My views on English teaching 浅谈英语教学.doc

How to teach English vocabulary The abstract ： This article plans to make contrast of glossary differences between Chinese and English under the two languages cultural context to reflect in each aspect and so on. How implication, daily life, name, social etiquette,sex, sentimental color , discusses in English glossary teaching melt the cultural knowledge in the language, inducts cultural moderation, thus enhances the glossary teaching efficiency, achieves the true goal of glossary teaching.Key word: Cultural difference English glossary teaching1. introduction English teaching shares most features of teaching with the teaching of other school subjects in common. As we all know word is the sentence fundamental unit. Generally, each word is the element of speech (Lu Guoqiang , in 1983).Some people regard English study only as the commanding of word, phrase, short phrase, grasping its pronunciation, the spelling and the meaning ，grasping some basic grammars, knowing how to connect words, phrases and so on . Having grasped these, English study can be well simultaneously. Otherwise, if we only are string together the unit according to the letter significance, but slightly does not understand the related cultural context knowledge, in actual utilization is invalid. For example: (1), what meaning in English green with is envy? The people are jealous when the complexion really to change green or turn green? (2), In English Paul was in blue mood; What mood is Paul? Happy, excited, is sorrowful, or what? In upper row two, green and blue dont refers to the Color.The two words both have another meaning reflecting some kind of culture aspect association - From the wording to look this meaning is not obvious. In the dictionary, green has (complexion) to change green the meaning, but green with envy is afixed word group, but expressed extremely jealous . Blue estimates presently some kind of mood when with mood and so on. Word Lian Yong, indicated depressed , melancholy , the example 2 meaning Paul mood is low. Above two examples involve to the wording significance and the association connotation significance, this is the language cultural difference question.In the teaching process ,We discovered many students in understanding goal language (target language), meeting the barrier language knowledge created by no means from word limits, but is caused by the cultural difference. Thus it can be seen, strengthening the language cultural element in the glossary teaching to reveal the real meaning is especially important. 2. Language and culture The goal of studying a language is for exchange.Without a doubt, the glossary teaching also must serve for this goal. Human relations is not only a language phenomenon, but also a kind of cross cultural phenomenon. In the teaching, we must carry on the contrast of the two kinds of human relation cultures. We must begin with culture firstly. The word culture has wide implications. Its narrow sense refers to literature, music,fine arts and so on, but generally it is a sociological terminology according to the sociologist and anthropologists cultural definition. Cultural which we said refers to the unique belief, the custom, the system, the goal and the technical total pattern which a society has. (Deng Yanchang, Liu Runqing in 1989) The language is a cultural part, and is playing the vital role to the culture. Some sociologists believed that it would not have the language if it does not have to have the culture; On the other hand, the language receives cultural influence, and reflects culture. We can say the language reflects a national characteristic, it is not only containing this nationalitys history and the cultural context, but is containing this nationality s view to the life style and the thinking mode.3. The main problem existing in middle school English glossary teaching .Generally, Chinese learners start learning English from secondary school. Only in recent years that some elementary schools begin to open English class. In the 6years middle school English study process, the author discovered that the teacher teaches has a universal characteristic, which first teaches Shan Yu, the phrase,then teaches the text and makes the practice. Teaches make the word follow three principles: the sound, the shape, righteousness. righteousness also merely pauses in the word itself wording significance. But teaches regarding the text to overemphasize the language rule: How a word defers to the certain grammar rule to combine the sentence as well as certain word and the phrase acts as any ingredient in this sentence. Moreover, The inspection also merely to pause in the request that students association read, write as well as simply create sentences using the word. This reflects either one lacks the understanding regarding the cultural knowledge, or thinks it is insignificant to study the language in cultural aspect, therefore often does not treat cultural context seriously-this is simply sets one side. This procedure malpractice is obvious. The major part of students who completed six years English study, in the heads have also packed the word and the phrase, what a pity was one unable to say a complete sentence .What have learned was still mute English. Even in these days when English new teaching materials are already comprehensively used in the middle school, the situation is still the same . Because of above reasons, We paid close attention to speaking and listening training, the student could utilize the glossary which was studied to carry on the simple exchange. But because of lacks in the understanding to the language difference,down to the glossary uses is improper .For example, 力大如牛is often translated into as strong as cow.凡人皆有得意的 is translated into Every person has a happy day. , makes human relations aspect a series of mistakes. Its two examples correct form is :”as strong as a horse”,” Every dog has itsday.” 4. Comparison of Chinese and English literature, English glossary teaching.(1)Wording significance and implicationThe wording significance is basic or the obvious significance. The word implication is the word concealment or the attachment significance.We can see from this definition explanation that we not only must grasp the wordingsignificance,but also grasp the word implication. If we dont understand the glossary implication,we can make the grave mistake in the language. Sometimes the good words works as the slander by mistake, causing a conversation side or both sides depression .aonther example :peasant is righteousness of farmer ,but in the foreigner eyes it is not the meaning of farmer. In English peasant is the derogatory meaning。American Tradition Dictionary gives the definition for peasant: the country folk, the farmer,country bumpkin , ill-breds person, aspe;. rity person.Newly organized Latitude University Dictionary: generally refers to one who has not received the education, social low person . In Chinese, farmer refers to the person who is directly engaged in the agricultural production work, both in the revolutionary struggle period and socialist construction era .It is an important strength ,but not in the least derogatory meaning.Moreover, lets take politician” and statesman” for example . Is a politiciana statesman ? In turn, what should Chinese statesman be translated into English? Some students translated the word into politician. this is inappropriate. In the American English ,Politician often has the very intense derogatory meaning color, causing others despising. It refers to one seeks personal gain to be in office , sophisticated. This word also has smooth-operator ”righteousness. Refers to a person is confident, is extremely experienced. Chinese statesman should be translated into statesman It is appropriate both in English English and the American English.The statesman mainexpression is good at managing the country; Usually the high-quality government officials who have the prestige are called statesman. (2) cultural distinguishment in daily conversation Chinese to say hello around eating meal often terminology is to eat , but the American to use Hello or Hi. If did not understand its implication, the American can believe, this kind of hello is saying : Has not eaten although, Iam just about to ask you to go to my family. In brief, saying hello like this sometimes to mean inviting listeners to eat meal. Moreover, which in Chinese Where are you going? where have you been? Saying hello like this, English envirionment speakers may not be happy. Their very response is: Its none of your business! (You manage result in?)(3) political status difference in respected nameEngland perhaps in China, peoples political status and the status have a difference. Differently, the status person in the daily work,the life can inevitably bump into the same place. This has given rise to matters of different status people.(4). In other social etiquette differenceInvite take please as the example. But actually it is not suitable to use please in certain places. When others advance gate or firstly board, we dont say please, generally say: After you. But English beginners commoly use You go first. This is not right.(5), English and Chinese language difference in sex When discriminating animals sex,English and Chinese also have the difference with the word. In Chinese, generally only usesmale and female to differentiate the sex; For instance bull , rooster , female chicken and so on; In English then often respectively has the independent name, the micro-organism also has the name in addition. please look at the next table for concrete:Always called Male name Female name Micro-organism nameChicken chicken cock rooster Henchich duck duck drake duck ducklinggoose goose gander goose goslingHorse horse stallion mare foal cattle bull Cow calf pig boar Sow shat dog dog bitch puppy sheep ram ewe lamb deer stag Doe fawnCertainly, not all animals must use the natural phenomenon name to differentiate female and male. Add male and female or she to the original name. For instance: Female panda , she-wolf and so on.(6). sentimental color in the different language culture DifferenceTake color as the example, the different color the way which expresses in the different language is certainly dissimilar. In the Chinese representative one kind of significance, also expresses one kind of implication in the west, even to color implication understanding just the opposite. Please look at the next table:Wording significance ImplicationGreen the green green-eyed envy (disease of jealousy but doesnot need red-eyed) blue blue blue-mood depressed, melancholy a blueMonday bad luck Monday red red red-faced embarrassed, to beembarrassed, embarrassed in the red loses money, the debt, the deficitWhite white A white lie does not cherish malicious rumour black blackin a black to manage an enterprise to gain yellow yellow yellowjournalism resourcefully to exaggerate immerses gathers or affectsreaders yellow journalism edition attitudeFive, concluding remarkThe word is the sentence basic structure unit, is carries on exchangesthe essential important attribute. The glossary teaching cannot forteach the glossary to teach the glossary, the cultural difference is aglossary teaching important constituent. Only through carries on the comparison to the Chinese and English difference, is the student the true collection comprehends the word in the study glossary process the implication, and can correctly utilize the glossary which learns to carry on the human relations, can trulyachieve the glossary teaching the goal. teaching vocabulary in contextit is generally recognized that many second language learners have difficulties with their vocabulary. They hope to use English like native speakers, but they are not quite sensitive to the differences in nuances and shades of meaning, which often causes misunderstanding, embarrassment, impoliteness, or makes their discourse sound poor and even childish. This is a particularly relevant problem for my senior school students in China, who aim to be successful in communicating with native speakers and conveying different moods and connotations accurately.1). What my students are top students in a senior high school in China, who aim to develop their learning strategies and learn English well enough to use it as native speakers some day. They have learned all the basic structures of the language. However, they need to broaden their vocabulary to express themselves more clearly and appropriately in a wide range of situations. The students might have a receptive knowledge of a wide range of vocabulary is limited. They often overuse some general terms or fail to identify appropriate collocations and contextual limitations in their writings and this is one of the areas that need greater attention. At this stage what we need to focus on is not only their understanding the meaning of words, but also being able to use them appropriately.2). What should be covered in vocabulary teachingTraditionally, vocabulary teaching has been equated with teaching word meanings. But lists of words, synonyms, and antonyms cannot give learners a better understanding of the kind of lexical choices available to proficient users of language, or why one alternative is better than another. This means lexical competence implies more than just knowing what a word means. It includes a number of other kinds of knowledge, such as what differentiates one word from other words that appear to mean the same; what other meanings a word might have; what other words derive from it; what kinds of associative links it has with other items in the lexicon; how it behaves syntactically and, just as important, its limitations of use according to situation and function. 3).implications for classroom teachingAccording to Ooi &Kim-Seoh, students should be encouraged to make a habit of comparing and contrasting particular uses of language. To achieve this goal. It is suggested that new items should be taught with reference to a set of other words, to draw attention to conceptual differences as well as differences in use. For example, an invitation to new neighbors will be “Do drop in for a chat any time you feel like it” rather than “Do drop in for a talk /discussion/debate any time you feel it”, because the semantic set comprising the terms chat, talk, discussion and debate reflects a scale of increasing formality or seriousness. If one member of this set is taught in isolation from the others, it would be less efficient than presented in a full range that will allow students to contrast words. It is also argued that it would be more useful to students for target items to be presented in collocation with at least one other word. I am convinced by Lewis that much of the output of native speakers of English comes in the form of ready-made chunks of language which are often difficult to classify under the traditional terminology of “grammar” and “vocabulary”. According to Lewis, chunks occupy a crucial role in facilitating language production, being the key to fluency. When I talk about chunks of language , I mean familiar multiword items such as phrasal verbs and functional phrases (how do on the other hand, if you see what I mean), compound words and collocations (traffic lights, pouring with rain, black and white), but also conversation or text organizers or fixed expressions and verbal expressions. Based on Lewis theory, an explanation for native speakers fluency is that vocabulary is stored not only as individual words, but also as parts of phrases and larger chunks, which can be retrieved from memory as a whole, reducing processing difficulties. On the other hand, students who only learn individual words will need a lot more time and efforts to express themselves. Consequently, it is essential to make students aware of chunks, giving students opportunities to identify, organize and record these. as teachers, we should select proper teaching materials. After the texts having been dealt with for general meaning when students are already comfortable and familiar with them, we begin to focus on language items. After identifying some of the chunks available to the students, the next step is to guide them to observe and explore their range and limits more closely and to perceive their communicative potential. In this way, we can increase students awareness of the existence of a chunk and help them to use it accurately in future, we need to give students the chance to experiment with the chunks they have been familiar with. We hope that enough consolidation activities might help students recall necessary chunks more readily.I can say that using all the opportunities to teach chunks rather than isolated words is a feasible idea that has been working well in my classes. However, both teachers and learners need more awareness raising activities to be able to identify multi-word chunks.Through wide reading, context can also help students improve their vocabulary in accuracy and lexical force. A series of related articles will surely provide frequently repeated vocabulary. This will help learners recognize and and understand these words correctly. Besides, the same words in different contexts will also help learners get the range of meanings of these words. Vocabulary taught in context through reading will give students more opportunities to process language