A Study of Input Hypothesis and Its Implications for Teaching English Listening in University.doc

毕 业 设 计（论 文）（ 2010 届） 题 目：a study of input hypothesis and its implications for teaching english listening in university 学 院： 外国语学院 专 业： 英语 姓 名： 学 号： 05060204 指导教师： 教授 table of contentsacknowledgements .3abstract4chapter one introduction61.1 introduction61.2 structure of the thesis6chapter two literature review72.1 definition of listening ability72.2 definition of the input hypothesis72.3 research and theories at home and abroad72.3.1 studies at home82.3.2 studies abroad9chapter three main points of krashens input hypothesis103.1 overview of the “input hypothesis”103.2 three main points of the “input hypothesis”11chapter four research and discussion124.1 subjects124.2 instructions and data collection124.3 data collection procedures124.4 results124.4.1 the bar chart134.4.2 explanation of the chart.134.4.3 major problems of english listening teaching13chapter five principles for english listening teaching165.1 principle of extensive reading165.2 principle of comprehension175.3 principle of interest and relevance185.4 principle of pertinence (non-grammatical focus and good pronunciation)195.5 principle of audio-visual integration19chapter six conclusion216.1 major findings216.2 suggestions216.3 limitations of the research25references26appendix i27acknowledgementsid like to give my great gratitude to my supervisor, professor wang shaohua, for the help and support he gave me. i found myself deeply interested in linguistics immediately after i attended the interesting and meaningful course given by professor wang. hes given me abundant guidance in my learning. at the beginning of my selecting this topic, professor wang offered much precious advice to me. during my writing of the thesis, professor wang didnt bother providing guidance to me. in addition, i owe my accomplishment to all the teachers who have taught me in the school of foreign languages and cultures, professor zhang jie, professor yao junwei, professor lv hongling, professor shao shan, professor wei yan, professor xia hanhua and so on. their profound knowledge and perfect english greatly attract my attention in improving english. id like to take this opportunity to give my thanks again to all the people mentioned above, for their generous help and the great support theyve given me! thank you!abstractin the 1980s, krashen, american famous linguist, has put forward “the monitor theory” which has great influence on later research and study of second language acquisition. one important section of the famous theory is “the input hypothesis” and it has great implications for linguists and language teachers to study second language itself and second language teaching by combining the theory and the practice.as it is, the input hypothesis provides many theoretical bases for them to study listening teaching in university. the basic points are: (1) the only way for people to acquire the language is to get a lot of comprehensible input. (2) one condition for second language acquisition is that one should be a little higher than his current language level. (3) language acquisition is achieved through listening comprehension.in china, english listening teaching in university still have some problems. let us see some examples. (1) in the current english curriculum setting in university, the ratio of listening hours is often minimal which leads to the inadequacy of the comprehensible language input. (2) the current listening teaching still takes the “teacher-centered” form in class. students creativity, enthusiasm and autonomy are always stricken and restrained. (3) students in university have not got enough background knowledge of english speaking countries. they are not familiar with those english speaking countries customs, habits and traditions. this makes a lot of difficulties during the process of english listening.based on these theoretical findings and actual problems, it is suggested that teachers should apply the results of krashens input hypothesis to their practical english listening teaching. in english listening teaching class, teachers should be good at grasping every opportunity to enhance students comprehensible language input, help them establish their self-confidence and motivation and eliminate their anxiety. teachers had better improve students initiative of english listening in order to promote their language acquisition.key words: the input hypothesis, comprehensible input, listening teaching摘要20世纪80年代，美国著名语言学家克拉申提出了语言习得的著名理论“监控模式”理论。此理论对第二语言习得研究具有很大的影响。“监控模式”理论中一个非常重要部分是“输入假说”理论，它不仅对许多研究二语习得的语言学家来说有很大的参考价值，而且为奋斗在一线的语言教师们提供了理论依据。“输入假说”理论提供了一些理论依据以供英语教师及其他语言研究人员将其应用到实际的英语听力教学中。这些论点包括：（1）人类获得语言的惟一方式是接受大量的可理解的输入（2）习得产生的一个条件就是学习者获得比现有水平更高一点的语言输入。（3）听力活动对语言习得最为重要，语言习得是通过听力理解来实现的。在中国，大学英语听力教学中仍存在着很大的问题。（1）当前的大学英语课程设置中，听力教学的课时比例很小，这就导致了通过听力方式来获得的语言输入量不足。（2）现行的听力教学采取“以教师为中心”模式，限制和压抑了学生的自主性、积极性和创造性。（3）多数大学生不了解英语国家的基础背景知识，这在他们的听力过程中造成了很大障碍，因为他们缺乏有关这方面的可理解的语言输入。基于以上的理论成果和听力教学存在的实际问题，语言学家和在第一线教学的英语教师们不断钻研，将克拉申的“输入假设”理论应用于实际听力教学。在听力教学中，他们抓住一切机会来提高学生可理解的语言输入，帮助学生树立自信心，调动他们的积极性，消除他们的焦虑以促进他们的语言习得。关键词：输入假说；可理解输入；听力教学chapter one introduction1.1 introductionsecond language acquisition is a process of adopting a language (not the native language) by conscious or unconscious learning under natural condition or guidance (ellis, 1900). researches into the second language acquisition or foreign language learning began in the 1950s. and from the 1980s, researchers gradually turned their attention to the effect of the second language acquisition or foreign language learning. since then, linguistic researchers and language teachers all have explored linguistic research results and theories to apply to the practical language teaching and learning. from one language itself, the language ability is not complete if people dont have the ability of listening. other language skills must also be seriously affected without listening ability. however, at present we know that there are still some misunderstandings about english listening. for example, people think that listening ability can be improved as long as they do a lot of repeated mechanical listening. this is just an opinion of behaviorism because english listening learners can not find the causes of their poor listening or take the appropriate measures to combine the language form with function study.therefore, in order to improve university students english listening ability, this thesis aims to explore krashens input hypothesis and discuss its pedagogical implications for english listening teaching.1.2 structure of the thesisthis thesis consists of 6 chapters. the first chapter is the introduction of this thesis. the second chapter introduces the definitions of the listening ability and the input hypothesis and summarizes the relevant study situation at home and abroad. the third chapter expatiates on some major theories related to this study. the fourth chapter is a research design and its discussion mainly about the problems existing in current listening teaching. the fifth chapter introduces some corresponding principles for english listening teaching. finally, the last chapter explains some strategies to improve students listening level and makes a conclusion of this thesis.chapter two literature review2.1 definition of listening abilitylistening ability is an ability to understand what people say during oral communications which are motivated by language as a media. listening is not only one of the basic forms for language communications, but also the first perceptive step during the process of english language learning. however, english listening is a weak aspect of english learning in common universities. currently, the situation of english teaching in university is not so good. for students, especially those whose majors are not english, listening becomes their most fearful weakness. not understanding the materials they listen to is the common problem existing among university students. so improving the quality of english listening teaching is an indispensably important and urgent task.2.2 definition of the input hypothesisin the 1980s, s.krashen, american famous linguist, has put forward one of the worlds most influential “language acquisition theory”-the monitor theory. the theory contains five hypotheses: the acquisition-learning hypothesis, the natural-order hypothesis, the monitor hypothesis, the input hypothesis and the affective-filter hypothesis. among those hypotheses, the input hypothesis is one of the most important parts of the entire monitor theory (krashen, 1985). krashens input hypothesis claims that one of the conditions for language acquisition is learners language input by virtue of context and information understanding which goes beyond his current understanding level. krashen emphasizes that language is acquired by understanding the language information. that is to say, language acquisition can be attained by achieving the comprehensible input.2.3 research and theories at home and abroadaccording to krashens input hypothesis, susceptible language behavior, like listening, plays the leading role in the process of language learning and as long as being provided sufficient amount and forms of language input, other language skills (writing, reading and speaking) will certainly be promoted as soon as possible. in this way, listening is an important part in the process of english learning. however, in china, students are in want of language environment to learn english. they lack vocabulary and their english language input is far from that of chinese. therefore, their language input cant afford to increase their english listening level as imagined. in order to solve the problem of listening, teachers and researchers have the necessity to study the language input. luckily, there have been more and more linguists and language teachers studying krashens input hypothesis and applying it to the practical english listening teaching.2.3.1 studies at homedomestic second language acquisition researches converge in universities and language research institutions. since 1980s, university english teaching study has gradually shifted from focusing on reading and writing skills to improving listening and speaking abilities. many domestic linguists attached much importance to the combination of second language acquisition theory and actual language teaching. for example, professor yang lianrui analyzed the influences of “input hypothesis” on foreign language listening learning and teaching in the chapter which is about language input and second language acquisition in his book “second language acquisition research and foreign language teaching in china”.currently, many linguistic research papers and works at home have discussed the fundamental points of view of krashens “input hypothesis”, and their research concentration has changed from pure theoretical analysis to the coalition of second language theory and teaching practices. in recent years, research papers about the application of “input hypothesis” to english listening teaching are of a large quantity, such as “the application of input hypothesis to practice of college english listening teaching”, “on krashens input hypothesis research at home and abroad”, “implications of krashens input hypothesis and the affective filter hypothesis for the teaching of english listening” and so on. those various studies lay a solid base for later relevant researches.nevertheless, those second language researches and studies are not systematical. linguists still need to make great efforts on relevant linguistic studies.2.3.2 studies abroadstephen d. krashen, linguistic professor of university of south california put forward “the monitor model” during 1977 to 1982. this theory is also called “language control and regulation model”, “the input hypothesis” or “the monitor theory”. this theory caught linguists attention as soon as it was presented. many famous linguists began to analyze and take advantage of this theory in order to deepen their linguistic study and to apply it into actual language teaching, including bialystoks analysis/automaticity model, mclaughlins attention-processing model, elliss variable competence model (wang shouyuan, 1999).in 1998, rosamond mitchell and florence myles put forward “second language learning theories”. they pointed out that rather than sit down to study a lot about krashens input hypothesis, linguists would apply this theory to the actual language teaching. from then on, the combination of pure theory study and actual teaching practice became a perpetual subject of most modern linguists. and in asian countries, linguists also start to teach english (especially listening and speaking) by help of the input hypothesis.rod ellis (1997) and grundy (1998) also found that many language teachers (whether novice or veteran) had no sense of security about what they did in their language teaching classes during their research course of second language acquisition. they need krashens theory exceedingly to support their actual study and practice as a theoretical basis. according to krashen, the language input is the emphasis of the input hypothesis. it is hoped that in the english language teaching process, using the input hypothesis to guide listening teaching is of great significance to increase the listening level of students.certainly, current study of “input hypothesis” theory also has a few shortcomings. firstly, the input hypothesis exaggerated the importance of language input. secondly, the input hypothesis simplified the process of language learning. thirdly, the input hypothesis ignored peoples initiative and the individual difference (skehan, 1998). all of such problems deserve cautions during the future research of second language acquisition and language teaching.chapter three main points of krashens input hypothesis3.1 overview of the “input hypothesis”in language learning, language input refers to the language which learners hear and receive and from which they can learn something. to study input is to study something which takes place beyond the language learning process and how such things affect the language acquisition.krashen has claimed that there are two kinds of causes for second language acquisition. one is the language input which language learners receive and understand. the other is the degree of openness (or the accepting level) of learners language input. between them, “input” is a very important factor, which is also the reason for krashen to put forward the “input hypothesis”.the input hypothesis claims that it is necessary for learners to understand a little more language information than their initial language knowledge during the process of second language acquisition or foreign language acquisition if they actually want to acquire it.to understand the language input, language learners need to use all kinds of clues offered by context. in this way, the ability of language usage will be slowly and naturally formed without any direct schooling.basically, krashens input hypothesis contains some important opinions about second language learning. krashen thinks that learners language learning process proceeds naturally through making efforts to understand the information input slightly higher than their current control level. he claims that although comprehensible input is really necessary to complete the acquisition, it is still inadequate because the learners also need to take in their subjective language input. language input becomes comprehensible through simplifying by means of clues in the context and langue. therefore, intentional language adjustments (i.e. to ensure that learners can receive their expected acquisition of language which is full of delicate and precise language characteristics) are unnecessary. and another previous thought is that speaking is not the reason of language acquisition but the result of it and the language learners output is not directly useful to language acquisition.3.2 three main points of the “input hypothesis”recent years, many linguists at home and abroad have tried their best to study krashens input hypothesis. they summarized its main idea into three points. they are:(1) krashen thinks that the only way for human beings to acquire language is to accept a large amount of comprehensible language input. peoples attention focuses on the information input itself rather than on the language form (krashen, 1985). when they have understood the input of information more or less, they can make the information input a little more than their language they are able to know, then the language structure is already acquired. this language structure is also attained naturally during the process of natural language communication.(2) one condition for language acquisition is that language learners language ability has to be a little higher than the current level of language input. suppose the current language level of learners is i, then the input which should be taken into in the next stage is i+1 (krashen, 1985). language learners are able to understand the inputs content which they take in by making use of various means. context is a good example for this point. context contains the content before and after what learners get, including information beyond language, learners cognition of the world around them and the language ability learners have already got. however, if the