激发初中英语课堂活力的策略初探

激发初中英语课堂活力的策略初探

[Abstract]Asthedevelopmentofsociety,inordertomeetthedemandofthe21stcenturythatisaknowledge-economyera,ourcountrycarriesoutconstantlytheeducationalreform.ThenewEnglishcurriculumstandardthatwasissuedbytheEducationMinistryshowstheimportanceofactivatingjuniorEnglishclassroomdynamics.Classroomdynamicsisakindofforcethatworksinthesystemoflanguagelearningandteaching.Itinfluencesclassroomactivitiesandadvancestheprocessoflanguagelearningandteaching.Apositiveclassroomdynamicshasabeneficialeffectonthemoral,motivationandself-imageoflanguagelearnersandthussignificantlyaffectstheirlearning.Thentheywilldevelopapositiveattitudetothetargetlanguage,tothelearningprocessandtothelearners.Moreover,apositiveclassroomdynamicshasabeneficialeffectontheteacher’sclassroommanagementandthevividclassroomatmosphereandcanhelptheteachertofulfilltheteachingtaskeffectively.OntheanalysisofdifferentsituationsbetweenthetraditionalandmodernjuniorEnglishclassroomdynamicsandsomefactorswhichaffecttheclassroomdynamics,thispapershowstheimportanceofpromotingEnglishclassroomdynamicsandpresentssomekindsofgoodteachingwaystocreateandincreasejuniorEnglishclassroomdynamics.

[KeyWords]activate;juniorEnglish;classroomdynamics;learner-centered

【摘要】随着社会的发展，为了满足21世纪这个知识经济年代的要求，我们国家也一直不断地在进行着教育改革。2001年7月教育部颁布了《英语课程标准》，新课程标准的要求体现了激发初中英语课堂活力的重要性。课堂活力是作用于教学系统的动力。它直接影响教学活动的开展，并推动教学的进程。积极的课堂活力不但对学习者的精神面貌，学习动力和自我形象的形成会产生良好的影响，从而使学习者对所学的语言，学习的过程和作为学习主体本身持积极的态度，而且有利于教师的课堂管理，使教学过程生动活泼，从而达到提高课堂教学时效的目的。本文通过对传统与现代的初中英语课堂活力的分析对比以及影响课堂活力的因素的探讨，展示激发初中英语课堂活力的重要性，并介绍了一些教学策略及手段来激发和增强初中英语课堂活力。

【关键词】激发；初中英语；课堂活力；以学生为主体

1.Introduction

Withtherapiddevelopmentofforeignlanguageteachingandconsequentdeepeningreformofeducationalmethodology,creatingdynamicsshowsitsimportanceinjuniorEnglishclassroom.Moreandmoreteachershaveacceptedacommunicativeapproachandhavebecomemoreconcernedwiththeeffectivenessofclassroomteaching.IntraditionalEnglishteaching,theteacheristhemainspeakerwhoexplainswords,phrasesandsentences,analyticgrammaticalstructuresandlanguagepointscannolongermeettheneedofstudentstocopewiththeirfutureprofessionsandpracticalusesinsociety.Tochangethesituation,theELTclassroomshouldbemadeaslearner-centeredaspossible.Ournewlanguageteachinggoalenablesstudentstolearnbyusingthetargetlanguageinmeaningfulinteractivesituations.Theaimoftheteacher’sworkisnotonlytoofferadescriptionofthelanguagebutalsothroughmaterialstocreateconditionsintheclassroomthatwillhelpthestudentslearnthroughactiveanddynamicinvolvementandtasks.“Teachingandlearningcanandshouldbeajoyfulexperienceforbothteacherandlearner,andmostteachers,excepttheveryluckyortheverytalented,willknowfrombitterexperiencethatthereisnomoremiserableteachingexperiencethantobeshutupinsidethefourwallsofyourclassroomwithapricklyanduncooperativegroup.”[1]SoactivatingtheclassroomdynamicsandpromotingstudentstolearnEnglishisanindispensablefactorintheprocessofsuccessfullanguagelearningandteaching.

Tobeginwith,weshouldfirstlyclarifysomequestionsasin:Whatisclassroomdynamics?Whydoweneedtostudyit?Whatistheimportanceofit?Thenwecanhaveadecentreasontomoveonandtalkabouthowtocreateandpromoteit.Fordynamics,definitionsarevaried.LongmanDictionaryofAmericansays:Theforcesthatworkinanysystemormatter.TheOxfordEncyclopedicEnglishDictionarytellsus:Themotiveforces,physicalormoral,affectingbehaviorandchangeinanysphere.Sowemaysay,intheclassroomsetting,dynamicsisakindofforcethatworksinthesystemoflanguageteachingandlearning.Itinfluencesclassroomactivitiesandadvancesintheprocessoflanguagelearningandteaching.Inanotherwords,itisthecohesionofaclass,apositiveatmosphereconducivetolearningandteaching.Especiallyforlearners,asJillHadfieldsays：“Apositivegroupatmospherecanhaveabeneficialeffectonthemoralemotivationandself-imageofitsmembers,andthussignificantlyaffecttheirlearning,bydevelopinginthemapositiveattitudetothelanguagebeinglearned,tothelearningprocess,andtothemselvesaslearners.”

2.TheproblemsinjuniorEnglishclassroom

SituationsanddisadvantagesofthetraditionalEnglishclassroom

InthetraditionaljuniorEnglishclassroom,theteacherisregardedasanauthoritywhodominatesthewholeclass.Theyaresupposedtobeknowledgeableandrespectable.Ingeneral,beingthe“older”and“wiser”peopleinclass,theyaregiventhepowertoawardorpunishstudents.Insuchatradition,itisclearthattheyarethecontrollersintheclassroom.

Theteachersitsorstandsbehindadeskwhichsymbolizeshisauthority,spendsalargeproportionofhistimelecturing,triestoputeverythingintostudents’headsandpaysscantnoticeofthefeelingsandreactionsofstudents.Thereislittlecooperationbetweenteachersandstudentsandtheproductiveskillssuchasspeakingandwritingarealmostignored.

Ontheotherhand,studentsareconsideredas“slavesofknowledge”or“receivingmachines”.Theyareexpectedtolearnstructuralknowledgeandassessmentwhichareoftenbasedontheinformationtheyderivefromtheirroteskills.Thestudentsdonothavetopreparemuchfortheclass.Theysitinstraightrowsfacingtheteacherandtheblackboard.Theysitpassivelylisteningandbusilytakingnotes.Needlesstosay,theyhavenoopportunitytoaskquestionsandparticipateinlearningactivitiesoftheirownaccord.Studentsarejust“ignorantaudiences”waitingtobefilledupwithknowledgebytheteacher.Alltheactivitiesintheclassroomareteacher-centered.“Thisteachingstyleissometimescharacterizedas‘jugandmug’–Theknowledgebeingpouredfromonereceptacleintoanotheremptyone.”

Besides,inChina,agoodstudentwilltimelycompletealltheassignmentsgivenbytheteacher,dowhateverheistoldtodobytheteacherandhewillactuallyhaveaverysimilaropinionorconclusiontotheteacher.Whatismore,astudentwithmoreindependentthinkingoraquestioningspiritislesslikelytowinthefavoroftheteacher.Asaconsequence,students’motivationoflearningwillsoondisappeareventhoughtheyarejuniorstudentswhoarecuriousandeagertodowellineverything.Thewholeclassisquitedullandboring.

NewrequirementsinamodernEnglishclassroom

Withtherapidgrowthininteractionwiththeoutsideworldandconsequentdeepeningreformofforeignlanguageteaching,thetraditionalteacher-centeredteachingisnotadequatefortheclassroomteaching.NowalotofChineseteachersareconsciousoftheimportanceoftrainingstudents’communicativeabilityinthejuniorEnglishclassroomteachingandtraditionalteacher-dominatedapproachisgraduallybeingshiftedtoalearner-centeredone.TheteachertendstoadoptamoreflexibleteachingstyleintheELTclassroomandprovidesmoreopportunitiesforstudentstopractiseandtalkfreelyinEnglish.Andtheteacherneedstothinkoflanguagelearningasstudents’personal“business”,nooneelseincludingtheteachercandothelearningforthem.Theyarethe“informationprocessors”,“languageperformers”,“initiators”,“problemsolvers”,etc.Nomatterwhatnamesaregiventothem,theirrolesasthelearnersshouldbeemphasized.Butthisdoesnotimplythatteachersarenotneededanymore.Theirultimateroleistofacilitatestudents’learning.Fromthisperspective,teachersshoulddispersemoreandmoreresponsibilityforlearningamongstudentsandcreatespaceforthemtopursuetheirownlearningpathsbyavoidingtalkingalotordominatingtheclass.Asclassroomorganizers,theyhavetodesignlearner-focusedactivitiestogiverisetostudents’dynamicparticipationinlearningandencourageactiveinvolvementinlearning.

Inordertoadapttotheeducationrequirementsandtargetofnewera,theEducationalMinistryissuedtheNewEnglishCurriculumStandardinJuly,2001.Intheprocessofthisteachingreform,theteacher’squalityandthewaysofclassroomteachingareemphasized.Thenewcurriculumrequiresaopen,freeandhappyclassroomatmospherenotadullonewhichonlyhasdiscipline,authorityandsubmissionforjuniorstudents.Infact,theaimofthenewcurriculumwhichtakesthedevelopmentofstudentsasthekeyistoputthedynamicsintotheEnglishclassroom.ClassroomdynamicsnotonlycanmotivatestudentstolearnpleasantlyandeffectivelybutalsocanhelpteacherstoteachEnglisheasilyandhappily.Thenwheredoesclassroomdynamicscomefrom?Itcomesfromtheoptimumstateofallcomponents,especiallythelearningcomponentinthesystemoflanguageteachingandlearning.That’stosay,ifteacherswanttostimulatetheEnglishclassroomdynamics,theymustadapttothelearner-centeredteachingwayinwhichstudentshavemoreopportunitiestointeractwiththeteacherandtheirclassmatesandallthefourbasicskillssuchaslistening,speaking,readingandwritingarefullytrained.

3.TheimportanceofpromotingjuniorEnglishclassroomdynamics

“Sincejuniorstudentshavecompletedprimaryschoolingandmovedintolowersecondary,theirstatusasmembersoftheschoolcommunityhaveincreasedandwithit,theirconfidencehasincreasedtoo.Astrongcharacteristicofthesecondaryisstudents’enthusiasm.Sinceyoungstudentstendtobeunawareoftheirpersonallimitations,thisenthusiasmmayneedmoreguidance.Theyarekeentodothingswellandreadytoreceiveencouragement.”Theyarecuriousandactive.Theycometomiddleschoolwithhighenthusiasmandstrongcuriositiestoeverything,especiallytoEnglish.Alltheseencouragetheteachertochangethetraditional,rigidclassroomatmosphere.It’simportanttofindwaystoincreasetheclassroomdynamicsandpromoteacommunicationlanguageclassroom.

Besidesalargenumberofresearchersongroupdynamicsandthelanguagelearningshowustheimportanceofdynamicsinlanguagelearning.AsJaneArnoldinthebookAffectinLanguageLearningsays:“Weshouldsuggestthatanawarenessofclassroomdynamicsmayhelpteachersestablishfirmfooting;thetimeandeffortinvestedinestablishingasolid‘affectivegroupground’willpayoffinthelongrunasitwillleadtoanexperiencethatisrewardinginterpersonally,linguistically,pedagogicallyanddevelopmentallyforteacherandstudentsalike.”ApositiveclassroomdynamicsintheEnglishlanguageclassroomwillbenefitboththeteacherandthelearnersinanumberofways.Firstly,itwilllargelydeterminethesuccessofthelesscontrolled,“USE”partofanylearningcourse.Itwillmeanthelearnersarecooperativeasregardstheorganizingandcarryingoutoffreer,learner-centeredactivities.Theywilltaketheopportunitiestopracticewhattheyknowseriously.Secondly,itwillensurethatbothintrovertandextrovertlearnersaremorelikelytofeelconfidentenoughtoparticipateintheclass.Thirdly,itwillmakeiteasierandmoreattractiveforlearnerstodevelopempathyfornewlessonidentity.Fourthly,itwillmeanthatdependentlearners,whoneedthechancestoquestionoranalyzetheinputthattheyget,willfeelabletodoso.“Onthewhole,aclassfullofdynamicsisusuallyasuccessfullearninggroupwhere:

–Studentsareactive,self-confident,flexible,open-mindedandreceptivetonewideas.

–Theyarecohesiveandhaveadefinitesenseofthemselvesasagroup.

–Theycooperateintheperformingoftasksandareabletoworktogetherproductivelyandhappily.

–Theyhaveapositiveattitudetowardslearning.

–Thereisaharmoniousrelationshipbetweenteachersandstudents.”

Incontrast,“aclasslackofdynamicsisusuallyanunsuccessfulonewhere:

–Studentsarepassiveandwillnotliketoparticipateclassroomactivities.

–Theyarenotself-reliantbutdependentontheirteachers.

–Theycannotcooperatewellintheperformingthetasks.

–Theyarereluctanttomakeaneffortortaketheirinitiative.

–Theylackconfidenceandareslowinmakingprogresses.

–Theydonothaveastrongsenseofclasscommunityandmakelittlecontributiontoit.

–Learningisnotapleasantpracticebutaburden.”

Thelistaboveshowsusthenecessityofstudyingclassroomdynamics.Besidesinaclassroomfullofdynamics,theteacherwillhaveenoughself-confidencetowelcomelearners’questionsaboutaspectsofthelanguagethatseemunclearorinconsistent.Hewillbeabletoadmitthathedoesnotknoworthatheiswrongandwillbewillingtolearnfromlearnersaswellasexpectingthemtolearnfromhim.Sotheteachershouldpresumablytrytomaketheirclassaspleasantaspossible.ThatwillmakestudentsfeelinterestedinEnglishlearning.ThestudentswillstudyEnglishconscientiouslyandactivelyandhaveastrongdesirethatcravesforknowledge.Inthelanguagelearning,theteachershouldnotonlybecomegoodfriendsofstudentsandlearnaboutwhattheythinkandneed,butalsohelpimprovetheirlearningmethods,andgivethemasmanyopportunitiestopractiseEnglishaspossible.Underthiscondition,classroomdynamicsintargetlanguagelearningisvitallyimportant.Socialpsychologyresearchhasproved:acohesivegroupworksmoreefficientlyandproductively.Classroomdynamicshelpstofostersuchacohesivegroup.Ithasabeneficialeffectonbothstudentsandteachers.Sotheteachershouldmakeeffortstopromoteit.

4.ThefactorsinvolvedinaffectingthejuniorEnglishclassroomdynamics

Teachers’factors

“Theactofteachingisessentiallyaconstantprocessingofoptions.Ateverypointineachlessonateacherhasanumberofoptionsavailable;heorshecandecidetodosomething,ortodosomethingelse,ornottodoanythingatall,”sotheteacherplaysaveryimportantroleinEnglishteachingandlearninginjuniorclassroom.Theteacherisoneofthesignificantfactorsincreatingagroupdynamicatmosphereinlanguagelearning.Weoftensayiftheteacherwantstogivethestudentsaglassofwater,hemusthaveabucketofwater.Theteachershouldnotonlyhaverichknowledgeaboutthelivingworld,butalsohavehighteachingquality.Andheshouldimprovehisknowledgeofallfieldsinteachingtomakehisworksuccessful.AsanEnglishteacher,firstlyhemustspeakEnglishfluentlyandtrytogetstudentstofeelthebeautyofEnglish.BecausetheteachersteachEnglishlessonmostlyinChinese,itisunfavorableforEnglishstudy.MoreovertheEnglish-learnerscouldbeimmersedinstudyenvironmentwhichisrichandcolorful,intensifyingandcontinuous,andbeabletounderstand,evenaccept,thecontentoflanguage,itmightachievethemostefficientresult,sotheteachersshouldtrytodotheirbesttocreateakindoflanguageatmosphereofEnglish-speakingandmakestudentsthinkinEnglishduringthewholeclass.

Theteachershouldalsolovehisstudentsandlovehisteachingwork.Theteachermustbeaskindandfriendlyaspossibletothem.Theteachershouldavoiddifferentialtreatmentbaseonunjustifiedprejudices,showinterestinandconcernforstudentsandhavehighbutattainableexpectationsforstudents’success.TrytomakethemlearnEnglishinafriendlyandrelaxedatmosphere.

Theteacher’sbodylanguageandpersonalityarealsoimportantwhenheteachesanewword,aphraseorasentence,itisveryimportanttousethebodylanguageandfacialexpression.Itcanimprovestudents’interestinEnglishgreatly.Heshouldnotonlyletthelearnersgrasptheknowledgeofthetextbook,butalsoadoptsomeotherstepstostrengthenhisteaching.Inordertoimprovetheatmosphereintheclass,theteachershouldbewell-prepared.Theteacherwillhavetoplaydifferentrolesatdifferenttime.Hewillhavetoplaytheroleofcontroller,organizer,promoter,participant,resource,tutorandinvestigatoraccordingtotheteachingsituation.It’sachallengeforalltheteachersbutit’sworthdoing.

Intoday’slanguageteaching,teacheralsoshouldbeagoodfriendhelpingstudentslearnEnglish,helpingthemsolvetheproblemspatiently,alleviatingtheirlanguageanxietyandstudentswillfeelmorecomfortableinlearning.Theteacherwhohasagoodsenseofhumorandagoodpersonalitywillcreateavividenvironmentforstudentstostudy.

Students’factors

Inthelanguageteachingandlearning,studentsarethemajorcomponents.Onlyifstudentscanbeinvolvedreallyandactivelyintheclassroom,theclassroomatmospherecanbedynamic,sotheteachermustactivatestudentstolearnEnglishandimprovestudents’interestaboutEnglish.

Helpingthestudentsraisetheirself-esteem

“Self-esteemisaself-judgmentofworthorvalue,basedonfeelingsofefficacy,asenseofinteractingeffectivelywithone’sownenvironment.”Learner’sself-esteemisoneoftheimportantfactorsinEnglishlearning.Thestudentscomefromdifferentsocial,economicbackgrounds.Theyhavedifferentproficiencyanddifferentlocaldialect.Mostofthembelievetheirlanguageskillisweakerthanthoseoftheothersintheclass.Theyareafraidof“losingface”,iftheydon’tdoagoodjob.Whentheyfacedifferenttroublesinpronunciationandoralpracticeinclass,theyfeelnervousandembarrassed.Theyfeartospeakinfrontofothersandevenkeepsilent.Andthentheywouldn’tliketotakepartinthecommunicativepracticeactively.ButiftheycouldspeakEnglishfluentlyandperformwellinfrontofclass,iftheydidtheexercisewell,iftheymadefewermistakesandgotthepraisefromtheteacher,theywouldknowtheyarenotweakerthanothers.Whentheyfeelsuccessfulinlearning,theywillgraduallyfeelconfident.Sointhelanguagelearningprocess,theteacherplaysanimportantroleininfluencingthelearner’sself-esteem.Theteachercanencourageandmotivatethelearnersbymeansofaccomplishingsomethingorachievingapotentialsuccessinlanguageleaningtobuildtheirself-esteem,andmorelikelytofeelmotivatedtocontinuetotryandworkhardtodeveloptheirlanguageproficiency.Inturn,theirimprovementinlanguageproficiencywillbeconducivetoraisingtheirself-esteem.Besides“theteachershouldfocustheirpraiseandevolutiononeffort,notability.Evenifnoteverystudentcanget100percentonatest,everystudentcangive100percenteffortanditisthiseffortthatshouldberecognizedandreward.”[10]

thestudentstostudyEnglish

“Motivationissomethingthatenergizes,directsandsustainsbehavior;itgetsstudentsmoving,pointstheminaparticulardirectionandkeepsthemgoing,”[11]Alearner’smotivationisnotuniqueandunchangeable,sotheteachersmustoftenstudyeverylearner’smotivation.TheteachershouldtrytomotivatelearnersbymeansofexplainingthefinalandpracticalaimofEnglishlanguageeducation.Ononehandthisisourcountry’srequirement,ontheotherhanditwillbebeneficialtotheminfuture.Furthermore,Englishisveryhelpfultothecomputerstudy,whichisbecomingmoreandmorepopularallovertheworld.

Whenthestudentsknowthis,theywillbeveryeagertolearnEnglish.Anditisnecessarytotellthestudentsaboutthis.Becausethismotivationofthestudentsisoneofthemostimportantfactorswhichinfluencetheirsuccessorfailureinlanguagelearning.Ifthestudentsperceiveagoaltheywishtoachieve,orthegoalissufficientlyattractive,thestudentswillbelikelytodowhateverisnecessarytoreachthegoal.

Sofarasweknowthatalearner’slearningshoulddependuponnotonlytheexternalfactorsbutalsotheinternalfactorswhichareofvitalimportanceinlearningEnglish.AteacherofEnglishnotonlytrytousethemosteffectiveteachingmethodtoattractstudentsandhelpthemlearnEnglishwellbutalsostudytheirinternalfactortomotivatethemtolearnEnglish.

Givingthestudentsmorepraiseandlesscriticism

Asweknow,normallytheteachersarecriticalofstudents’mistakes,beingafraidoftheirinaccurateEnglish.Infact,ifstudentsareovercriticized,particularlyinfrontoftheirpeers,theywillfeelmoreembarrassedandhumiliated,andtheirself-imagemightbedamagedlater,theymightkeepsilentintheclassroom,andgiveuptrying;evenifthetaskistheoreticallywithintheirintellectualability,becausetheydon’tliketoappearfoolishamongotherclassmates.Asaconsequence,theiremotionalstateisnotfavorableandtheywillhavemoreanxiety.Negativeattitudestowardthesubjectmightalsobeformed.Allthesewillleadtointernalbarriersagainstlearning.Sotheteachershavetoremovethesedetrimentalobstaclestosuccessandencouragestudentstofeelfreetoexpresstheiropinionsandfeelingsintheirownwayandoftenencouragethemwhentheymakeprogress.Theteachersthemselvesshouldbemoreendurableaboutmistakesandcorrectthemonlyifitisabsolutely-necessary.Eveninthiscase,theteachersshouldn’tdoinasupportiveway,andtrytodoitwithindividuals,ratherthaninpublic,inordertoavoidstudents’badfeelingsassociatedwithlosingface.Iftheyweregivenmoretimeandmorepractice,mistakeswilldisappearsoonerorlater.

ThefamousAmericanwriterMarkTwaineversaid,“Acommendatorysentencecanmakepeoplebeinagoodmoodfortwomonths”.Teachersarethemostimportantpartsinthestudents’hearts.Everystudenthopestogettheteachers’positiveevaluation.Agoodteachermustgivemorepraiseandlesscriticismtohisstudents.Andclassroompresentationsandactivitiesshouldbeorganizedinsuchawaythateachstudentmightgetsomechancetosucceedincarryingoutalearningtask.Anappropriatedegreeoftaskcomplexityshouldbedesignedsothatthehighlevelstudentsdonotgetboredandthelowlevelstudentsdonotfeelhopeless.Mostimportantofall,teachersshouldtreatallstudentswithoutprejudice,showequalconcernwiththeirworkandvaluethattheyhavecontributedtoclassroomactivities,nomatterwhattheirEnglishlevelsare.Inthisway,studentswillfeelhappyabouttheirsuccessfulself-imagesandvaluedasamemberofthewholeclass.Alltheabovewillguaranteethatstudentswon’tdevelopafearoffailuremotivationandlearnEnglishinamorerelaxed,unstrainedway.GraduallytheywillbecomemoreinterestedinthesubjectandacquirefavoriteattitudestowardslearningEnglish.

5.ThestrategiesofpromotingjuniorEnglishclassroomdynamics

Allthisanalysishasbeendiscussedabouttheadvantagesoftheclassroomdynamics,thefactorsofaffectingtheclassroomdynamicsandthepresentsituationsofjuniorEnglishclassroom.InordertoprovideteachersandstudentswithadynamicEnglishclassroominlanguagelearningandteaching,somemeasuresarenecessary.Thefollowingsaresometentativesuggestions.

Usingdifferentteachingaids

Usingthevisualaids

“Accordingtocognitiveprocess,visualimagerycanbeahighlyeffectivewayofstoringinformationinlong-termmemory.Supplementingverbalexplanationswithvisualaidsshouldpromotemoreeffectivelong-termmemorystorageandretrieval.”[12]Moreover,mostofthelanguagematerialsinjuniorEnglishbooksareinconnectionwiththedailylife,soifit’spossible,theteachershouldusethevisualaidssuchasconcreteobjects,models,picturesetc,inordertoimprovestudents’interestinEnglish.Thesematerialscanhelptheteacherclearlyshowstudentsthewords,theexpressionsthesentencesandthegrammar;theycanalsohelpstudentstothinkinEnglishavoidingunnecessarytranslation.Thejuniorstudentsaregoodatimitating.Theconcreteandimaginablecontentsarealittleeasierforthemtoaccept.Inthisway,theycancombineconcreteobjectswithabstractthought,andtherebydeepentheircomprehensionandmemory.

Forexample,theteachercanteachthePresentContinuousTenseintheobjectivescene.Giveonestudentacupfullofwaterandaskhimtodrinkit.Whenthisstudentisacting,theteachercanasktheotherstudents"Whatishedoing?"andatthesametimeenlightensthem:"Heisdrinking."Thentheteachercangivethestudentanapple,abookorapenandsoontoaskthestudentstodrillagainandagain."Whatishedoing?""Heiseating/reading/writing."Afterpracticingseveraltimes,theteacherasksthestudentstoactatwill,andsummarizesthegrammarstructure"be+Ving".Thussuchadullgrammarlessonwillbeinterestingtothesestudents.Theywillactivelyparticipateinthelearningactivitiesandthewholeclassroomatmosphereisdynamicandlively.Sotheteachershouldalsousethethingsintheclassroomasmanyaspossible,suchas,thewall,thewindows,theblackboardandthestudents’belongings,includingclothes,shoesandtheirpens,rulers,bagsandsoon.

Iftheteachercannotusetheconcreteobjects,hecanalsousesomemodelswhenteachingstudentstomaketelephonecalls,theteachercanalsotakeatoytelephoneorpapertelephone.Andhecanalsogetthestudentstopreparesometoysorpapermodels,suchastelephones,boats,baskets,clothesetc.Thestudentswillbeveryhappyandeagertohaveatrywhentheyseethesethings.Andtheywillfeelthehappinessofsuccesswhentheyacquiresomenewknowledgethroughthesethings,especiallytheirowntoysandtheirself-mademodels.Ifthelessonisaboutdescribingsomeplaces,theteachercanfindsomerelevantpicturesandpresentthemintheclassroomasvisualaids.

Here’sanexample,intheUnit6ofProjectEnglishBook2B,thereisatopicabout“Isthereacomputerinyourstudy”.Afterthestudentslearnsomedescribingphrasesorsentences,theteachercantakethepictureofhisownstudyorletthestudentsbringsomepicturesoftheirownstudies.Thenletthestudentsguessfirstly,andthenshowthepictures.Thesepicturesarerelatedcloselytothestudents.Thestudentsmustbeinterestedindescribingthem.Theaimistoencouragestudentstospeakandgivethemsomepurposetoexpressthemselves.ByusingthesethingsthestudentscanlearnEnglishinacomparativelyrealcircumstance,sothattheycanbeinterestedinEnglishlearningandtheclassroom