On the Implications of Language Output in Developing Senior High School Students’ Oral Englis.doc

毕业论文(设计)On the Implications of Language Output in Developing Senior High School Students Oral English Ability1. Introduction11.1The current senior high school students oral English ability21.2 The reasons for the situation in senior high schools32. Swains comprehensible output hypothesis42.1 The functions of output hypothesis52.1.1 Noticing function52.1.2 Hypothesis-testing function52.1.3 Metalinguistic function63. How the functions play a role in developing oral English ability63.1 Oral output calls students attention73.2 Oral output has feedback effect73.3 Oral output improves input74. The implications of Swains output hypothesis for English language teaching and creating output activities84.1 Teachers roles in creating English output94.1.1 Using communicative language teaching method104.1.2 Creating English environment114.1.3 Encouraging students to speak English124.2 How to create the effective output activities144.2.1 The principles of designing the output activities144.2.2 The types of the output activities155. Some effective output activities in senior high schools165.1 In class165.1.1 Presentation165.1.2 Text retelling175.1.3 Brainstorming195.2 After class205.2.1 Participating in English corner205.2.2 Imitation225.2.3 Self-talking236. Conclusion24References251. IntroductionEnglish is regarded as a universal language in the world. English itself is a common communicative language. The main purpose of learning English is to communicate with each other. With Chinas opening-up to the outside world and the entry to WTO, more and more international associations and multinational co-operations have established. Therefore, it is obviously that developing oral English ability is becoming more significant.1.1The current senior high school students oral English abilityThe four skills in which speaking has been included in the National Plan for English teaching in high schools in China for many years, but the students oral English is far from satisfactory. Many language researchers and teachers have paid more attention to developing the students oral English ability. In the research for the current middle school students oral communicative ability, there is only 34.2% feel oral English is important, and 61.7% think their English teachers just teach the language points in class and have not given enough time for the students to do oral exercise (Net.1). Much efforts and progress have been made in teaching and studying in spoken language. However, the results are far from expectation, because most of the students, particularly those of rural places, still acquire low communicative competence after years English study.Many students always keep silent when asked to speak English. It reveals that the senior high school students oral language competence cannot keep the closest pace with the rapid development of our modern society, and cannot meet the requirement and objectivities in the National English Syllabus (Dai Yun, 2005).1.2 The reasons for the situation in senior high schools So what is the reason for causing students to acquire low oral English ability? Last October in 2007 the author practised teaching English in Wuhua Hengbei Middle School and had observed the students from Grade one for a month. The author thinks there are several reasons accounting for low oral competence. First, the class size is usually about 60 students or more, and the main focus in class is on reading comprehension, in other word, learning language knowledge; therefore, it is very difficult for teachers to organize oral practice. Meanwhile, there are many language points in every class, which makes few opportunities for every student to practice oral English. Second, the traditional teaching method is still used in senior high schools because of NMET. This method makes students dull and bored, for most of the time the students just listen to the teacher. Third, senior high school students are at the period of adolescence and have independent personality. Many students care about face issue. There is no doubt that they are afraid of making mistakes and being laughed at by classmates. Finally, looking through the English Syllabus, the arrangement of English course, the test content and teaching plan, there is a phenomenon that language input is generally paid more attention than language output (Li Yan, Liang Zhi, 2005). Thus, the real reason is that the importance of language output is still overlooked. Most of English teachers in senior high schools just provide such English input as teaching language knowledge of textbook for their students, who usually receive what teachers teach, that is, spoon-feeding. Consequently, both teachers and students ignore the importance of practicing oral English. There are many foreign scholars who have been concerned about the language input and output, the aim of this article is to develop senior high school students oral English ability on the basis of Swains comprehensible output hypothesis (1985) and its functions.2. Swains comprehensible output hypothesisIn response to Krashens input hypothesis (1985), where comprehensible input plays a central role and dedicates no significant importance to output performance in language acquisition processes, Swain (1985) proposed the comprehensible output hypothesis (Cited in He Guangkeng, 2003). It was based on her many years of research on the French immersion programs. In the immersion programs, the students learned all their school subjects through French, which provided students with rich language input. Swain (1985) found that although received comprehensible input for a period of 8 years, immersion students performed poorly in their production. According to Swains output hypothesis (1985), it claims that output plays a more prominent role in second language acquisition. Swain also emphasizes that the proposal of output hypothesis does not mean to minimize the role of comprehensible input; rather, it is to draw peoples attention to the facilitating role of output in Second Language Acquisition (SLA).Therefore, there should be an emphasis on language output when having drawn attention on language input. The functions of language output should not be ignored. According to Swains output hypothesis (1985), she has claimed the three main functions.2.1 The functions of output hypothesis2.1.1 Noticing functionFirst, output has a noticing/triggering (or consciousness-raising) function. Noticing function or consciousness-raising function is served by helping learners to notice gaps in their inter-languages. It states that “in producing the target language, learners may encounter a linguistic problem leading them to notice what they do not know, or know only partially, it may make them aware of something they need to find out about their second language” (Swain, 1985). That is to say, by trying to speak or write in the L2 they realize that they lack the grammatical knowledge of some feature that is important for what they want to say.2.1.2 Hypothesis-testing functionSecond, output has a hypothesis-testing function. Learners usually have some hypothesis about the target language and they need to try out the language forms and structures in order to find out whether their hypothesis works or not. One way of doing this is to make output. By making output, learners can know about the comprehensibility and linguistic well-form of their output. That is learners can try out a rule and see whether it leads to successful communication or whether it elicits negative feedback.2.1.3 Metalinguistic functionFinally, output has a metalinguistic function. Metalinguistic function might be referred to as its “reflective” role. Swain (1995) maintains that “as learners reflect upon their own target language use, their output servers a metalinguistic function, enabling them to control and internalize linguistic knowledge” (Swain, 1995:126). By using the language, learners are enabled not only to reveal their hypothesis, but also to reflect on them, identifying problems with their own output and discussing ways in which they can be put right.3. How the functions play a role in developing oral English abilityIf students just receive rich input and ignore the output, surely they cannot improve their oral English. As is stated above, there are three functions when learners output the target language. It is the three functions that helping students develop their speaking skill. The author tries to detail the oral English outputs functions as follows.3.1 Oral output calls students attentionWhen uttering oral English, students become aware of the gap between what they want to say and what they can say and recognize some of their linguistic problems. That is to say, students usually notice what problems they have made after they speak English in front of the whole classmates. Therefore, oral output can call students attention by observing others reflection or expression. 3.2 Oral output has feedback effectIt was pointed out that language learners may make errors in order to test out hypotheses about the L2 rule system (Ellis, 1985: 173).When students speak by using all and any English they know, it provides valuable feedback about their English knowledge for both students and teachers. Students can test whether their utterance is a successful communication or not. If not, most of the students actually try to make themselves understood. As a successful teacher, he or she mainly listens to students oral output, rather than corrects the careless mistakes. The feedback for teachers is to know how their students oral English ability is and to make efforts to help students develop their speaking.3.3 Oral output improves inputIn the authors opinion, it is the above two functions that display the third one. Only after calling attention and giving feedback, will students realize whether their oral input makes sense. Then, due to the help from teachers, classmates and themselves, students can improve the quantity of input. There is little doubt that the next oral input can be better. Therefore, it is very necessary for students to practice oral English. As we all know, practice makes perfect. Students will speak English fluently and accurately after continual practice.4. The implications of Swains output hypothesis for English language teaching and creating output activitiesHowever, not every student is willing to improve his oral input even though he is called attention and given the effective feedback. It is absolutely that it all depends. The reason is that students are likely to be influenced by their mother tongue and dialect, or by the atmosphere in class, or by the lacking of English environment and so on. Thus, students might not improve the ability of oral English after at least six years study. The teacher does not teach students to speak, but helps them to practice their linguistic knowledge orally and encourages them to put it to use. In addition, teachers must create an English learning situation for the students in which they can integrate the foreign language with their own personality and thus to feel more emotionally secure with it. Teachers must try their best to create the opportunities to make students to speak. Under this circumstance, Swains output hypothesis (1985) has some implications for English language teaching and creating English output so as to develop students oral English ability. 4.1 Teachers roles in creating English outputAbove all, it is necessary for the author to detail the roles of teacher when teaching English and creating English output activities.Teachers behavior is very important for students learning, especially for their communicative competence. Teachers as the management of learners learning play very important roles in organizing classroom learning. It is obviously the responsibility to teach the students carefully and organize the classroom in the right order, however, it is also the responsibility to give students a warm atmosphere in which the students feel very satisfied with the class and their motivation and interest are aroused and they are acting as an equal member in the class like other students. Teachers roles (Wang Qiang, 2005) in creating English environment in classroom are shown as follows:Firstly, the teacher acts as a controller. The reform teaching approach often requires the teacher to acquire less teacher-centered classroom management skills. It is the teachers responsibility to organize the classroom as an active and competitive learning atmosphere.Secondly, the teacher acts as a counselor. When the class is in process, the teacher may have to help students to get their message or make their meaning clear or even they should encourage students to overcome their difficulties. This kind of good relationship between teacher and students can build up a kind and united atmosphere for learners learning.Thirdly, the teacher acts as a participant, when learners autonomy increases, teachers reduce their involvement in controlling classroom activities, and act as an equal member to students. The teacher may also join in, not as a director but as an equal member who will not improve his or her opinion or the students. The teachers participation in students activities offers students a chance to practice the language and creates a best language environment for language learners.Fourthly, the teacher acts as a prompter. Whatever the teacher is doing in the classroom, the teachers ability to motivate the students, to arouse their interest and involve them in what they are doing, will be crucial. The key factors here will be the teachers own performance - the teachers level of linguistic proficiency, the teachers organizing skills and the teachers personality.Therefore, a good teacher is a good organizer who acts as a controller, a counselor, a participant and a prompter in class and organizes his or her students successfully to complete a class. The teacher needs to provide students the most suitable classroom structure and guide the students with their good and kind behavior so as to bring about the best learning result.4.1.1 Using communicative language teaching method The present Chinese English language syllabus is based on communicative principles. According to this syllabus, the English language teachers are to build up the students communicative competence and to develop their language skills as needed in their future career.However, it is obvious that the present situation of teaching approach has some problems and it should be reformed. Communicative language teaching model makes use of real-life situations that necessitate communication. The teacher sets up a situation that students are likely to encounter in real life. The real-life simulations change from day to day. Students motivation to learn comes from their desire to communicate in meaningful ways about meaningful topics. Teachers in communicative classrooms will find themselves talking less, listening more and becoming active facilitators of their students learning.4.1.2 Creating English environmentBehaviorist accounts of SLA view the learner as “a language machine”. The linguistic environment is seen as the crucial determined factor (Ellis, 1985: 128).Classroom environment is an important word for language teachers. Communicative language teaching cannot keep away from the context for language speaking. Language must be used in some language context. In the area of communicative language teaching, what classroom structure they use is the key point of communication teaching. Teachers should bring about a kind of cooperative, interpersonal and English-speaking cultural context which gives rise to the language the students are trying to learn (Dai Yun, 2005). Teachers should let students learn how to communicate with others in the best learning environment created by our teachers. The best classroom environment is a kind of class in which the students are warmly interested in learning language. They accomplish the teaching class together. Everyone has desire to express his or her feelings or thoughts. The class provides a social situation in which every learner uses the language. Under this situation, the students communicative competence can be improved quickly. We can say that the relation between the classroom environment and the communicative competence is just like the relation between the living things and the water. One cant achieve a lot without another one.According to the teachers roles in the communicative language teaching, teachers should create an easy atmosphere where students can use their language skills freely in class or after the class so as to create language environment. As we all know, only when students have the needs to communicate, will they be active in speaking English. Therefore, teachers should try their best to create a language environment that is similar to the real situation. It is said that an English environment is hard to make, but students can have an English environment. For example, there are English environment TV on Pearl, World and CCTV-9. Students can listen to English songs by MP3 and visit English Website to get information, etc. Naturally, students can get used to this English circumstance which exerting a part to improve their oral English ability.4.1.3 Encouraging students to speak English According to the authors practical teaching in the senior high school and responding to the students different motivation, how does the teacher encourage the students to speak English?Students usually hate practicing what seems to be familiar enough to them. The teacher should try to combine the old with new in conducting oral practice so that th