods.Having English lessons for students by myself.Analyzing the disadvantages and advantages.Drawing the conclusions about the experiment.It was based on the experience of teaching and learning in the past years on the current international theories on language teaching and learning. We apply these theories to practice in English classroom, so that we can analyze the disadvantages and advantages in English teaching and learning.Achievement:As far as English teaching and learning is concerned, achievements of teaching theories and practice gained as a result of reforms and innovations in recent years. There is something about the theories of foreign language teaching and learning, such as Learning New Language, Teaching ESL, Understanding Language Teaching, Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. There is something about the teaching of skills and strategies, such as Exploring Second Language Reading, Teaching and Learning Vocabulary, Teaching Second Language Writing. There is something about the instruction of learning, such as How to Be a Successful Language Learner; There is something about the design of curriculum : Designing Language Courses ;there is something about the approaches of survey in FLT: Doing Teacher Research, Way of Doing : Students explore their everyday and classroom process; There is something about the development of teachers : Pursuing Professional Development; There is something about the contextual and cultural teaching : Teaching Culture ,Teaching Language in Context ,Teacher's Handbook; There is something more about the methodology: Working with Teaching Methods, Teaching Language, and Methodology in TESOL.Problems: As far as English teaching and learning is concerned, despite the achievement gained as a result of research and reform, I am deeply convinced that there remain significant problems for further development. The following four problems need to be addressed: Firstly, cramming education is often considered the common phenomenon on the delivery of knowledge about the language while ignoring the development of students language ability. Secondly, I note that students still lack using an interactive approach to communicate in classrooms. Thirdly, traditional pedagogy often makes the class dull, boring and uninteresting, which is the reason why students complaints call for an improvement of teaching methods. Finally, English is not only instrumental but also communicative and educational, so what is considered important in English classroom should focus on developing students communicative competence instead of developing their knowledge about language. That is to say, the emphasis is put on how to teach instead of how much the students have learned.Meaning:This is a valuable research subject, not only academically but also practically to study the English classroom in China. Faced with the shortage of current situation in English classroom, we should find methods to improve the standard of teaching. Four Undesirable Problems in English Classroom2.1 A Notice to Cramming EducationCurrently, studying English in China is “prestigiousthe fashion, the rage”. (Steven, 2010) Even though this quote is out-of-date, the English craze has not dropped down and the number of EFL students in China has increased. A decade later the estimated number of EFL students in China is more than 200 million with a million EFL teachers .(Wong 2000) Nowadays it is universal that English is used as an instrument for communication. How do the students acquire the skills of learning English effectively? That is a question deserving serious consideration of EFL teachers. Throughout the history, the Traditional Method was so popular among EFL teachers. The following is a lesson plan from Yaoyan, a teacher from Zhuhai Xiangshan School.Sample lesson plan 1Happy English in primary school, Grade 5Unit 9 what will the weather be like?The second periodForm 2-1Target:1、Learn the sentences.1) What will the weather be like tomorrow morning? It will be cold.There will be snowy.2) What will the weather be like in the afternoon? It will be sunny.2、Sounds and words. bake buy box break baseball balloonVocabulary: tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, morning, afternoon, evening, snow, wind, rain.Key points and difficult points:1、new vocabulary Distinguish the difference between noun and adjective2、ask and answer about weatherMaterials:pictures、 calendar、 little blackboard.Teaching procedures:Step1.Revision1、Look at the pictures and say the words.2、Open the books and read vocabulary.3、ask and answer.A: Whats the weather like today?B: Its windy.A: What was the weather like yesterday morning?B: It was cloudy.Step2.Presentation1、Look at the pictures ask and answer.A: What will the weather be like in the afternoon?B: It will be warm.2、Sing the song chant activity (just listen at the first time, follow the teacher at the second time)Finish: Listen, write and chant.Step3.Conversation:1) The students read the Conversation for 2 minutes with one to two questions.2) Lets listen to the tape and read the story.3) Teach the new words in the Conversation and emphasize the difference between noun and adjective4) Translate the sentence from English to Chinese one by one.5) Lets listen again and repeat.6) Encourage students to imitate the tones by using different roles.7) Act: Four Ss to be Doctor, Gogo, Tony, Jenny to act.Step4.DrillP51 Activity:1 、The teacher read the text two times.2、Let the Ss read 3 minutes by themselves.3、The Ss finish the question by groups and the teacher check in.4、Five Ss write down the answer on the Bb. And the whole class checks up them.Step5.Exercises.1、Finish“Workbook”P32 by the Ss.Step6.Homework.Write a weather report. Analyzing from step 3 of 1)5) above design of English teaching procedures, this language teaching method was conducted like this: Firstly, Questions that follow a reading passage. Secondly, translate literary passages from one language to another. Thirdly, memorize grammar rules. Last, memorize native-language equivalents of the target language vocabulary. Generally speaking, it is a good way for appreciation of classical literature, while this approach is viewed as “dead language” in today's English classroom.（Liu Yumei & Xiao Su, 2007） Why do we say so? There are seven aspects that we can illustrate. First, classes are taught in the mother tongue of the students, with little active use of the target language. Second, vocabulary is taught in the form of isolated words lists equivalents of target language. Third, Elaborate explanations of grammar are always provided with example sentences. Four，Grammar instruction provides the rules for putting words together; Instructions often focus on the form and inflection of the words. Five, Reading of difficult texts is begun early in the course of study, which are treated as exercises in the grammatical analysis with little attention to the content of texts. Six, often the only drills are exercises in translating disconnected sentences from the target language into the mother tongue, and vice versa. Last, little or no attention is given to pronunciation.（Liu Yumei & Xiao Su, 2007） On the whole, traditional method aims at emphasizing the importance of grammar, otherwise it often leads to lack the dynamic and happy surroundings in the classroom. As Chomsky put it, children was born with a special ability to process language through an innate "language acquisition device”(LAD). This theory has been influential in terms of the strong implications for classroom instruction, which tends to help teachers create an interesting input in a low-anxiety environment. While the learners acquire language effectively, the most important phase is the input processing. The learners are better able to make connections between form and meaning and thus convert input to intake (a filtered, processed version of the input). This intake is then incorporated by the learner in developing a linguistic system, which is used to produce output in the language. Thus the ultimate purpose is that learners can use a mix of conscious and subcon