On the Methods to Improve Oral English in Middle School.doc

On the Methods to Improve Oral English in Middle SchoolChapter OneIntroductionWhat is language for? It seems that most people think its for practicing grammar rules and learning lists of wordsthe longer the words the better. Thats wrong. Language is for the exchange of ideas, for communication and understanding. Then, whats the role of teacher? Generally speaking, the role of teacher is to help the learner master the foreign language in the shortest possible time so that he is able to have successful communications with others in the target language. In order to reach the goal, foreign language teachers should try very hard to find out the most efficient and effective ways in foreign language teaching.So far as we know, English has been divided into 4 main points which are listening、speaking、reading and writing as well. Among them, according to frequency of use in daily life, oral English seems to be on the top of all. With the development of modern society, each country in the world is connected like an earth village. People contact by means of internet ，telephone， face to face and so on. Anyway, the more chance we have, the more oral English communication we use. In order to join the contact of multinational trend, we are focusing on English education more than ever before. From elementary school, even from grade one, students are required to learn English. From that, we can realize how important the English is, especially oral English. According to my survey, however, many teachers pay attention to how to improve their students' writing skill instead of spoken English skill. In fact, as a kind of most useful method of communication, not only it shouldn't be ignored, but be prior to others. Moreover, oral English not only can reflect learners' level of English, it also can activate interest, heighten score and motivate passion. So, the attention should be paid on the problem of how to enable children to gain a good command of oral English. Chapter TwoIn most elementary schools, as far as I know, oral English hasnt been valued, even many schools dont have oral English curriculum. Why? Many teachers think its not apt to let children to speak English because of their young age and low knowledge, or even their infant skill which cant enable them to study foreign language well. Therefore, the pendulum has swung too far in the direction of training writing skills and whether students can remember and complete vocabulary and sentences is teachers most concern, students are required to pay a plenty of time and attention on writing instead of other skills. Most problems, accordingly, emerges in terms of English as follow:1: problem of reading2: problem of mentality 3: problem of interest2.1. The Problem of ReadingThe problem of reading always belongs to incorrect intonation and pronunciation: such as wrong slow unclear and stammering pronunciation resulted from lack of reading in particularly phonetic symbol training, which is an essential part in oral skill. Unfortunately, during the class, many teachers seldom have phonetic symbol curriculum and the first lesson always is given to vocabulary instead. In fact，phonetic symbol and 26 letters are always described as the first step of learning English. There is an old saying:“good beginning is half done”. So we have to try best to value it.Its not hard to give students phonetic symbols because of childrens base of Chinese phonetic symbol (which called Pin Yin), all teachers need is to teach students English phonetics by the means of comparing with Chineses. If so, the effect will be better than without comparison. Also we can give students some time to distinguish the difference between English phonetics and Chineses after teaching them all 48 English phonetics。Take the letter “a” for example, we can write it on the blackboard and ask students whats its pronunciation in both Chinese and English. I bet nearly all pupils can answer the question, and then its time to write out the /ei/, following step is to give all 26 letters with relevant phonetic symbol. On the other hand, in order to let students get a further realization about Chinese Pin Yin and English phonetic symbol, teacher can write Pin Yin “b. p. m. f. d. t. n. l. g .k. h.” and ask they how to read, after that, write their relevant English consonantal letters- /b/. /p/. /m/. /f/. /d/. /t/. /n/. /l/. /g/. /k/. /h/ to give them a clearer understanding about the difference and sameness between Pin Yin and English phonetic symbol. According my experience, contrastive analysis is a valid means to achieve a good effort and pupils who are taught also can remember pronunciation quickly and easily. Anyway, once comparison between the mother tongue and the target language is carefully done and practiced, then many errors could be avoided.2.2. The Problem of MentalityIn class, many students always tend to feel shy when asked. Such problems can be solved by encouraging students to answer question as much as possible even can let students come to teachers desk to speak or read English facing to the others. When mistake occurred and they feel embarrassed, never laughed at them, on the contrary, teachers should praise their courage and encourage them to perform next time, we should remember: never do something hurting confidence, reward is much more effective than punishment in a teaching situation. As we know, confidence is the key to motivate students passion, otherwise, nobody could succeed. So confidence should be built up during class. On the other way, when teachers give a question, dont hurry to pick difficult question, the question should be selected from easy to difficult step by step. Anyway, a good teacher is the one capable of leading students to a good way of resolving problems（张兼中.1992）.2.3. The Problem of InterestCompared with the previous two, the problem of interest seems to be broader. Why? Didnt I say that boyhood is curious to everything and eager to learn everything? There is No doubt that children are full of curiousness, but under a certain condition, strong merits can turn into weak one. Tedious class and a pile of homework are the source of killing interest. Interest is a best teacher, how to cultivate learners interest so that they can happily go on learning process? There are many methods can be used，for example：teachers can teach pupils by using songs to memorize the 26 letters and have a game to test who can sing the song of letter fast and best, and colorful English cards and interesting games could be put into English class. Therefore, in order to call up student interest, various methods could be used during class, and fun should be made of anytime. Secondly, teachers should speak English as much as possible so as to let students get used to it, of course, the used English should be simple, in case the students dont understand, then, teachers should translate into Chinese in time. Thirdly, students should be encouraged to write and tell short and easy English story. Whenever they face problems, teacher should help them solve problems and make them know foreign language is not as difficult as they think. In a word, in order to activate learners interests and let them get rid of fear and shyness, its wroth using a variety of techniques.After being aware of some problems on learning English, then how to do? Before our further discussion, we have to know what the standards of oral English for elementary students are. Namely, what level of oral English should be achieved after their learning? There are listed four basic and important skills requiring students in elementary school as below:1: Intonation and pronunciation clear or not2: The speed of oral English fluent or not3: Grammar and vocabulary correct or not4: Expression and logic conventional or not. Above four points relate and influence with each other. Each is worth concerning equally. Of course, if a student meets above 4 demands, then he or she will be qualified in terms of oral English. In the next chapter the methods of listening, reading, speaking will be given. Chapter ThreeSince the spoken language came into being before written language, speech patterns rather than grammar should be the fundamental elements of language. The view accounts for the emphasis on the priority for spoken language teaching in the English class. When it comes to oral skill, many teachers think its too complex to teach junior students. So, at the moment, we have to be sure that spoken language is a learnable system of sounds, and training can enable students to pronounce the language accurately. Then, how to train oral English by the mean of listening, reading and speaking?3.1. Listen and Read Training Language is structured like a pyramid, and the listening is on the top of it. As for pupils, listening class appears to be easier to start with. Meanwhile, it can stir students interests in a short time. There involves 3 steps into English listening training: Beginning step: listen to easiest letter or phonetics. Second step: listen to simple sentences and daily dialogues. Third step: listen to songs, short stories and play games as well. Lets talk about the 3 points separately.3.1.1. Listen and Read letters and Phonetics The first step is the beginning as well as crucial one for learning. English tape should be provided. In class, students are asked to firstly listen to the basic 26 letters and secondly listen to the disordered ones, and write on the blackboard what they have listened as quickly as possible:Lesson sampleLetters drill:(Teacher stands in front of blackboard, select a pair of students to come to the blackboard, afterwards, teacher plays the cassettes which containing 26 English letters and the pair of students are asked to write what they are hearing) eg: T(teacher) S(student) C. M. P. D. C - C. M, P. D. C Students write down these letters without any cue。After finishing about 5 letters, the students come back to seat, and the rest of class can check whether the letters on the blackboard are right, if not, then let one of them to first repeat the right one and correct the false one. Then, teacher can choose another pair of students to continue the game until all students get acquainted with each letters.Phonetics drill: (Teacher writes a group of phonetics on the blackboard and read relevant letter one by one, then choose one student to hear and select the right one) eg: T Sef ti: i: a:(r) vi:-F. T . I . R. V These drills not only are simple, also they can largely arouse students interest, and the objective of teaching will be worked out.3.1.2. Listen and Read Simple Sentences and Dialogues The purpose of second step is to present each student opportunities to contact English basic sentences and daily words by listening to tapes or speech by teacher in class. New vocabulary and structure even pronunciation should be introduced ahead of exercise. New vocabulary and its relative pronunciation could be written on the blackboard, in the same time, teacher translate them into native language and teach them how to pronounce. And then, the structure of grammar could be detailed by making new sentences. It could take one-third of time in a class to accomplish them. Whats more, some students should be called on read and translate the new vocabulary and each student should make at least one sentence with given vocabulary and structure. For example:Class description:Objectives:In this lesson, students will mainly learn how to ask and answer questions about color by listening. The lesson will concentrate on listening skills, but reading and speaking skills will also get trained since communication involves both listening and speaking. For the same reason, reading and writing skills will get practiced. Accuracy and fluency are equally emphasized. Teaching aids:audio-tape recorder Handouts(containing new vocabulary and grammar structure which will be learned in the class) blackboard chalk Time:45 minutes. A sample lesson:M (man) W(woman)M: What colour is your new dress?W: Its green. Come upstairs and see it. M: Thank you.W: Look! Here it is!M: Thats a nice dress! Its very smart. W: My hats new, too.M: Whats colour is it?W: Its yellow.M: Thats a lovely hat! Procedures:Step 1 :( 10 minutes) (Teacher gives each student a piece of handout and writes following vocabulary words on the blackboard :)Whats colour is .? Here it is. new. dress. colour. come upstairs. green. yellow. look. lovely. hat(Then teacher translates them into Chinese and teaches them how to read, requiring all of them could read them loudly and correctly at least 5 times)Step 2: (10 minutes) (Teacher calls on each students to make sentences with given words and select several couple of them to do it on the blackboard, making sentences as follow:)1 这支笔是什么颜色？它是黑色。2 你的书包是什么颜色？它是黄色。3 你的衣服是什么颜色？它是红色。4 看，给你。 谢谢！5 这衣服真漂亮。（After they finish, teacher should check whether they are right or not, if not, then correct them and help them make sure whys wrong and whats right）Step 3: (15minutes)(Teacher plays the audio-tape one time, and ask them listen to it carefully at the second time. During the third time, teacher can choose students one by one to translate what they hear, at the third time, students should be asked to read after recorder or teacher)Step 4: (10 minutes)(Teacher asks each student to repeat the sentence with given words. Also, students can practice making sentence by making groups. At last, teacher calls on each student to answer questions and students should replay without the help from the handout.) For example:T: what colour is the chalk.( hold a red chalk and choose one of students to answer in English.)If the students can answer it correctly, then go on asking:T: what colour is your bag? S: Yellow (if the answer is true, then ask another student)T: “这支笔是黑色的”这句话怎么用英语说？（if he gets rights answer, then let another student to translate:)T: 怎样说：给你，谢谢？ 3.1.3. Listen to Songs, Short Stories and Play Games The method 3 is a bit similar to the second one, but its core is to motivate students interests and passion to learn English. As we know, each child is active and not good at self-control. Besides, a 45-minute-class is too long to concentrate fully. If teacher always care her lesson with many tediousness, then the effect of class will fall down the lowest. On the contrary, if something funny like songs, stories, and games even jokes incorporated in class, then, the result will be opposite. So, appropriate activities are preferred. A samp