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任务型教学法在英语阅读教学中的影响郭美燕(外国语学院 2013届3班 学号: 2009091306 指导教师：张玉姣 )摘 要:任务型教学模式在当今教育界已经成为一种趋势，而任务型阅读也逐渐引起人们的关注。本文旨在探讨任务型教学法在英语阅读教学中的影响。本文的受试者为非英语专业的19名学生。本研究通过对任务型教学应用前后的学习者的阅读成绩的对比，并得出以下结论：首先，任务型教学对阅读产生了影响。其次，在任务型教学过程中，在完成预先设计的一系列有意义的活动的过程中，拓展了学生的元语言系统，并对其起到了一定的促进作用，从而提高了学生的学习兴趣。总而言之，在英语阅读的各个方面都产生了积极的影响，而这些积极影响使得整个学习过程变得更加高效和充满乐趣。期望本研究对英语阅读教学有一定的指导作用。关键词：任务型教学；阅读；影响The Effects of Task-based Language Teaching on College English ReadingGuo MeiyanSchool of Foreign Languages and Literature, Longdong UniversityAbstract: Task-based language teaching has attracting much attention of many researchers and educators, so this research aims to explore if the effects of task-based language teaching on English reading. 19 non-English majors attended in the research. Meanwhile, the questionnaire on English reading and reading materials are used and reading performance of learners are compared before and after task-based language teaching is applied to English reading class. The research found out: 1) TBLT affects learners English reading. 2) The learners Interlingua system is to be stretched and encouraged to develop in the process of task-based language teaching, by engaging in and accomplishing the meaningful activities designed by the teacher before the class. In addition, positive effects are made in English reading, and those of positive effects have aroused learners motivation to reading. It is hoped to have the guiding role in future teaching of English reading.Key words: task-based language teaching; reading; effects1. IntroductionUp till now, the teacher-centered model is still widely used in college English reading teaching, many teachers are used to adopting traditional grammar-translation teaching method, which makes students have little chance to practice using English to communicate with others. Meanwhile, their reading abilities are especially poor because of their limited vocabulary and background knowledge, so serious methods have been put forward to deal with those of problems. For example, The New English Curriculum Standards in 2001 advocates Task-based Language Teaching, and explicitly points out that TBLT can develop students comprehensive ability of language use in the course of English teaching. However, the research on task-based language teaching is in the experimental stage in China. Although many researchers (Nunan, 1999; Willis, 1996; Crooks, 1991; etc.) have found that applying TBLT to English reading can improve students reading abilities, but there are still some questions remaining to be solved. Consequently, this research has been made and spanned about three months in order to prove that TBLT teaching method could promote students reading abilities. This research is expected to have positive effects on the future college English teaching and learning.2. Literature ReviewEnglish has become the predominant language in the world and most of the well-known publications and advances in the fields of science and technology have either emerged from the English-speaking countries or have been presented in the English language. Reading proficient in English has become a necessary for the purpose of understanding research in science and technology as well as of negotiating business among partners. Yet this proficiency requires more than simple being able to understand the language. The ability to use the target language to perform various tasks in the field of study and life is also a must. In order to search for an effective way to improve English learning in the Chinese college English context, researchers in this field give various definitions.2.1 The definition of TBLTNunan(1999,24)defines task-based language teaching as follows.“Task-based language teaching is an approach to the design of language course, which the point of departure is not an ordered list of linguistic items, but collections of tasks. In TBLT, the teachers ask the learners to carry out a task or some tasks, providing an environment that best promotes the natural language learning process. During the course of the task accomplishing activities, learners are believed to increase their language proficiency. In brief, task-based teaching is to get the students to learn the language and other relevant knowledge by doing the tasks and using the language. TBLT emphasizes the importance of organizing a course around communicative tasks that learners need to do outside the classroom, and stresses learners doing tasks that require communicative language use.” “A task is a piece of work or an activity, usually with a specific objective, undertaken as a part of an educational course, at work, or used to elicit date for research (Crooks, 1986).” The task is a piece of meaning focused work involving learners in comprehending, producing and interacting in the target language. The task relates to the reality and can be completed by using language. It focuses on expressing learners ideas and finding a good way to solve the problem they meet in learning.2.2 The application of TBLT in English Reading classCompared with Teacher-centeredness teaching method, TBLT (the short form of task-based language teaching) is frequently promoted as an effective teaching approach, superior to traditional methods, and soundly based in both theory and research. It has achieved something of the status of a new orthodoxy. However, the research on task-based language teaching is in the experimental stage in China, The National English Language Standards, published in 2001, Hu (2005, 15) strongly advocates task-based language teaching, the latest methodological realization of communicative pedagogy”. Three years later, in the spring of 2004, the State Ministry of Education issued College English Curriculum Requirements (For Trial Implementation) which stipulated that the aim of College English is to develop learners ability to use English in an all-round way (2004, 1) and in 2007 the new edition of the College English Curriculum Requirements holds that the aim of College English is to develop students ability to use English in a well-rounded way (2007, 25), which, in a sense, highlighted the promise of the journey to TBLT in our country.Meanwhile, reading is a very important part of English teaching. It is also the effective way of getting useful information. TBLT has its own advantages, and these advantages can solve some of the problems existing in the reading class of high vocational colleges. There are some of the advantages that TBLT causes when it is applied in the reading class. Firstly, tasks are given to students at the beginning of the reading class. As for the same reading tasks, there are knowledge gap, ability gap, information gap and culture gap between different students. In order to finish the tasks, the students need to collect information, arrange and sum up them, and then solve the problems. So it can train students abilities of learning and exploring independently. Secondly, each student undertakes tasks. All students keep on communicating information and feelings, exchanging ideas with the language they have learned. That is to say, the focus on meaning and communication would greatly motivate the students to learn autonomously by having opportunities in participating in all kinds of activities. It is in favor of forming a student-centered classroom. Thirdly, because tasks are always activities in which the target language is used by the learner for a communicative purpose in order to achieve an outcome (Willis, 1996). That is to say, TBLT has specific goal in detail, it is beneficial to arousing students learning motivation. In the process of finishing the reading tasks, the students are easy to see the value of learning, to experience the success of learning, both of which can stimulate their interesting in English reading, and can make them more active in reading learning. At last, in order to complete the tasks, more than one language knowledge and skills are needed, so it is in favor of improving students integrated pragmatic language competence. So the writer shares the opinion that implementing TBLT in teaching reading in colleges. And illustrate the point with an experiment. 3. Theoretical BackgroundThis thesis is on the basis of the theoretical on TBLT. While the theoretical basis for TBLT originates from a wide range of aspects: psychology, socio-linguistics, language acquisition and curriculum theory and so on.In this section, a brief introduction is made on Language Acquisition Theory. The early support for content-based instruction in the second language development is Krashens Input Hypothesis (1982, 1985, 1989). It claims that second language acquisition results from comprehensible input provided in sufficient quantities within a real communication situation, and that learners subconsciously acquire new linguistic structures by understanding messages that contain these structures, with the aid of extra-linguistic information from the context in which the message are embedded. Oxford and Scarcella (1992) point out that “if students are actively engaged in meaningful, related theme-based tasks, they gain repeated exposure to Krashen (1982) views the learners emotion state or attitude as an adjustable filter that freely passes, impedes, or blocks input necessary to acquisition, in his theory, learners high motivation, self-confidence, and low personal anxiety are good for second language acquisition, Rodgers and Richards (2002, 183) argues the affective side of the learners has a profound influence on language learning. Good language learners are often those who know how to control their emotions and attitudes about learning (Naiman, Frohlich, & Todesco, 1985; Wenden, 19886). Positive emotions and attitudes can make language far more effective and enjoyable in their learning process. While The Output Hypothesis Swains(1985,1995)highlight the opportunities provided to learners when they engage in meaningful conversation, stressing that it is while producing language that learners have the opportunity to receive feedback on their accuracy and appropriateness, to test hypotheses about their new language, and to develop meta-linguistic awareness of language. Language acquisition occurs when the learner is focused on the completion of a task. To summarize, th role of task-based learning to stimulate a nature desire in learners to improve their language competence by challenging them to complete meaningful tasks. By engaging in meaningful activities, such as problem-solving or discussions, the learners Interlingua system is to be stretched and developed.4. Methodology4.1 Research questionsBased on the previous study, this research aims at exploring whether TBLT has influence on English reading, what effects TBLT has on English reading. So these two questions will be dealt with in this study.1) Dose TBLT have effect on English reading?2) What effects dose TBLT have on English reading?4.2 ParticipantsThe participants in this study are thirty students in grade 2 majoring in economic and politics of Longdong University. However, reliable and valid data are from 19 students only.4.3 InstrumentsThere are three instruments used altogether in the study.(1) Questionnaire The questionnaire on students English reading (see Appendix I) is used to investigate students attitude to reading. The questionnaire is reorganized based on Tang Xuejun(2009). It consists of 10 items, with an open ended question, which covered students knowledge and understanding of reading and TBLT, their evaluation of reading ability and the current used materials, their attitudes toward reading instruction and their willingness of doing reading outside the language classroom. (2) Reading materialsThe reading materials consisted of two parts. These two parts are used to compare students reading performances before and after TBLT is carried out in English reading. Each part had 4 passages with 15 questions totally 75 points. The first reading materials were used before TBLT is conducted in English reading class, while the other one was used after TBLT is applied.(3) Statistic instrumentWPS Excel is used to analyze the collected data in English reading performance.4.4 ProceduresThis research experienced 2 periods, and questionnaires on students reading were distributed to the students to investigate their attitudes toward reading. Reading materials I were not handed out until all questionnaires were collected. In the second period, reading materials II were delivered to the same students 3 months later to check whether TBLT had effects on students reading.5. Data Analysis and DiscussionBased on the well-prepared experiment and data analysis, the valid and reliable data were from 19 students only. The results of the experiment were illustrated below:5.1 The effects of TBLT on English readingOver three months the data were collected, and analyzed by WPS Excel (see table 5.1).Table 5.1 Comparison of Reading Performance before and after TBLT ConductedScorebefore the experimentafter the experimentTotal675865Average35.5345.53Notes: Total-total scoreAverage-average scoreTable 5.1 showed that students reading performance improved remarkably after the application of TBLT in three months. Learners total score (=675) and average score (=35.53) before the application of TBLT to reading were lower than the total score (=865) and average score (=45.53) after TBLT was conducted. In other words, learners reading performance increased after TBLT was used in English reading. What more, on the basis of Appendix IV, table 5.2 is used to make a comparison of learners reading performances before and after TBLT was applied.Table 5.2 Comparison of Reading Performance before and after TBLT was appliedResult of the reading performance010203040506012345678910111213141516171819Students numberSoresBeforeAfter Notes: Beforebefore the researchAfter-after the researchIn Table 5.2, Comparison of Reading Performance before and after TBLT was applied is made. It could be found that the overall performances after TBLT was conducted in reading were better than that before it was used. However, there were some exceptions of number 6, 8 and 13. The performance of number 6 remained before and after the application of TBLT. What more, those of number 8 and 13 showed decrease. It might because learner like number 6 showed a very low self-confidence in the reading class, and often paid little attention to the process of reading, which was showed in questionnaires responses. As to learners of 8 might need more attention from his teachers so as to he could be more self-concentrated in reading. While student 13 claimed the reading material could not arouse his motivation to read on, the reading materials are always too difficult to take in. During the whole process, both 8 and 13, they all showed a lack of the background information about the reading materials. What more, all of those three students, because of their characteristics, they seldom took part in the class activities, designed by their teachers, and they couldnt express themselves confidently. After a period, their fellow students seemed to have low interest in communication with them and they lost their interest in English gradually, so they marks in the original place or decreased in the end.5.2 Learners responses to questionnaires on English readingThe questionnaires on the English reading were distributed to the same students, to check their personal ideas about the reading class and the books they had used. The data was organized into the table (see Appendix V). Meanwhile learners responses on English were analyzed (see table 5.3) by WPS. In the table, each circle stands for the question of the questionnaire. A, B, C and D represents the answers of each question, colored differently. In table 5.3, about 42% students investigated in this research were not all interested in reading, and 78% students thought that their current reading books can not appeal to their interest. About 94% students said in their questionnaires that almost all their teachers applied the traditional teaching methodology, the teacher-centered class, so as to 79% of them did not have or only have little information about TBLT. Above 84% students could follow their teachers pace, they had the willing to do the tasks, and they could always accomplish all the tasks designed by the English teachers in class. However, because of their low motivation, the lack of vocabulary, and the lack of the background information, about 74% students read outside the class, 26% of them even had no any habit of doing extensive reading, and only 37% students had tasks in the process of reading. When they were asked about their reading efficiency, almost all of the participants said that their reading speeds were very high, but 95% students told that their reading efficiency was too low to get a preceding result or high goals. In addition, all of the above reasons lead to a negative influence to students reading.As to result of the open ended question, students answers were pretty different from each other. The main points of their answers were that they expected their English reading teachers could pay more attention to their input and output abilities. Most of them thought that teachers should teach from the basic points, because most of the participant had a poor reading level, sometimes they hardly understand what the teacher said in the teacher-centered class, but they seldom had the opportunity to speak for themselves in class. All in all, the traditional teaching methodology prevented students reading speed and quality, students need the student-centered class, most students in this research called for a new teaching method, which could help them to promote their reading. Therefore the application of TBLT is very necessary.Table 5.3 Result of the questionnairesNotes: A,B,C,Danswers of the questionCircles in different colorquestions6. ConclusionAfter three months of experiment, learners who had received TBLT had gotten a remarkable improvement, just as was expected. The research found out that TBLT affects learners English reading. Meanwhile the learners Interlingua system is to be stretched and encouraged to develop in the process of task-based language teaching, by engaging in and accomplishing the meaningful activities designed by the teacher before the class. In addition, positive effects are made in English reading, and those of positive effects have aroused learners motivation to reading. The task-based language teaching method aims to engage the learners in mastering the language. While the traditional method lays emphasis on the forms of the language and as a result grammatical principles are usually given priority. In contrast, the tsk-based method focuses on the process of learning and the experience itself and is centered on the construction and communication of meanings rather than the forms. In addition, the tasks are always selected, graded and sequenced according to continue demands made up on the learners. Because the second language learner is not just a cognitive and meta-cognitive machine but rather a whole person. In TBLT class, teachers should help learners develop affective and social strategies, based on their individual reading styles, and specific goals, teachers must identify learners current reading strategies in various ways, and help individual learners discern which strategies are most relevant to their reading. Learners Interlingua system is to be stretched and encouraged to develop in the process of task-based language teaching, by engaging in the meaningful activities designed by the teacher bore the cl
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