Unit 1 Language and Learning
1.1 How do we learn language？
1.We learn language at different ages
2.People have different experiences
3.People learn languages for different reasons
4.People learn languages in different ways
5.People have different capabilities in language learning
6.Learning can be affected by the way how language is taught
7.Learning is affected by the degree of success one is expect to achieve.
8.Thus the challenge confronting language teaching is how teaching methodology can ensure successful
learning by all the learners who have more differences than the commonality.
1. 2 What are the major views of language?
1) Structural view:
Language is a linguistic system made up of various subsystems: phonology, morphology, lexicology and syntax. To learn a language is to learn its vocabulary and structural rules.
2) Functional view:
Language is a linguistic system as well as a means for doing things. Learners learn a language in order to be able to do things with it (u it). To perform functions, learners need to know how to combine the grammatical rules and the vocabulary to express notions that perform the functions.
3) Interactional view:
Language is a communicative tool to build up and maintain social relations between people. Learners need to know the rules of a language and where, when and how it is appropriate to u them.
1.3Views on Language Learning
Two broad learning theories：
Process-oriented theories are concerned with how the mind organizes new information.
Condition-oriented theories emphasize the nature of human and physical context.
Behaviorist theory
⏹ B. F. Skinner A stimulus-respon theory of psychology Audio-lingual method
⏹The idea of this method is that language is learned by constant repetition and the reinforcement of
the teacher. Mistakes were immediately corrected, and correct utterances were immediately praid.
海上钢琴师英文影评B.Cognitive theory
⏹Influenced by Noam Chomsky (revival of structural linguistics)
⏹Language as an intricate rule-bad system
⏹ A learner acquires language competence which enables him to produce language.
⏹One influential idea of cognitive approach to language teaching is that students should be allowed to
create their own ntence bad on their own understanding of certain rules.
C.Constructivist theory
⏹Jean Piaget (1896—1980)
⏹The learner constructs meaning bad on his/her own experiences and what is already known.
D.Socio-constructivist theory
⏹Vygotsky
⏹“Zone of Proximal Development” (ZPD); scaffolding(脚手架)
respectfully⏹Learning is best achieved through the dynamic interaction between the teacher and the learner and
between learners.
1.4 What are the qualities of a good language teacher?
A good language teacher does not solely depend on his/her command of the language. There are a variety of elements that contributes to the qualities of a good language teacher. The elements can be categorized into
three groups: ethic devotion, professional quality and personal styles.
1.5 How can one become a good language teacher?
☐Wallace’s (1991) ‘reflective model’ (Figure 1.1, p.9)
Stage 1: language development
Stage 2: learning, practice, reflection
The learning stage is the purpoful preparation that a language normally receives before the practice, This preparation can include:
1. Learning from others’ experience
2. Learning the received knowledge
3. Learning from one’s own experiences
The practice stage (2 ns)
2013年广东高考
Pudo practice: short period of time assigned to do teaching practice as part of one’s pre-rvice
education, usually under the supervision of instructors
The real classroom teaching: what a teacher undertakes after he/she finishes formal education Teachers benefit from practice if they keep on reflecting on what they have been doing
Goal: professional competence
Unit 2 Communicative Principles and Task-bad language teaching
2.1 How is language learned in classrooms different from language ud in real life?
Language ud in real life Language taught in the
classroom
To perform certain communicative functions To focus on forms (structures or patterns)
U all skills, both receptive skills and productive skills To focus on one or two language skills and ignore others.
Ud in a certain context To isolate language from its context
2.2 What is communicative competence?
To bridge the gap between classroom language teaching and real-life language u, one solution is to adopt CLT, the goal of which is to develop students’ communicative competence.
2014东方卫视春晚节目单2.2.1 Definition:
Communicative competence include both the knowledge about the language and the knowledge about how to u the language appropriately in communicative situations
2.2.2 Five components of communicative competence (Hedge 2000)
1.Linguistic competence （语言能力）
a)The knowledge of language itlf, its form and meaning.
2.Pragmatic competence （语用能力）
a)The appropriate u of language in social context.
3.Discour competence （语篇能力）
One’s ability to create coherent written text or conversation and the ability to understand them
4.Strategic competence （策略能力）
Strategies one employs when there is communication breakdown due to lack of resources.
5.Fluency （流利性）
One’s ability to ‘link units of speech together with facility and without strain or inappropriate slowness or undue（过分的，不适当的）hesitation’
2.3Implications for teaching and learning
Teaching must enable learners to grasp the five components of communicative competence, but not just the linguistic competence.4级准考证
2.4 Principles of CLT
Three principles suggest by Richard and Rodgers：
1 Communication principle：Involve real communication
2 Task principle：Carry out meaningful tasks
3 Meaningfulness principle：Meaningful language to the learner
Howatt p ropos a weak and a strong version of CLT:
Weak version
Learners first acquire language as a structural system and then learn how to u it in communication.
Strong version
“Language is acquired through communication” (Howatt, 1984:279)
2.5 Major Activity Types of CLT申请国外留学机构
A quence of activities reprented in Littlewood (1981: 86)
Pre-communicative activities
✓Structural activities
✓Quasi-communicative activities类似，准，半
Communicative activities (PP22-23)
▪Functional communication activities
▪Social interaction activities
2.6 Six Criteria for evaluating communicative classroom activities
(Main features of communicative activities?)
1.Communicative purpo
2.Communicative desire
3.Content, not form
4.Variety of language
5.No teacher intervention
6.No materials control
teamleader2.7 What is Task-bad Language Teaching?
TBLT is a further development of CLT. It shares the same belief in the u of language in real life, but stress the importance to combine form-focud teaching with communication-focud teaching.
2.7.1Four components of a taskhow does it feel
1. A purpo
2.A context
3.A process
4.A product
2.7.2 Exercis, exerci-tasks and tasks
Exerci-tasks are halfway between tasks and exercis. This kind of activity consists of contextualized practice of language item.
2.8 Differences between PPP and TBLT
1 The way students u and experience language in TBLT is radically different from PPP.
1.Free of language control
2. A genuine need to u language to communicate
3. A free exchange of ideas
4.Appropriateness & accuracy of language form in general, not production of a single form
5. A genuine need for accuracy and fluency
2. TBL can provide a context for grammar teaching and form-focud activities. PPP is different in this aspect:
1. A task-established context
2.Encouraged to think, analyze, not simply to repeat, manipulate and apply
3. A more varied exposure to natural language
4.Language forms not pre-lected for focus
5.Learner-free lection of language
6.TBL cycle lead from Fluency to accuracy (+fluency)
7.In TBL Integrated skills practiced
2.9 How to design tasks?
Step 1 Think about students’ needs, interests, and abilities→Step 2 Brainstorm possible tasks→Step 3 Evaluate the list→Step 4 Choo the language items→Step 5 Preparing materials
2.10 CLT and TBLT in the Chine context
☐Problems with CLT
1. The very first and forceful argument is whether it is culturally appropriate
2. The cond problem of CLT relates to the design the syllabus for teaching purpo in the classroom.
could3. The third problem is that whether such an approach is suitable for all age level of learners or all competence level of learners.
⏹Constraints of TBLT
⏹The first is it may not be effective for prenting new language items
⏹The cond constraint is Time as teachers have to prepare task-bad activities very carefully.
⏹The third is the culture of learning
⏹The forth is Level of difficulty
Unit 3
3.1 A brief history of foreign language teaching in China
1. A pha of restoration (1978-1985)
2. A pha of rapid development (1986-1992)
3. A pha of reform (1993-2000)
4. A pha of innovation from 2000
cityhall
3.2 Designing principles for the National English Curriculum
1) Aim for educating all students, and emphasize quality-oriented education.
2) Promote learner-centeredness, and respect individual differences.
3) Develop competence-bad objectives, and allow flexibility and adaptability.
4) Pay clo attention to the learning process, and advocate experiential learning and participation.
5) Attach particular importance to formative asssment, and give special attention to the development of competence.
6) Optimize learning resources, and maximize opportunities for learning and using the language.
3.3 Goals and objectives of English language teaching
The new curriculum is designed to promote students’ overall language ability, which is compod of five interrelated components, namely, language skills, language knowledge, affects, learning strategies and cultural understanding. Each component is further divided into a few sub-categories. Language teaching is no longer aimed only for developing language skills and knowledge, but expanded to developing learners’ positive attitude, motivation, confidence as well as strategies for life-long learning along with cross-cultural knowledge, awareness and capabilities.
The overall language ability required in the 2001 National English Curriculum includes the following aspects language knowledge, language skills, learning strategies, affects and cultural understanding.
3.4 Design of the
National English Curriculum
3.5 The standards for different levels of
competence
3.6 Challenges facing English language teachers
1) English language teachers are expected to change their views about language which is not a system of linguistic knowledge but a means for communication.
2) English language teachers are expected to change their traditional role of a knowledge transmitter to a multi-role educator.
3) English language teachers are expected to u more task-bad activities and put the students at the center of learning.
4) English language teachers are expected to u more formative asssment in addition to using tests.
5) English language teachers are expected to u modern technology in teaching, creating more effective resources for learning and for using the language.
Unit 4. Lesson Planning 备课
4.1 Why is Lesson Planning Important A lesson plan is a framework of a lesson in which teachers make advance decisions about what they hope to achieve and how they would like to achieve it.
Proper lesson plan is esntial for both novice and experienced teachers. Language teachers benefit from lesson planning in a number of ways.
