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[Abstract] As a widely used language, English plays more and more important part in our lives. As English teachers, it is necessary for us to discuss how to motivate students’ interest in English learning. Because interest is the best teacher. In this essay, I listed three kinds of methods to arouse students’ interest on English.
[Key Words] Middle school students interest motivation English teaching and learning
1. Introduction
As a widely used language, English plays a more and more important role in our lives. So people put more attention on English learning and teaching now than before. But many students are tired of learning English, in fact some of them even hate studying English. “In language learning, it is quite evident that strong positive or negative emotions are involved in the success or failure of the target language learned. The affective factors create the first filter for the language input and have a decisive impact on the learner in the language learning” (Wang, 2000, p.156).
In this essay, I will list three kinds of methods to motivate students’ interest on English. Some of them are from many former researchers while some are from my practice teaching in a junior middle school. This essay was just a surface discussion of how to arouse students’ interest in English learning. It needs to be developed.
2. Methods to arouse students’ interests
2.1 Making English classes lively and interesting
Middle school students are usually lively, they are curious to everything and eager for knowledge. As English teachers, we can not give students too much pressure because that will put out their enthusiasm. Instead we should create a relax atmosphere in classes and encourage them to think actively and to speak out their thoughts bravely. While they made mistakes teachers should correct them patiently. Traditionally, the most time of classes was taken up by teachers. Students just listened to teachers passively. They are more like memorising machines, there’s no interest at all. In recent years, English experts have emphasized that English must be learned within a kind of relaxing and pleasant atmosphere. “There are three factors influence students’ study: mood, strategy and content” (Johnson, 2002, p.21). Mood refers to students’ state of studying, it is the most important factor of three. Strategy refers to teachers’ teaching method. Content of course means knowledge that teachers teach to students. In traditional class, the most important factor mood has been ignored. So it is hard to have a good teaching effect.
In order to improve the efficiency of classes, we must change our mind. First of all, we should bear in mind that teachers in the class are just conductors. Students are masters of the class, teachers just need to give them guidance. Then teachers should teach with full passion, behave in a decent way. Teachers’ language should be brief and fluent, teachers’ writing on blackboard should be clear and standard. In this way, students will like having the class.
2.2 Using various teaching methods
Making use of material objects is an intuitional method in teaching English. By using material objects, there will be a deep impression of words in students’ mind. For example, when teachers teach the word “football”, they can show a real football to students. While the teacher hold up a football and ask: “What’s this?” Students may know it’s a football in Chinese, but they may not know how to say in English. Then teacher can tell them: “It’s a football.” And then repeat the word “football” for several times. Students will learn and remember this word easily. We can do the same in teaching other words, such as “pen”, “book”, “car”, “jeep”, etc.
The essential of English is communicating with others. For English is a widely used language in the world. So the purpose of English teaching is to let students communicate with English speakers. “Teaching is of communication, by communication and for communication” (Chen, 2006, p.61)
In order to improve students’ communicative ability, we should make them practice more in the class. For example, when teachers teach students how to ask the way from others and how to point the way for others, it can be finished by making a drama. Teachers can give students some sentence structures like “Excuse me, where’s (the nearest)…?”, “I lost my way, can you tell me the way to…?” or “Go straight this road and then…”, “Go down the street, turn right/left at…”. In this way, students learned to ask the way and point the way. Once they met foreigners in authentic situation, and when they were asked to point the way for foreigners, they can use the language fluently. Because it is useful, students will eager to practise. This is also an effect way in English teaching.
2.3 Making students study actively and consciously
Today English teachers’ task are not only teaching students English, but also teaching students how to learn English. “Students are learning English not from teachers but with teachers” (Chen, 2006, p.61). Now students play the main part in the class. Teachers’ roles are just conductors, advisers and helpers.
Teachers should encourage students to study actively and consciously, give students more freedom. Students play the main part in the class means that students are the master of the class, they are the center of the teaching activities. Teachers just lead them going in a correct way. In fact, students are studying by themselves. When they come across the obstacle, they can consult to teachers. An English saying says that: “You may take a horse to the water, but you can not make him drink.” So as English teachers, we must make students know that they are the master of their study. Teachers can give them help while necessary. The theory of the second language acquisition thought that “English can not be taught. It must be learned”. So teachers should taught students the method to learn English not just English. As long as students can study English by themselves, they can learn English well.
[Key Words] Middle school students interest motivation English teaching and learning
1. Introduction
As a widely used language, English plays a more and more important role in our lives. So people put more attention on English learning and teaching now than before. But many students are tired of learning English, in fact some of them even hate studying English. “In language learning, it is quite evident that strong positive or negative emotions are involved in the success or failure of the target language learned. The affective factors create the first filter for the language input and have a decisive impact on the learner in the language learning” (Wang, 2000, p.156).
In this essay, I will list three kinds of methods to motivate students’ interest on English. Some of them are from many former researchers while some are from my practice teaching in a junior middle school. This essay was just a surface discussion of how to arouse students’ interest in English learning. It needs to be developed.
2. Methods to arouse students’ interests
2.1 Making English classes lively and interesting
Middle school students are usually lively, they are curious to everything and eager for knowledge. As English teachers, we can not give students too much pressure because that will put out their enthusiasm. Instead we should create a relax atmosphere in classes and encourage them to think actively and to speak out their thoughts bravely. While they made mistakes teachers should correct them patiently. Traditionally, the most time of classes was taken up by teachers. Students just listened to teachers passively. They are more like memorising machines, there’s no interest at all. In recent years, English experts have emphasized that English must be learned within a kind of relaxing and pleasant atmosphere. “There are three factors influence students’ study: mood, strategy and content” (Johnson, 2002, p.21). Mood refers to students’ state of studying, it is the most important factor of three. Strategy refers to teachers’ teaching method. Content of course means knowledge that teachers teach to students. In traditional class, the most important factor mood has been ignored. So it is hard to have a good teaching effect.
In order to improve the efficiency of classes, we must change our mind. First of all, we should bear in mind that teachers in the class are just conductors. Students are masters of the class, teachers just need to give them guidance. Then teachers should teach with full passion, behave in a decent way. Teachers’ language should be brief and fluent, teachers’ writing on blackboard should be clear and standard. In this way, students will like having the class.
2.2 Using various teaching methods
Making use of material objects is an intuitional method in teaching English. By using material objects, there will be a deep impression of words in students’ mind. For example, when teachers teach the word “football”, they can show a real football to students. While the teacher hold up a football and ask: “What’s this?” Students may know it’s a football in Chinese, but they may not know how to say in English. Then teacher can tell them: “It’s a football.” And then repeat the word “football” for several times. Students will learn and remember this word easily. We can do the same in teaching other words, such as “pen”, “book”, “car”, “jeep”, etc.
The essential of English is communicating with others. For English is a widely used language in the world. So the purpose of English teaching is to let students communicate with English speakers. “Teaching is of communication, by communication and for communication” (Chen, 2006, p.61)
In order to improve students’ communicative ability, we should make them practice more in the class. For example, when teachers teach students how to ask the way from others and how to point the way for others, it can be finished by making a drama. Teachers can give students some sentence structures like “Excuse me, where’s (the nearest)…?”, “I lost my way, can you tell me the way to…?” or “Go straight this road and then…”, “Go down the street, turn right/left at…”. In this way, students learned to ask the way and point the way. Once they met foreigners in authentic situation, and when they were asked to point the way for foreigners, they can use the language fluently. Because it is useful, students will eager to practise. This is also an effect way in English teaching.
2.3 Making students study actively and consciously
Today English teachers’ task are not only teaching students English, but also teaching students how to learn English. “Students are learning English not from teachers but with teachers” (Chen, 2006, p.61). Now students play the main part in the class. Teachers’ roles are just conductors, advisers and helpers.
Teachers should encourage students to study actively and consciously, give students more freedom. Students play the main part in the class means that students are the master of the class, they are the center of the teaching activities. Teachers just lead them going in a correct way. In fact, students are studying by themselves. When they come across the obstacle, they can consult to teachers. An English saying says that: “You may take a horse to the water, but you can not make him drink.” So as English teachers, we must make students know that they are the master of their study. Teachers can give them help while necessary. The theory of the second language acquisition thought that “English can not be taught. It must be learned”. So teachers should taught students the method to learn English not just English. As long as students can study English by themselves, they can learn English well.