教学论文(英文版)
Teachers Should Make Full Use of Oral English in Class
教师在课堂上要充分利用英语口语组织教学
written by Fan Zhengdi
樊正第
Xian Senior High School
西安高级中学
Oct. 31, 2010
2010-10-31
Teachers Should Make Full Use of Oral English in Class
As we know, a language is a means of communication between individuals and an English class is also a practical one. It is clear that the English teaching syllabus indicates, “The aim of English teaching in middle schools is mainly to train the students in listening, speaking, reading and writing, which develops the abilities of the students’ using spoken and written English”. As to this, we know that the “four forms” are so important in English teaching and it should be undertaken through out the whole process of Task-based English Teaching .
Theoretically speaking, the ability of listening is the language-learning base. Listening plays an important role in one’s learning a language. F.V. Catenby ever said “Learning doesn’t depend on eyes but ears.” Extreme as this statement is, it is somewhat reasonable. Moreover, listening is not passive but active in a high degree. It is in the activity that people obtain information by their known language knowledge including phoneme, structure, grammar and so on.
Oral English used in class follows the language-learning regularity. As we know, the regularity covers three forms, namely, information of sound, imitation of sound and memory of sound. A language has to be of sound and the sound is the first comer of a language and then its literal record is the second, When learning a language, we utter word by word and then make sentences to express our feelings. That is to say, when students learn a language, they should pay more attention to speaking and listening besides reading and writing. The sound of a language which is repeated over and over promotes the literary memory and strengthens the memory of words.
First of all, it is well-known that when a baby begins to utter, it will always get the language system from the constant language spur in its family environment and from the memory of language sound. That is, the child will gain enough opportunity of listening from the family, society and school so that he or she can reinforce the memory of vocabulary and of sentence structures. So the child can take no trouble in learning his or her native language. In middle schools, students think it difficult to learn a foreign language. Less listening is one of the significant reasons. As some magazine on the Subject Education says, increasing language practice in listening and reading means adding to language importation in numbers, reinforcing the base material practice in speaking and writing. By this means, it is necessary for the students to take advantage of these two forms of listening and reading to obtain the language information and expression.” And in return, it can help the students to get the ability of speaking and writing. In the course of the new curriculum teaching, teachers should often offer the students more chances of listening.
More importantly, teachers’ spoken English in class develops the students’ understanding skills. In class, the teacher speaks English to the students, which offers the students the practical opportunity in their listening comprehension and creates the students’ imitation. The habit of teacher’s speaking English frequently in class conduces to forming a habit of the students’ speaking English. Reading also originates from the constant oral work of English teachers. The oral work increases chances of repeating pronunciation and intonation. Consequently the students can practise reading aloud by teacher’s good sound. Writing ,of course, is connected with teacher’s oral English. Teacher’s oral work repeats the terms learned or not, which supplies the chances with consolidation of learnt words and with the information of unfamiliar words and new sentence patterns. The above, undoubtedly, enlarges the students’ vocabulary and enriches the students’ sentence patterns in English writing.
Teacher’s oral work takes a great roll in the students’ logical way of language-learning. By listening practice, students are sure to obtain English elementary knowledge and the preliminary ability of utilizing English in communication. Teacher’s oral work in class arouses the students’ enthusiasm for the study of English. Teacher’s constant oral English can, little by little, train the students in their English thinking. In our middle schools, students often make an English sentence with the mode of thinking in their native language, that is to say, their mother tongue gives them the obstacle of learning a foreign language. The definite language environment is so limited that learning a second language is restricted to the students. Karl Marx gave us some advice on how to learn a foreign language, “When a person is learning a foreign language, he must not always be translating everything into his own language. He must be able to use the foreign language, forgetting all about his own”. Teacher’s spoken English helps set a certain environment of the English language to make up the lack of practical chances during the course of English learning and gradually makes the students think in English.
To illustrate all the above, let’s take up an example of one English class with oral work:
Procedures of teaching for one reading material “THE LAST LESSON”
Step 1 ( Teacher gives the reading plan to the students)
Good morning, Class! In today’s class, we are going to do some reading. It shows us an instructive story, the title of which is “THE LAST LESSON”. For this period, let’s learn to understand the whole text from the beginning to the end and we shall refer to some new words and expressions in the passage “scold、whistle、drill、sawmill、meadow、occasionally、embroidered、frightened、regret、 recite、punish、attentively、scratching、oblige and play truant、bulletin board、than ever”.
Step 2 (Teacher gives a chief background of the text.)
This short story “The Last Lesson” is famous throughout the world. The events described in the story are said to have taken place in Alsace-Lorraine in 1871. Alsace-Lorraine belonged to France. This part of France was on the French-German border. Most of the people there spoke French. Since coal and iron were produced there, the Germans had long wanted to occupy the territory.
In July 1870, the France-German War broke out. In August the first battle was fought. But soon it became clear that the Germans were much stronger than the French. They had a large army and were better organized. The French lost almost every battle in the war, “The Last Lesson” shows in its own way the feelings of the people’s loving their country in Alsace and Lorraine.
Step 3 (Teacher asks some questions about the whole text orally.)
Now, let’s come to the passage. First of all, skim to get general ideas and than answer the following the questions.
Teacher: Where was the author of the story from?
Students: France.
Teacher: What war forms the background to the story?
And what was the result of the war?
Students: A war between France and Prussia. France was defeated.
Teacher: Who was little Franz?
Students: A schoolboy who did not work hard at his lessons
Teacher: Was there anything unusual about the school that morning?
Students: Yes.
Teacher: Why had the schoolmaster put on his fine green coat?
Students: Because it was the last time for him to give a lesson in French.
Teacher: What did the master say to his pupils before the lesson began?
Students: He said that it was the last time he would give them a lesson.
Step 4 (Teacher lets the students read the words and expressions and says)
Try to pronounce the new words and expressions in the passage by yourselves once. (After the students’ reading, the teacher says) Read after me twice.
“scold、whistle、drill、sawmill、meadow、occasionally、embroidered、frightened、regret、 recite、punish、attentively、scratching、oblige and play truant、bulletin board、than ever”.
Step 5 (Teacher lets the students scan the text and says)
Now let’s come to the text and read it once more and have the language points explained where necessary.
1) (Explaining to the class)The master had told us he would question us on verbs and I did not know a thing about them, for I had not studied my lesson.
“question” here is a transitive verb, meaning “ask questions about”(Ask the students to name some words which can be used as either nouns or verbs. Saying,) We have so many English words as either nouns or verbs, such as: answer, hand, smoke, rain and so on.
2) (Explaining to the class) “I did not know a thing about them.” equals “I did not know any thing about them.” or “I know nothing about them.”
3) (Explaining to the class) I could hear the birds whistling at the edge of the woods, and the Prussians drilling in the meadow behind the sawmill.
(Teacher may ask the students to state the function of both “whistling” and “ drilling”.) These two words are present participles used as object complements showing the actions which are going on.
For examples:
<!--[if !supportLists]-->a. <!--[endif]-->I found a little girl sitting in my chair.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->b. <!--[endif]-->I like to listen to birds singing in the wood.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->c. <!--[endif]-->Did you notice anyone walking behind you?
<!--[if !supportLists]-->d. <!--[endif]-->I saw the master looking about him as if he wished to impress upon his mind everything in the room.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->e. <!--[endif]-->I saw people standing before the little bulletin board.
4) (Explaining to the class) “I like these much better than learning the rules for verbs.” equals “I like playing outside much better than (I like) learning the rules in the classroom.” or I prefer playing outside to learning the rules in the classroom. “learning” here is a gerund used as an object of “I like”. “I like” is left out after “than”.
5) (Explaining to the class) For that day the master had prepared some cards on which were written, "Alsace, France; Alsace, France." “on which” introducing a clause showing an attributive one equals “on the cards”.
Step 6 (Teacher lets the students read through the text and says)
Now, let’s come to the passage. Retell the text by filling in the blanks on the screen.
The Last Lesson
That morning little Franz was late for school. The master would question the pupils on verbs, little Franz was afraid of being scolded so he thought of playing truant, but he did not dare to stop.
That morning the classroom was quiet and orderly. As little Franz entered, the master looked at him kindly, without scolding. He climbed over his bench and sat down at once at his desk and then noticed, for the first time, that the master wore his fine green coat and his black silk embroidered cap and saw some of the village people seated on the benches at the end of the room. The master said, "Children," "this is the last time that I shall give you a lesson. German may be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Today is your last lesson in French. " Those words frightened the writer.
It was the writer’s turn to recite. But he could not say a word. The master would not scold little Franz. The master talked about the French language. For that day the master had prepared some cards on which were written, "Alsace, France; Alsace, France." They seemed like so many little flags dotted about the schoolroom. The pupils had a history lesson. Next, the little ones recited in concert their "Ba, be, bi, bo, bu".
At that time the church clock struck twelve. something choked the master. He returned to the blackboard, took a piece of chalk, and wrote in large letters, "VIVE LA FRANCE."
He signed to the pupils with his hand. "The lesson is over. You are dismissed."
Step 7 (Saying to the students)
Now, we must stop here, because of our limited time. Class, let me sum up what we have learned today.
1) The word” question” is a verb meaning “ask a question about”.
2)“whistling” and “drilling” here are present participles used as object complements.
3)“be much better than” means “prefer…to”.
Step 8 (Give the students the homework assignment.)
1) Read the passage again and shorten it for 100 words or so in your English-exercise books.
2) Look up the usage of the object complements in grammar books. Tomorrow I will ask you for it
Step 9 (The end of one English period)
All right, the bell has gone. Class is over. Good-bye.
In class, few new words make it easy that the students can catch what the teacher says, which preserves the interest of English study. And meanwhile words of English which are constantly repeated cement the students’ memory. With the help of the teacher’s standard phoneme, the students are active in foreign language activities for the foreign-language class explained in mother tongue is changed into a foreign-language practice. So it accords with the teaching regularity. Through the practice of the listening and the speaking, the students strengthen their language sense and improve their language abilities. Since the teacher explains to the students in English what the teacher says and the students turn it over in their minds, the students understand the language better. By teaching methods of this kind, the language points are more repeated and the students have deeper impression and learn them by their hearts. In class, the students get active enough to be in an exciting state. It is possible that much language information makes the result excellent. But as a teacher of English, in accordance of the students’ aptitude he or she makes great efforts to avoid speaking Chinese in English class. So long as the teacher keeps on speaking English, he or she will raise the English level of his or her students.
At present, the middle schools in China have been using Revised SEFC. This new teaching material with listening, speaking, reading and writing pays much attention to the authenticity of language use. Nowadays, the Department of Education in China has realized that the beginners must pay more attention to listening and speaking. The new English textbook is made use of to force the teacher to give lessons in English not Chinese. In our province, this year is the third year of new curriculum reform and the first English college entrance examination, Obviously the students’ English level is much better than ever before, it depends largely on enhance listening and speaking training.
What’s more, in my provincial key high school, I have been insisting on speaking English in class. After years of the college entrance examination, the English scores go beyond. The average English score of 2005 was more than 127.7 and in 2010, the score is 118.7. In the past few years, the score of English has been the best in the whole school.
As the above shows, spoken English is one of the best teaching methods in bettering the English teaching effect.
NOTICE
1. MA Junmin, “Explanations of English Teaching in Junior Middle-school Pedagogy” Subject Education, ( Peking: Normal Univ. of Chinese Press, Vol. 4, 1992) PP. 37―38
2. “How Marx Learned Foreign Languages”Lesson One, Senior One, Middle School, Oct. 1984, 1st ed
3. “The Last Lesson “Lesson Ten, Senior Two, Middle School, Oct. 1985, 1st ed
Original reading material
The Last Lesson
-by Alphonse Daudet
I was very late that morning on my way to school and was afraid of being scolded. The master had told us he would question us on verbs, and I did not know a thing about them, for I had not done my lesson.
For a moment I thought of playing truant. The air was so warm and bright, and I could hear the blackbirds whistling on the edge of the woods, and the Prussians drilling in the meadows behind the sawmill.
I liked this much better than learning the rules of verbs, but I did not dare to stop, so I ran quickly towards school.
Passing the mayor’s office, I saw people standing before the little bulletin board. For two years it was there that we had received all the news of battles, of victories and defeats.
"What is it now?" I thought, without stopping.
Then, as I ran along, the blacksmith, who was there reading the notice, cried out to me, "Not so fast, little one, you will reach your school soon enough."
I thought he was making fun of me and ran faster than ever, reaching the schoolyard quite out of breath.
Usually at the beginning of school, the noise of desks being opened and closed, and lessons repeated at the top of the children’s voices could be heard out in the street. Occasionally the master beat the table with the heavy ruler as he cried, "Silence, please, silence!"
I had hoped to be able to take my seat in all this noise without being seen; but that morning the room was quiet and orderly.
Through the open window I saw my schoolmates already in their places. The master was walking up and down the room with the iron ruler under his arm and a book in his hand.
As I entered he looked at me kindly, and said, without scolding, "Go quickly to your place, little Franz; we were going to begin without you. You should have been here five minutes ago."
I climbed over my bench and sat down at once at my desk. Just then I noticed, for the first time, that our master wore his fine green coat and his black silk embroidered cap.
But what surprised me most was to see some of the village people seated on the benches at the end of the room. One of them was holding an old spelling book on his knee; and they all looked sadly at the master.
While I was wondering at this, our schoolmaster took his place. "Children," he said, "this is the last time that I shall give you a lesson. An order has come from Berlin that no language but German may be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. A new master will come tomorrow who will teach you German. Today is your last lesson in French. I beg you to pay attention."
These words frightened me. This was what they had posted on the bulletin board then! This was what the blacksmith was reading!
My last lesson in French! I hardly knew how to write, and I never should learn now. How I regretted the hours wasted in the woods and fields, the days when I had played and should have studied!
My books that a short time ago had seemed so tiresome, so heavy to carry, now seemed to me like old friends.
I was thinking of this when I heard my name called. It was my turn to recite. What would I not have given to be able to say the rules without a mistake! But I could not say a word, and stood at my bench without daring to lift my head. Then I heard the master speaking to me.
"I shall not scold you, little Franz. You are punished enough now. Every day you have said to yourself, "I have plenty of time. I will learn my lessons tomorrow." Now you see what has happened."
Then he began to talk to us about the French language, saying that it was the most beautiful tongue in the world, and that we must keep it among us and never forget it.
Finally he took the grammar and read us the lesson. I was surprised to see how well I understood. Everything seemed easy. I believed, too, that I had never listened so attentively; and it almost seemed as if the good man were trying to teach us all he knew at this last lesson.
When the lesson in grammar was over we began our writing. For that day the master had prepared some cards on which were written, "Alsace, France; Alsace, France."
They seemed like so many little flags dotted about the schoolroom. How we worked! Nothing was heard but the voice of the master and the scratching of pens on paper. There was no time for play now. On the roof of the schoolhouse some pigeons were softly cooing, and I said to myself, "Will they, too, be obliged to sing in German?"
From time to time, when I looked up from my page, I saw the master looking about him as if he wished to impress upon his mind everything in the room.
After writing, we had a history lesson. Next, the little ones recited in concert their "Ba, be, bi, bo, bu".
Oh, I shall always remember that last lesson!
Suddenly the church clock struck twelve. The master rose from his chair. "My friends," said he, "my friends, …… I …… I ……"
But something choked him; he could not finish the sentence. He returned to the blackboard, took a piece of chalk, and wrote in large letters, "VIVE LA FRANCE."
Then he stood leaning against the wall, unable to speak. He signed to us with his hand. "The lesson is over. You are dismissed."
