kkK英语口语教学的教学策略2.doc

!Chapter TwoThe Objectives of Language Teaching in Oral Class2.1The Goal of Language TeachingAccording to the Chinese English Teaching Syllabus for English majors at the foundation stage (1990: 13), the goal of spoken English should reach:Learners should be able to read and talk naturally.Learners should be capable of using the basic words to communicate flexibly and correctly.Learners should be able to make comprehensive use of grammatical knowledge correctly.Learners should be able to express the given function in English.(5)Learners should be able to communicate appropriately in specific situations.Based on the requirements of the syllabus, it is necessary that teachers of English oralclass adopt a variety of activities to motivate students to cultivate both students knowledge of language and knowledge of language use.2.2The Content of Language Teaching2.2.1 Knowledge of LanguageAs far as knowledge of language is concerned, it may refer to the basic elements of language, such as phonological units (e.g. phonemes), grammatical units (e.g.* clauses, phrases, sentences), grammatical operations (e.g. adding, shifting, joining) and lexical items. Every language contains these items. As it is specified at the foundation stage, there is need to train students grammatical ability concerned with Chinese learners reality, even the grammatical competence should be cultivated through activities. In oral class, both knowledge of language and knowledge of language use should be taught through communication. Most teachers regard grammatical items as an essential part in language teaching and learning since communication depends on these grammatical systems.Without them, meaning cant be transferred. To a certain degree, this may be true, but focusing on them too much especially in oral class teaching wont lead to students fluent and successful communication.2.2.2 Knowledge of Language UseKnowledge of language is one aspect of English language teaching and learning. Knowledge of language does not reflect ones ability to communicate. To enable students to communicate effectively and successfully, teachers need also train students knowledge of language use. Communication involves much more than simply a knowledge of forms; it depends crucially on the ability to use forms in appropriate ways (Johson et Morrow, 1981: 60). Widdowson (1978) use usage to refer to the former and use to the latter. This distinction is related to de Saussures distinction between language and parole and Chomskys similar distinction between competence and performance (1978:-3). This notion of competence has something to do with language users knowledge of abstract linguistic rules. This knowledge has to be put into effect as behavior, it has to be revealed through performance. When it is put into effect through the citation of sentences to illustrate these rules, as is done in grammar books, then performance yields instances of usage: abstract knowledge is manifested. When language teachers select structures and vocabulary for their courses they select those items of usage which they judge to be most effective for teaching the underlying rules of the language system. Language use is kind of performance: the language user demonstrates his ability to use his knowledge of linguisticrules for effective communication.i2.3 Culture AwarenessWiddowson says that When we acquire a language, we do not only learn how to compose and comprehend correct sentences as isolated linguistic units of random occurrence, we also leam how to use sentences appropriately to achieve a communicative purposes (1978: 2). Here, the word appropriately in one aspect refers to knowledge of language use. In another aspect, it most refers to culture factor in communication. Communication especially oral communication is to a great extent influenced by culture differences between regions and countries. This phenomenon can even be observed among the people in different areas and nationalities in our country.2.3.1 Defining CultureAs to what culture is, people may give the definition from many different perspectivessince different countries may have different political cultures, different intellectual styles,different social customs and values. Edward Sapir interprets culture as the socially inherited assemblage of practices and beliefs that determine the texture of our lives (1949: 207). Porter and Samovar define culture as the deposit of knowledge, experience beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion* notion of time, roles relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by group of people in the course of generation through individual and group striving (1995: 48). According to Goodenough (1957: 74, 83). culture is socially acquired knowledge:As I see it, a societys culture consists of whatever it is one has to know or believe in order to operate b a manner acceptable to his members . culture, being what people have to learn as distinct from their biological heritage, must consist of the end product of learning: knowledge, in a most general. sense of the term.Browns definition is A culture is a collection of beliefe, habits, living patterns andbehaviors which are held more or less in common by people who occupy particulargeographic areas (qtd in Hu Wenzhong, 1988: 4). However, Tylor (1920: 1) gives thedefinition of culture as that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, arts,morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of%society.* This concept of culture is all embracing, and it includes the behavioral(customs), the creative materials (art), the rominative and institutional (moral and law), and the cognitive (knowledge and belief). Putting it simply, culture refers to the whole way of life in a society.* 2.3.2 Language nod CultureLanguage is the carrier of culture. It is a part of culture and plays a very important role in culture. Without language, culture would not be possible. On the one hand, language is influenced and shaped by culture, it reflects culture. On the other hand, language is the symbolic representation of a people, and it comprises their historical andcultural backgrounds as well as their approach to life and their ways of living and thinking.Language shapes perception and language determines culture. Culture patterns, customs and ways of life are expressed in language. Language and culture are closely related. On the one hand, culture influences and shapes the linguistic form of language. Conversely,language is also the reflection of culture (Li Li and Chen Zhian, 1997: 144). Language is a part of culture, it cannot but serve and reflect culture needs (Hu, 1992: 250). As a minor of culture and society, language is not just a passive reflector, it reinforces and preserves the beliefs and customs. As Barthes points out Culture cannot be separated from language in whatever respects (qtd in Gu and Lu, 1990: 6). Therefore, in English language study, the idea that studying a foreign language is in fact studying another culture must be kept in mind.233 Language and ContextContext is used to mainly refer to the social situation in which a linguistic item is used (Richards et al. 1985: 61). People use different norms of languages in various communicative contexts. Such as the way one tells a story differs from that he tells a joke. The rules for talking to somebody at funeral are different from those for talking to someone at wedding. One has to modify his language when talking to someone of higher or lower status. Such rules, both linguistic and social, together determine how a language is used in any social context. Just as Hudson (qtd in Li Li & Chen Zhian, 1997: 145) said, People with different sociolinguistic backgrounds will be led to conduct correspondingly different model relevant to language and society (1978: 13). This phenomenon suggests that situational differences exist in the use of language and language use is determined by the situation in which it is used. According to Wallwork (qtd in Li Li & Chen Zhian, 1997: 146), a situation consists of two levels. One is concerned with physical, relatively easily identifiable factors. Firstly, it is associated with who the speaker and listener are and what the relationship between them is. Secondly, it involves where the language happens. Thirdly, the topic affects the language, too. The other level of situation is more abstract it involves the effect that the speaker wishes to make on the audience, that is, to impress, inform, flatter, condescend, threaten the listener and so on. This is much similar to Byrnes (1972) knowing what it is appropriate to do, where and when, and how it is appropriate to do. Thus communicative context is fatal in language teaching. Helping students to observe different language norms in different context is one of the teachers most important responsibilities.2.3.4 Intercultural CommunicationIntercultural communication refers to the communicative behavior of people from different cultures. Porter and Samovar say that intercultural communication occurs when amessage sender is a member of one culture and a message receiver is of another (1972). A major area of intercultural communication lies in the belief and value systems and worldviews, which are the source of many of the apparent cultural differences. In verbal communication, the cultural differences may be found on a phonemic, lexical, syntactical and discoursal level. The purpose to study intercultural communication is to help increase learners cross-cultural awareness so that few problems arise in the interaction with people of another culture. Whatever the specific objectives of 12 teaching may be, one of its fundamental goals must be to impart an ability to comprehend fully and with satisfaction what the target community means in speaking and writing (taveday, 1982:53).23.5 Techniques for Training Students Cultural AwarenessCulture plays a significant part in communication, it is therefore necessary for teachers to train students1 cultural awareness in language teaching. The following ways might be helpfuL 1Comparison method. The teacher begins each discussion period with a presentation of one or more items in the target culture that are distinctly different from the students culture. The discussion then centers on why these differences might cause problems.Newspapers. Many aspects of culture that arc not usually found in a textbook are present in the newspaper. The teacher asks students to compare a certain item in the foreign newspaper with its equivalent in their newspapers. Good cultural insights can readily be found in headlines, advertisement, editorials, sport pages, even weather report.The culture corner. The teacher maintains a classroom ambiance that is essentially a cultural comer through the use of posters, pictures, a frequently changing bulletin board, all of which arc designed with the purpose of attracting students1 attention, eliciting questions and comments.Films, video and slides. Film, video and slides provide cultural insights as well as providing a welcome variety of classroom activities. These films, video and slides the teacher collected can be worked into short, first-hand cultural presentations.Contact with native speaker. Teachers should encourage students to develop personal contacts with native English speakers. In the face-to-facc contacts with native speakers, the students may learn much about verbal expressions of English-speaking people as well as non-verbal communication method, such as gestures, facial expressions, etc.13Teaching Strategies of Oral Class Interaction2.4 Stress on Pragmatic Language UsePragmatics j lays an more and more important role in the present teaching and learning of Engli: h. It concerns how to use language properly. Pragmatics is a system of rules which defines the relationship of meaning to the context in vhich it occurs, that is, it matches functions with particular language choice in particular context. Thomas