任务型教学法在初中英语阅读教学中应用-英文论文.pdf

摘要英语教学大纲把培养学生的阅读能力作为目标之一，任务型教学提倡做中 学来激励学生,挖掘学生学习潜力，使学生在学习语法和词汇的同时通过使用 语言来掌握目标语。迄今为止，从教和学的角度不乏关于阅读教学的论述，对阅读教学提出了诸 多的教学方法，而笔者认为任务型教学法用于阅读教学中可以提高学生的阅读 能力，有效地培养学生分析问题和解决问题的能力。本文首先综述了任务型教学的理论依据、指导原则、任务选择以及各种“任 务”的界定，阐述作者对任务概念的观点，阐述阅读理论知识。接着，本文分析 了实验的结果，通过调查问卷，了解任务型教学在阅读教学中使用的有效性。本文旨在探讨中学小班阅读教学实施任务教学法的可行性，有效性及学生对 任务教学法的反馈。本文作者选取石家庄市第42中学的60名初二学生作为实验 对象，其中30名学生为实验组（实施任务型教学），30名学生为对比组（实施常 规教学）。本实验于2007年夏季完成。测试结果表明任务型阅读教学的优势是客观存在，完成任务的过程能激发学 习者阅读的兴趣和运用英语进行交际的动机，提高学生的阅读理解能力。问卷调 查表明大多数初二学生认为将任务教学法运用于阅读教学可以使学习变得简单 且容易，因为课堂教学过程是学生完成一系列阅读任务的过程，从而简化了学生 的内化过程。在执行任务的过程中确实存在着不足：比如有的同学不主动参与，如何在任 务型教学中有效地组织小组活动，提高人人参与程度问题有待于今后进一步的研 究。本文最后一部分就如何在外语课堂教学中有效地实施任务型教学提出了一些 参考性的建议。关键词：任务型教学任务英语阅读模式VIAbstractReading comprehension is so important in learning English that the New National English Curriculum Standard considers promoting the students9 reading comprehension as one of the most important goals in teaching English.The Task-Based Language Teaching(TBIT)emphasizes that learning by doing motivates the students to tap their potential to study.The students should master the language by using it to communicate in the classroom,while still learning grammar and building up their vocabulary.Researchers have proposed different approaches to teaching reading.The author of this paper thinks that application of TBLT is a better way to teach English reading because it involves the students during the process of language learning and motivate students to develop their analytical and problem solving skills.Full understanding of TBLT is the prerequisite for its application.So the paper first probes into relevant theory,including the theoretical bases,tasks and principles of Task-Based Language Teaching.Then the thesis explores the application of Task-Based language teaching,designing appropriate and efficient reading tasks as the core.Based on models of the reading process and the principles of task design,the thesis offers examples designed in the reading classroom.To bear testimony to the hypothesis that Task-Based Language Teaching is more effective than the traditional teaching method in improving students1 reading comprehension ability,the current thesis seeks to get approval by means of carrying out a Task-Based Language leaching reading experiment in one class of Junior 2 from NO.42 Middle School in Shijiazhuang.The results of the experiment show that the experimental class that adopts Task-Based Language Teaching has made more remarkable progress than the control class using the traditional teaching method.This indicates Task-Based Language leaching can be used in the reading classroom effectively and that students,reading level can be increased by designing different and proper tasks.However,there are some short-comings in the process of performing tasks:The rvsamples are limited.One semester of experimentation is too short.Some students5 thinking ability becomes weaker.Problems such as how to group learners effectively and how to let every learner participate need further research.Keywords:Task-Based Language Teaching tasks reading modelsIntroduction1.1 Significance of the studyIn China,reading class is given the most attention to in English Language Teaching.In middle schools,slow reading speed and poor comprehension are common phenomena.Teachers have spent time and energy to research the teaching methods and strategies,explore the teaching modes and emphasize the curriculum provision and selection of the materials.The students still have difficulty giving a pertinent summary of the main idea,in forming an objective opinion toward the material,and breaking away from the context when attempting to define a new word.With a minimal knowledge base,they are inclined to interpret the words without real understanding and do not make logical conclusions.All the above-mentioned problems result from the following facts.1)Reading teaching is examination-oriented and based on a sea of exercises,instead of stressing sentiments(like motivation,interest,volition,mood and character).2)The guidance of the teacher weighs more than the cultivation of the subjectivity and the humanistic spirits.3)loo much importance is attached to the result rather than the instruction or control during the reading process.There is a lack of analysis,instruction and control of the psyche and the specific methods of teaching in the students reading process.4)Much attention is given to the specific information of the reading materials rather than the structure of the text or the cultural background it gives.5)The teaching of reading overemphasized language.The teachers teach only vocabulary,language points and grammar while they overlook the students ability to analyze the text,as well as the guidance of reading techniques and methods.6)The cultivation of language ability is emphasized while the sense of language is neglected.1.2 Purpose of the studyThe New National English Curriculum Standard highly advocates the use of Task-based language Teaching(TBLT).In TBLT teachers involve the students,active participation in the task performance.This helps them learn English through thinking,discussing,cooperating and communicating,etc.Reading comprehension is so important in learning English that the New National English Curriculum Standard considers promoting the students reading comprehension one of the most important goals in teaching English.Once a student develops the ability to read by himself he has the ability to learn by himself and a firm foundation for further study.Therefore,improving a students reading comprehension is one of the intended purposes of the TBLT.The TBLT emphasizes that learning by doing motivates the students to tap their potential to study.The students master the language by using it to communicate in the classroom,while still learning grammar and building up vocabulary.It also emphasizes the ability to communicate through interaction in the target language and the introduction of authentic texts into the learning situation.Provision of opportunities for learners focuses not only on language,but also on the learning process itself So students reading skills will be improved much more in TBLT than in 3Ps.1.3 Framework of the thesisThis thesis consists of five parts.Part One gives a brief introduction about the significance,purpose and framework of the thesis.Part Two is a brief description of Task-based language teaching and English reading teaching.Part Three concerns the study.Research questions,operational definition,conceptual framework,instruments,procedure and students under the experiment are reported in the chapter.Part Four presents results of questionnaires,interviews and teaching experiments.Analyses of the tests,questionnaires and interviews have been made.Part Five makes a conclusion about the application of TBLT in English reading teaching in middle school.It also summarizes the study with major findings,limitations in the present study and suggestions for further study.2Literature Review2.1 Social constructivist theoryOne of the important theoretic basis of TBLT-social constructivist theory advocates that knowledge is constructed by learners themselves,not taught by others.Learning is a process of actively constructing meaning.Learners emphasize initiative,sociality and situation.These ideas are in agreement with main views of TBLT.Social constructivists think that the meaning of classroom activities is students seeing the results of their learning and constructing meaning through the completion of all kinds of tasks.At the same time,they have feelings of success and confidence.The pursuance of TBLT is developing students personalities and latent energy,arousing the students positive attitude in order to give students confidence and chance to learn actively.The following views of constructivism would often be used in Foreign Language Teaching(FLT),It will be important to promote quality education and improve Foreign Language Classroom Teaching.The major points are:Knowledge is always changing and can be rebuilt in different conditions.Learners shouldnt enter into the classroom without knowing anything.They have skills of deduction from old experiences.Different learners have different knowledge construction,through collusion and discussion,they form different ways of solving problems.Learning is not revolving and transmission of knowledge from outside.Most of learning is a process of learners own knowledge construction,that is,by building the connection of new experience and old knowledge,learners enrich,remake and substantiate their own knowledge system.The teacher should give students enough space to think,make them construct their own cognitive structure actively in order to develop creativity.2.2 Input,output and interaction hypothesisKrashens input hypothesis postulates that humans acquire language in only one way-by understanding messages,or comprehensible input.We move from i,our current level,to i+1,3the next level along the natural order,by understanding input containing i+1(Krashen,1985).An important part of the input hypothesis is Krashens recommendation that speaking not be taught directly or too soon in the language classroom.Speech will 4emerge,once the acquirer has built up enough comprehensible input(i+1).Comprehensible input is the route to acquisition and information about grammar in the target language is automatically available when the input is understood.According to Stephen Krashen,the only way we can acquire language is by receiving comprehensible input.That is,we have to receive input that is just beyond our competence,but not beyond our understanding.This theory of second-language learning claims that we acquire language in an amazingly simple way-when we understand messages.Krashen points out that when one learns a language,one first pays attention to the meaning rather than the language structure.Structure acquisition can be obtained if one tries to understand the infbnnation that is to be absorbed.The teacher should input a correspondent amount(i+1)of comprehensible input in the listening class.The more the learner inputs information(listening),the more likely he will be able to output(speaking)(Krashen,1982).However,this hypothesis was later modified so that comprehensible input was a necessary but not sufficient condition for acquisition.Learners also have to have the right environment and circumstances for comprehensible input to work.Learners affective filters must be low.They have to be free of stress and motivated.These ideas above provided task-based approach with theoretical basis.Tasks conducted in class have to be in comprehensible language which also functions as input for language learners.The students can learn more easily in an encouraging atmosphere welcoming participation.In this kind of environment,students use English openly to communicate with others.Students get the chance to be creative and express their own attitudes,opinions,joys and fears.Students can cooperate with their teacher to heighten the process of knowledge acquisition.The main function of the second language class,according to Krashen,is to provide learners with good and grammatical comprehensible input that is unavailable to them outside the classroom,Teachers are to bring them to the point where they can obtain comprehensible input on their own in the real world.One ought to keep the purpose of language in mind:Language is about communication.4When learners are exposed to language which is just a little beyond their current level of competence,opportunities for second language acquisition are maximized(Krashen,1981,1982).That belief gave rise to task-based approach to language teaching.So Tasks carried out in class have to be in comprehensible language which also functions as input for language learners.Meaning negotiation can make a great contribution to second language acquisition.Long(1989)argues that engaging in the task-based activity will trigger the acquisition process.In the early form of Longs(1983)interactive hypothesis,it claims that language acquisition occurs when learners get comprehensible input as a result of the opportunity to negotiate meaning.In the late form,Long(1996)has integrated Swains(1985,1995)output hypothesis into his revised interaction hypothesis.Whether in its early or late form,the important factor for acquisition is the opportunity for learners to engage in meaning negotiation.(Ellis,2000).Much research has been done to find out what kind of classroom interaction would foster learning more eflHciently.Teachers5 concern for meaning-oriented activities and patterns of interaction confirms the appropriation of a task-based approach to foreign language instruction.Clarification requests,confirmation checks,and recasting will be considered as feedback to the learner at the moment of great sensitivity.Ellis(2000:200)reports that the kind of interactional modifications,assumed to result in acquisition tend to be in the tasks which:1.have a required information change;2.involve a two-way(as opposed to one way)exchange of information;3.have a close outcome;4.are not familiar to the interactants;5.involve a human/ethnical type problem;6.involve a narrative discourse mode;7.are context-free and involve considerable detail.In TBLT,learners engage themselves in carrying out tasks through negotiation of meaning.They make requests,confirmation checks and comprehension check to negotiate better input and develop language competence.2.3 Communicative language teachingYalden once pointed out,in his book Principles of Course Design far Language Teaching(1987),that communicative language teaching developed into five main forms.They are Functional Approach,Negotiated Approach,Natural Approach Content-based Approach and5Task-based Approach,among which Task-based Approach is the latest development.So TBLT falls under the umbrella of communicative language teaching(often abbreviated as CLT)and CUT becomes one of the origins ofTBLT.Influenced by the sociolinguistic theory of communicative competence(Hymes,1972)and the need to develop economicties in Europe,there came the need for greater efforts to teach adults the major languages of the European Common Market.The Communicative Approach or simply communicative language teaching emerged in western Europe.Hymes,theory about communicative competence define what a speaker needs to know in order to be communicatively competent in a speech community.In Hymes,view,a person who acquires communicative competence acquires both knowledge and ability for language use with respect to1.Whether(and to what degree)something is formally possible;2.Whether(and to what degree)something is feasible in virtue of the means of implementation available;3.Whether(and to what degree)something is appropriate(adequate,happy,successful)in relation to a context in which it is used and evaluated;4.Whether(and to what degree)something is in fact done,actually performed,and what its doing entails.(Hy