教学法论文The-Creation-of-Context-in-Senior-English-Grammar-Teaching.doc

Name: Class:Number: Tutor/Title: Date: The Creation of Context in Senior English Grammar Teaching1. IntroductionThe development of everything has its principles, including the language (Emerson, 1997). If we want to grasp a language, we should “learn and use it”, not just “learn about it” (Zhao Huafang, 2007). Memorizing enough amounts of words, phrases and idioms is the most important thing in almost every language, since its the basic element of language learning. However, if we want to use the language fluently and skillfully, its not enough just to memorize the pure vocabulary. We should also learn about its grammar. In English learning, we should learn about its grammar rules. Just in this case, we can use it properly and can communicate with each other freely.At present, grammar teaching in senior high school has two extremes: on the one hand some teachers pay too much attention to grammar learning. On the other hand, other teachers insist that according to the new curriculum standard, we should attach importance to language communicative competence, so they pay much attention to English listening and speaking teaching, and they teach English purely, using assessments and activities, but avoiding grammar teaching. The final goal of English teaching is to cultivate students abilities of listening, speaking, reading and writing. To learn English grammar well does not mean to learn English well. But definitely grammar knowledge plays an important role on the language communicative competence. Grammar, listening, speaking, reading, and writing are all very important in English learning.According to the new English curriculum standards, it does not mean that we do not need grammar teaching any more. It means that grammar teaching should be improved and integrated with communicative competence which includes listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Grammar teaching should be closer to real life, arouse students interests and develop their thinking and communicative competence.It is well known that the knowledge comes from the practice, and it also reflects the objective things. The knowledge contains plentiful lifelike contents, while the words and textbooks are abstract and brief. The teaching context is to regenerate the real objects and the related knowledge background in textbooks.We should apply a new kind of teaching method in order to change the traditional grammar teaching method and improve students communicative ability. We should create teaching contexts in senior English grammar teaching.2. The theories of the creation of contextThe teaching context is the combination of teaching background, teaching scene and the teaching activities which are suitable for the learners to achieve the teaching goals. Just like a German scholar once said:” you cant eat up 15g salt if it is just salt. But if it is mixed up in a bowl of delicious soup, you can easily get it in the process of enjoying the meal” (Pachelbel Johann, 1991). The teaching context is to knowledge just what soup is to salt. In senior English grammar teaching, we can create suitable teaching contexts. The supporting theories of creating suitable teaching contexts can improve students learning effects.2.1 Constructivist learning theoryThe Constructivist learning theory came into being in 1990s. It focuses on the creation of teaching atmosphere, and criticizes the traditional teaching method which has no teaching context. It advocates that we should learn knowledge in certain kinds of context. The context learning means that learners should grasp knowledge in the process of related teaching context under the direction of the teaching objectives. According to the constructivist learning theory, knowledge is not absorbed through teachers analysis, but with the help of teachers and classmates. The teaching context should be beneficial for the learners to construct the learning materials. Spiroetal (2001) advocates the cognitive flexibility theory (one branch of constructivist learning theory) in which he says that we should connect the language learning with specific teaching contexts in order to develop learners cognitive flexibility, and form the multi-understanding of knowledge. The learners can form the background experience by entering the reorganized situation for many times, and then they can grasp the complexity and correction of language. In context creation, they can form the multi-construction of language. The teaching design does not start from the analysis of teaching objective but from how to create the beneficial teaching context. The teachers can create a suitable context for different studying characters, which can strengthen the learners knowledge constructing abilities. In constructivist learning perspective, context creation is one of the most important teaching designs, and the teaching context must be beneficial to learners construction to learning contents. The Constructivist learning theory is an important basic guideline of the new curriculum reform. As the modern educational theory and educational technology develop, the constructivist learning theory will play a more and more important role in English grammar teaching and learning.2.2 Situational cognitive theoryThe situational cognitive theory believes that the development of knowledge and ability will progress in the process of constant activities which use the related knowledge just like the language development. This theory believes that knowledge is not the psychology understanding, but the relationship between individual and society or its physical surroundings, and the product of their interaction. Taking part in general cultural practice, which is based on society context, is the source of the knowledge structure of an individual. This theory does not regard knowledge as one system of mass that consulates itself from its learning context. This kind of knowledge is monotonous, it can only be accepted by human brain but can not be used in practice, and neednt be checked in practice, and can not be mixed up with other innovative thoughts (Scott Thornbury, 2003). As a result, it is often useless when it is needed to solve the practical problems. That is to say, the situational cognitive theory has surpassed the traditional knowledge perspective, and it emphasizes the context creation, authenticity, and interaction application of knowledge.2.3 Behavioral psychology theoryBehavioral psychology theory is the study of the psychological experience of individuals, groups or organizations. This type of behavioral science is applied to educational settings. It is used mostly by research psychologists who work in academic settings. Behavioral psychology theory regards language as a kind of behavior, or a series of stimuli and its response: S1R1.S2R2. In this process, S1 stands for actual stimuli, R1 stands for language substitution response, S2 stands for language substitution stimuli, and R2 stands for actual reaction. In this process, S1 is just like the real context, created in language teaching; S2 is the virtual situation which is passed to language learners through the language expressing function. Learners (also cooperators) receive these two kinds of situational stimuli, and then complete the whole process of language acquisition, which is expressed in R1 and R2.3. The disadvantages of senior English grammar teaching Through the current situations, we will find that there are lots of disadvantages in senior English grammar teaching. Altogether there are mainly 4 disadvantages: monotonous teaching methods, theoretical analysis of teachers, few interactions between students and teachers, and low learning efficiency of students. 3.1 Monotonous teaching methods The senior English grammar teaching methods are very monotonous. The teachers always just teach students the grammar rules and they dont give students enough time and opportunities to practice their oral English and the actual usage of the grammar. As a result, students learn English grammar just for the goal of learning it, even not knowing the real application. The senior English teachers seldom create related teaching context to help analyze the grammar rules. The class has few activities, games, and speaking opportunities. Most students think that English subject is just like the other subjects as math and physics. They do not think that the objective of learning English grammar is to communicate better with others. 3.2 Theoretical analysis of teachersIt is known that teaching and learning grammar in senior high school in China is a very important part in the current test-oriented education system. At present, grammar teaching in senior high school has two extremes: on the one hand, some teachers pay too much attention to grammar learning. They think that leaning English well is learning grammar well, so they regard grammar learning as the most important part of English learning. Sometimes they even overlook the importance of English speaking, listening and reading. On the other hand, other teachers just pay too much attention to listening and speaking activities, letting alone grammar.In senior English grammar teaching, when encountering with a kind of grammar phenomenon, teachers usually give too much theoretical analysis instead of practices. Teachers place too much attention on the grammar analysis. This kind of exam-oriented education makes the students lack of enthusiasm and results in boring classroom atmosphere.3.3 Few interactions between students and teachersMany senior middle school teachers come across a phenomenon that most students are very passive in classes and they dont want to answer questions and try their best to avoid direct communications with their teachers. Especially when the teacher puts forward a question over the whole class and hopes anyone of the students can answer it. In recent years, intercommunication between teachers and students plays a more and more important role in English class. There are mainly two reasons. Firstly, students may gain advantages in learning English by practicing speaking English with their instructors rather than just memorizing the vocabulary and grammar. Secondly, teachers can also benefit from communicating with students because they are more likely to find out the problems of an individual by listening to what they say. So it seems that communication can exert a positive effect on both students and teachers in English grammar teaching and learning, though more time and efforts are needed. In senior high school grammar teaching, teachers should create favorable teaching contexts to help improve the amounts of interactions between students and teachers. 3.4 Low learning efficiency of studentsAccording to the traditional teaching model, teachers will always make the grammar analysis in class and students only need to take notes, and the students can not learn English grammar very well. Often students take part in classes, and listen to the teachers classes very carefully, but their English grammar is not that good. Both the teachers and the students pay much time and energy on English grammar learning, but the efficiency is not that good. In order to improve the effects of English grammar teaching, we should apply new teaching methods.4. The ways of creating context in senior English grammar teachingGrammar is a form of language. Context is one of the elements that decide the meaning of the language: a same word would have different meanings in different contexts (Maynard, 1998). If learners have contexts or particular situations, grammar difficulties could be solved easily. As teachers, when we are teaching grammar, we must pay attention to subjective initiatives, and make grammar analysis under a kind of teaching context in order to enable students to have a deep perception. In grammatical classroom teaching, teachers should create teaching contexts as realistic as possible. 4.1 Using languageUsing language is one of the most basic and common ways to create teaching context in senior English grammar class, and different teachers have different language styles and ways of expression. Experienced teachers can create rich contexts for classroom teaching by making full use of language features.4.1.1 Using oral languageWhen the teachers teach the usages of the articles, pure analysis may not have the ideal effect. Teachers can use oral language to describe a teaching context, and help students to understand the difference between the three articles a, an, and the. For example, “Jackie was staying in thebed, thinking of the girl he met the other day. It happened on a rainy Sunday towards the end of May. This was the first time that he could not go to sleep until so late. All of a sudden, there came a knock at the door. Recovering from the deep thought, Jackie was shocked to sit up. Afraid to go to answer it, he asked in a low, trembling voice, who is it?” In the particular situation described above, learners will naturally be able to understand the appropriate usages of articles. Another example, teachers will give difficult questions to the students if they just let the students fill in blanks with the proper forms of the verbs without any related teaching contexts, when teachers teach students the subjunctive mood of modal verbs, “if he had worked (work) harder, Bruce would have passed (pass) the final examination.” Teachers can explain a situation before this sentence, which will be more conducive to the students understanding. Basketball is Bruces favorite sport, on which he spends too much time. Whats more, news came that the superstar Jordan would come to visit our school at the end of last semester. Naturally, Bruce got lost in it. After the students listened to this background information, they will say: “Oh, thats the reason why he failed the exam.” On this basis, to explain the above fictitious context will be easier.4.1.2 Using body languageIn grammar teaching, we can also use body language to create certain kinds of teaching contexts. Body language is an important part of nonverbal communication and it is connected with culture. Body language includes eyeball contact, gestures, postures, touch, and facial expressions (Wallace, 1994). Teachers can use these body languages to help create English grammar teaching contexts.Facial expression is a kind of “world language” in human being history. Ones happiness, worries, thinking, sorrow, surprise and shock all can be reflected through facial expressions. If teachers can make good use of facial expressions according to actual situations, its likely to improve the atmosphere of classroom effectively and increase the standard of teaching effects (William Cheng, 1997). Always keeping smiling can encourage and praise our students. However, cut-and-dry facial expressions will make students feel confused. Smiling is really important in teaching. To many students, English study is very difficult, dry and hard to learn, which demands that teachers should encourage students to be active, confident, and affirmative. Its very important for English teachers to bring smiles into class at times and carry them out completely.Our teachers can send our thoughts and express our feelings correctly by using exact and adaptive gestures. Whats more, a teacher will strengthen the persuasion and affection by using gestures. Eyes are the mirror of our hearts. Judging from the messages in eyes, we can achieve his confusion in mind, likes or dislikes, agreement or disagreement of his attitudes. Eyes can speak, send information and effectively express the exquisite feelings. Teachers can use eye contacts to encourage students and control students behaviors in order to accomplish teaching aims.In a word, we shouldnt ignore the body language to teach English grammar. We should use body language logically, measurably, exactly and attentively to create favorable teaching contexts. It is bound to have a favorable effect on teaching to do this.4.2 Using multi-media The use of computers in classroom cultivates a new world for senior English grammar teaching. Multi-media, which are produced by computers, make the grammar teaching and classroom activities more attractive. As a result, students can experience the charm of language and grammar knowledge in a vivid living context. In class, senior high school teachers can use multi-media to teach the students English grammar. The results will be very effective. 4.2.1 Using PowerPointPowerPoint can be a powerful tool for learning the English language. It allows two pieces of information to appear one after another on the same screen, which is just easily adapted to the purpose of teaching grammar. This means that it can function as a flash card, or a fill-in-the-bank worksheet, allowing students to see the questions, giving them time to think, then displaying the answers. Teachers can use PowerPoint to create related grammar teaching context.Modern methodology of PowerPoint presentation with animation motivates the students to learn grammar with ease. The paper chart on the wall has given way to the animated LCD screens.There are many printable documents available on the internet which will also help the students to learn grammar easily and enthusiastically. Thus grammar is like bitter gourd to the students but the modern technology and the methods of teaching help them to learn easily. Under the help of the contexts, created by PowerPoint, teachers can haveeffective methods to teach grammar.4.2.2 Using audio-visual materialsIn current situations, audio-visual materials are also widely used in senior English grammar class. For example, the usage of the participles has always been the difficulty of senior middle school students, and the differences between present participle and p