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【摘要】随着地球村的出现,作为世界通用语之一的英语越显重要。为此,英语热不断升级,但是学习效果并不令人满意。影响学习效果的因素众多,其中师生间的互动效应尤为重要。本文就此问题进行了探讨。
【关键词】互动 习得 作用 效率
【中图分类号】G623.31 【文献标识码】A 【文章编号】1673-8209(2009)12-00-02
Interaction in ELA
Abstract:English is of great importance in or daily life as a global village emerges. More and more people are determined to work on it. Despite this, it is common for them not to do well in it. As far as English language acquisition (ELA) is concerned, there are many papers dealing with it. Nonetheless, there is not the same paper as this one to analyze the topic from a quite different perspective---interaction between instructors and learners, and to expound the factors determining the interaction. Both of them are essential in the process of language learning. In the setting of traditional English learning, there is a tendency to look upon the teacher as the sole guarantee of achieving a success in learning and think of him as the core in the process. By contrast, the learners are treated as his followers only. Hence, this paper is to primarily discuss interaction between teachers and students in acquisition of English language.
Key Words: interaction ELA efficiency role
1 Introduction
In China, there is a long history in learning English. And of course,there are a variety of teaching approaches,say, “Direct Approach”,“Structural Approach”,“Audio-Lingual Approach”, “Audio-Visual Approach”,“Situational Approach”,“Cognitive-Code Approach”,“Translation Approach”,and “Functional Approach”.In spite of this,whatever the approach is,we cannot neglect the respective roles of the teachers and the students.A class is made up of both a teacher and his students.Teachers are said to be the“instructors”or the “helpers”, but this is inadequate to describe his overall functions because he may need to perform in a variety of specific roles, separately or simultaneously: a general overseer; a classroom manager; a language instructor; a consultant, or adviser; a “co-communicator” with the learners. Students, however, are no longer passive or just reactive in class, but actively participate in meaningful interactions in class. They consult with their peers and teachers. In a word, in today’s language learning, students have greater autonomy, that is, they take greater responsibilities for learning. They are the center of a class. With the students’ co-operations, a class can exist; teachers can make the class active, positive, interesting, and attractive. So with interaction between teachers and students, the activities of English language acquisition can be carried out.
2 Influencing Factors in ELA
The process of ELA is an extremely complicated one. Nevertheless, several evidences are apparent. To begin with age, one learns differently at different ages. Indeed this is probably the most obvious difference among language learners. Various claims that early childhood has special advantages for second language learning aren’t unopposed. Secondly, intelligence is also taken into account. Researchers speculate that there is a correlation between general intelligence (IQ) and language learning. In general, the concept of intelligence is obviously controversial and the use of intelligence tests as accurate, reliable measures of intelligence debatable. Although research indicates there is some correlation between intelligence and language learning, the strength of the correlation needs more support from more conclusive evidence. Therefore, intelligence may be one of the factors that influence the students’ functions, but it’s not the decisive one. Thirdly, cognitive style is unlikely to be ignored. English learning also involves general cognitive skills or styles, namely, a person’s typical modes of perceiving, remembering, thinking and problem solving. Fourthly, personality characteristics have also been proposed as likely influence language learning. Some research suggests that individuals with extroverted personalities succeed more in language learning than introverts. It is said that learners with high self-esteem are less likely to feel threatened, and take risks, mistakes or presenting a reduced image of themselves in communicating in an unfamiliar language or situations. And successful language learners are those with self-confidence while unsuccessful learners often lack self-confidence. Fifthly, motivation to learn English is a key to language learning. Learners with an integrative orientation are more likely to engage in active “receptive learning”. Finally, numerous studies indicate the importance of the relationship between attitudes and language learning. There is no denying that positive attitudes toward the target language are desirable in learning. In most cases, success in English learning develops favorable attitude and in turn, these attitudes encourage more success.
3 Interaction in ELA
Indeed our knowledge about the factors that influence the students’ functions of learning English is limited and imprecise. Nonetheless, it is generally accepted that students and teachers are two relevant factors affecting the students’ functions and the teachers’. And with their interaction, classes are made.
The ultimate goal of ELT is to train students to acquire the abilities to communicate, and the best efficiency in ELT comes from effective cooperation between the teacher and the students. Therefore, a teacher’s role as an organizer or a director in the class is as necessary as his or her role of a participant in students’ activities. Traditionally, the evaluation of a teacher has depended on the amount of knowledge he or she crammed into the students’ heads: the more, the better. Therefore, the image of a successful teacher has been one who lets loose a flood of eloquence while standing on the platform of the classroom. The teacher is the unquestionable authority, who dominates the class from the beginning to the end, while the students are just “ignorant audience” who only do the recording. However, as we get to realize the students should be considered as the center of a class. In this learner-centered class the teacher has to shift his or her role from a dominant teacher to an organizer or a director, because the goal of language teaching is to enable students to use the target language to communicate efficiently in real life. Teachers and students all participate in the teaching and learning process, which breaks down the traditional teaching patterns. To some extent, the teaching is subordinated to learning; the teacher cooperates with the students, and the students work on the language. Students play the most active roles in a class. He is the follower of the teacher, the cooperator of the teacher, and the participant in the class. But in most of the time, he is the main actor of the class. As is well-known, students’ functions are decisive and various.
4 Conclusion
As is known, a class is made up of both the teacher and the students. It needs the teacher and the students’ cooperation. Without one of them, a class cannot exist. It is true of the students. The teacher should be a good organizer, a good player, a good trainer, a good doctor, and a good actor. The students should also be the followers and the main actors, who perform on the same stage with the teachers. The separate roles between the teachers and the students make the interaction in English acquisition. Thus, it goes without saying that the interaction between teachers and students in English language acquisition should be paid attention to.
References
[1] Brumfit, J. Christopher Communicative Methodology in Language Teaching Cambridge University Press.
[2] H. G. Widdowson Teaching Language as Communication Oxford University Press.
[3] J. Harmer.The Practice English Language Teaching Longman Publishing .
[4] J. H. Schumann.Affective Factors and the Problem of Age in Second Language Acquisition,Language Learning Press.
[5] Liu Xiaotian.The Teacher’s Roles in ELT ClassesForeign Language Teaching and Research Press.
[6] S. D. McDonough.Psychology in Foreign Language Learning.
[7] W. Littlewoods.Foreign and Second Language Learning.
[8] W. Marton.Methods in English Language Teaching.
【关键词】互动 习得 作用 效率
【中图分类号】G623.31 【文献标识码】A 【文章编号】1673-8209(2009)12-00-02
Interaction in ELA
Abstract:English is of great importance in or daily life as a global village emerges. More and more people are determined to work on it. Despite this, it is common for them not to do well in it. As far as English language acquisition (ELA) is concerned, there are many papers dealing with it. Nonetheless, there is not the same paper as this one to analyze the topic from a quite different perspective---interaction between instructors and learners, and to expound the factors determining the interaction. Both of them are essential in the process of language learning. In the setting of traditional English learning, there is a tendency to look upon the teacher as the sole guarantee of achieving a success in learning and think of him as the core in the process. By contrast, the learners are treated as his followers only. Hence, this paper is to primarily discuss interaction between teachers and students in acquisition of English language.
Key Words: interaction ELA efficiency role
1 Introduction
In China, there is a long history in learning English. And of course,there are a variety of teaching approaches,say, “Direct Approach”,“Structural Approach”,“Audio-Lingual Approach”, “Audio-Visual Approach”,“Situational Approach”,“Cognitive-Code Approach”,“Translation Approach”,and “Functional Approach”.In spite of this,whatever the approach is,we cannot neglect the respective roles of the teachers and the students.A class is made up of both a teacher and his students.Teachers are said to be the“instructors”or the “helpers”, but this is inadequate to describe his overall functions because he may need to perform in a variety of specific roles, separately or simultaneously: a general overseer; a classroom manager; a language instructor; a consultant, or adviser; a “co-communicator” with the learners. Students, however, are no longer passive or just reactive in class, but actively participate in meaningful interactions in class. They consult with their peers and teachers. In a word, in today’s language learning, students have greater autonomy, that is, they take greater responsibilities for learning. They are the center of a class. With the students’ co-operations, a class can exist; teachers can make the class active, positive, interesting, and attractive. So with interaction between teachers and students, the activities of English language acquisition can be carried out.
2 Influencing Factors in ELA
The process of ELA is an extremely complicated one. Nevertheless, several evidences are apparent. To begin with age, one learns differently at different ages. Indeed this is probably the most obvious difference among language learners. Various claims that early childhood has special advantages for second language learning aren’t unopposed. Secondly, intelligence is also taken into account. Researchers speculate that there is a correlation between general intelligence (IQ) and language learning. In general, the concept of intelligence is obviously controversial and the use of intelligence tests as accurate, reliable measures of intelligence debatable. Although research indicates there is some correlation between intelligence and language learning, the strength of the correlation needs more support from more conclusive evidence. Therefore, intelligence may be one of the factors that influence the students’ functions, but it’s not the decisive one. Thirdly, cognitive style is unlikely to be ignored. English learning also involves general cognitive skills or styles, namely, a person’s typical modes of perceiving, remembering, thinking and problem solving. Fourthly, personality characteristics have also been proposed as likely influence language learning. Some research suggests that individuals with extroverted personalities succeed more in language learning than introverts. It is said that learners with high self-esteem are less likely to feel threatened, and take risks, mistakes or presenting a reduced image of themselves in communicating in an unfamiliar language or situations. And successful language learners are those with self-confidence while unsuccessful learners often lack self-confidence. Fifthly, motivation to learn English is a key to language learning. Learners with an integrative orientation are more likely to engage in active “receptive learning”. Finally, numerous studies indicate the importance of the relationship between attitudes and language learning. There is no denying that positive attitudes toward the target language are desirable in learning. In most cases, success in English learning develops favorable attitude and in turn, these attitudes encourage more success.
3 Interaction in ELA
Indeed our knowledge about the factors that influence the students’ functions of learning English is limited and imprecise. Nonetheless, it is generally accepted that students and teachers are two relevant factors affecting the students’ functions and the teachers’. And with their interaction, classes are made.
The ultimate goal of ELT is to train students to acquire the abilities to communicate, and the best efficiency in ELT comes from effective cooperation between the teacher and the students. Therefore, a teacher’s role as an organizer or a director in the class is as necessary as his or her role of a participant in students’ activities. Traditionally, the evaluation of a teacher has depended on the amount of knowledge he or she crammed into the students’ heads: the more, the better. Therefore, the image of a successful teacher has been one who lets loose a flood of eloquence while standing on the platform of the classroom. The teacher is the unquestionable authority, who dominates the class from the beginning to the end, while the students are just “ignorant audience” who only do the recording. However, as we get to realize the students should be considered as the center of a class. In this learner-centered class the teacher has to shift his or her role from a dominant teacher to an organizer or a director, because the goal of language teaching is to enable students to use the target language to communicate efficiently in real life. Teachers and students all participate in the teaching and learning process, which breaks down the traditional teaching patterns. To some extent, the teaching is subordinated to learning; the teacher cooperates with the students, and the students work on the language. Students play the most active roles in a class. He is the follower of the teacher, the cooperator of the teacher, and the participant in the class. But in most of the time, he is the main actor of the class. As is well-known, students’ functions are decisive and various.
4 Conclusion
As is known, a class is made up of both the teacher and the students. It needs the teacher and the students’ cooperation. Without one of them, a class cannot exist. It is true of the students. The teacher should be a good organizer, a good player, a good trainer, a good doctor, and a good actor. The students should also be the followers and the main actors, who perform on the same stage with the teachers. The separate roles between the teachers and the students make the interaction in English acquisition. Thus, it goes without saying that the interaction between teachers and students in English language acquisition should be paid attention to.
References
[1] Brumfit, J. Christopher Communicative Methodology in Language Teaching Cambridge University Press.
[2] H. G. Widdowson Teaching Language as Communication Oxford University Press.
[3] J. Harmer.The Practice English Language Teaching Longman Publishing .
[4] J. H. Schumann.Affective Factors and the Problem of Age in Second Language Acquisition,Language Learning Press.
[5] Liu Xiaotian.The Teacher’s Roles in ELT ClassesForeign Language Teaching and Research Press.
[6] S. D. McDonough.Psychology in Foreign Language Learning.
[7] W. Littlewoods.Foreign and Second Language Learning.
[8] W. Marton.Methods in English Language Teaching.