20世纪90年代以来美国中小学外语课程改革的特点及其启示

20世纪90年代以来,各国都在竞相提高外语教育水平。作为超级大国的美国对中小学外语教育前所未有的重视,并进行了收效颇丰的外语课程改革,其改革具有如下特点:外语教育观念的转变颇大,对课程的重视度提高;开设的外语语种较以前更加丰富,并且随着形势而变化;课程内容综合化;教学方法生动活泼,重视培养学生交际能力;课程评价科学化;重视外语教师的培养和发展;广泛应用现代化教学手段。对比我国英语教育现状,可以从中得出以下启示:科学定位外语课程的价值;出台积极的外语教育政策;建立完整的外语课程指导框架;实施有效的外语教学和学习策略;营造良好的外语学习氛围;综合运用现代教育技术,拓宽学生学习外语的渠道;重视外语教师教育,提升外语教师的综合能力;完善外语课程评价体系。     

Language of instruction in Tanzania: Why are research findings not heeded?

The issue of language of instruction (LOI) and its effects on education in Tanzanian secondary education has been widely researched since the early 1980s. In 2009, the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training proposed a new education and training policy that allows English to be used as LOI from nursery school to tertiary education. The proposed policy goes against what researchers in this area have recommended over the years. In the light of the proposed policy, the author of this article felt the need to review studies done on LOI in Tanzania from 1974 to date, aiming to eliminate or greatly reduce the negative effects of the policy on education in Tanzania. Quoting examples, the paper demonstrates students’ levels of proficiency in English; suggests reasons why governmental policy has over time ignored research findings; and recommends as well as proposes the way forward.     

Motivating young language learners: A longitudinal model of self-determined motivation in elementary school foreign language classes

Promoting intrinsic motivation is often a central concern in teaching foreign languages to elementary school children. Self-determination theory posits that intrinsic motivation develops through the interaction of the person and the environment. The present study investigated how elementary school students’ motivation develops over the course of a school year in Japanese public schools. Five-hundred and fifteen Japanese elementary school children were surveyed over the course of one school year. Self-reported motivation, perceptions of teacher support, need satisfaction, and engagement were measured at different times. External raters observed students’ engagement, while classroom teachers assessed the quality of students’ motivation and learning. Structural equation modeling results indicated a positive, dynamic relationship between motivation, perceptions of the learning environment, and engagement. External raters’ assessments showed significant positive correlations with students’ self-reported engagement. Findings indicate how the instruction offered in these Japanese elementary schools supported students’ foreign language learning motivation.     

工学结合背景下高职院校外语专业教师可持续发展研究

工学结合是将学习与工作结合在一起的教育模式,主体包括学生、企业、学校。它以职业为导向,充分利用学校内、外不同的教育环境和资源,把以课堂教学为主的学校教育和直接获取实际经验的校外工作有机结合,贯穿于学生的培养过程之中。工学结合背景下高职院校外语专业教师的可持续发展,可从教师应具备的意识、职业技能、基本要素和发展方法等方面进行探讨。     

Language policies and practices in Tanzania and South Africa: problems and challenges

The authors of the present article are engaged in a research project funded by the Norwegian Research Council. In this project the language policies of Tanzania and South Africa, as well as the practices of these policies in the classroom are analyzed. The article gives some preliminary results from the project. While the language policies of Tanzania are described as confusing, contradictory, and ambiguous, the language policies of South Africa seem clearer and more progressive. In Tanzania, Kiswahili is seen as the national language, while both Kiswahili and English are official languages. The issue of language has, however, disappeared from the constitution in Tanzania. In the constitution of South Africa, 11 languages are official and seen as equal. But when it comes to practice in the classroom in both countries, the majority of the learners struggle to learn academic content because of the foreign medium that is used as the language of instruction from secondary school onwards in Tanzania and already from the fourth grade in primary school in South Africa. The research reported here shows that whatever the official policies may be the teachers in the classrooms will use whatever language they and their students feel most comfortable with. Examples are given here of the coping strategies teachers and learners use in both countries like translations, code-mixing and code-switching. At the end of the day the learners have to write their exams in English however. The language in education policy in most African countries lead many African pupils to fall even further behind. What seems to be a learning problem or a matter of bad grade, drop out and repetition is really a language problem.     

The effectiveness of teaching science subjects through English medium: A narrative analysis of teacher experiences and perceptions in Sri Lankan secondary schools

This article analyses four narratives told by four teachers teaching science subjects in four different public secondary schools in the district of Gampaha in Sri Lanka. Gampaha is the second most populous district in Sri Lanka, and is known for excellent results in General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) exams which school leavers sit at the end of the secondary school cycle. The teachers’ narratives focus on the policy and practice of teaching science subjects through English at secondary level, which was reintroduced in a small number of selected government schools in Sri Lanka in 2002. After using the two local languages, Sinhala and Tamil, for nearly half a century, the Sri Lankan education authorities decided to bring back the English medium to the teaching of science subjects at secondary level as a third language option. One of the policymakers’ reasons was an apparent decline in the English-language fluency of students at this level. To implement the new policy, science teachers (who had themselves been taught in Sinhala or Tamil) were asked to teach in English. More than a decade into the English-medium option, the author interviewed four of them. Their testimonies about their experiences in teaching science subjects offer valuable insights into the difficulties experienced by both teachers and students when teaching and learning in a foreign language such as English. The author’s analysis of his respondents’ statements reveals hidden realities which challenge the benefits of reintroducing English as a medium of instruction (MOI) for science subjects. Thus, the lived experiences of the teachers may help to inform language policy in education in Sri Lanka, and perhaps also in other countries.     

历史语言学知识对外语教学的作用

目前国内外语教学对语言知识的讲授主要侧重在共时层面上,把一些共时变异形式视为不规则或固定用法来讲授,要求学生特别记忆。其实共时的变异形式和不规则形式是由历史语言演变造成的,系统完整的外语语法教学应该同时参照语法的历史部分。文章以单词发音拼写规则与词汇形态屈折变化规则的教学为例,探讨了外语教学如何借鉴历史语言学的研究成果并应用到共时语言知识和语法的讲授中,以及历史语言知识对共时语法中特殊变异形式的解释作用,同时对学生心理和语言观上的影响也加以阐述。     

How Do Chemistry Teachers Deal with Students' Incorrect/Undesired Responses to Oral Classroom Questions? Exploring Effective Feedback Practices

In this paper, chemistry teachers’ reactions/behavior or actions following students’ undesired, unexpected or incorrect responses/answers to the posed teacher oral questions are reported. This study which was carried out in Tanzania in Iringa Municipality involved three chemistry teachers teaching in three different secondary schools. Actual teaching situations of the three teachers were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed interpretively. We also performed semi-structured interviews with these teachers to bring forth the teachers’ inherent perceptions about their practice in relation to what was observed of the teachers’ individual actual teaching situations. Up to eight different forms of teachers’ responses or reactions to students’ undesired responses or incorrect answers are discussed with respect to how each is perceived to either positively or negatively affect students’ progressive learning. From the study, productive questioning is affected by teachers’ inability to effectively use classroom powers to trigger students’ thinking, as well as not being able to use students’ varied views to achieve the set learning goals. Instead of using their power strategies to facilitate students’ engagement with the scientific matter, the teachers used their classroom powers to guard themselves against classroom insecurities during the teaching process, such as preventing students from questioning their subject knowledge competencies.

     

高职英语口语课课堂的有效管理

在高职英语口语课堂上,用有效的课堂管理策略集中学生的注意力和激发学生的学习兴趣是开展有效的口语教学的重要前提。要提高高职英语口语教学的效果和效率,培养学生的语言实际交际能力,就要求教师营造积极的课堂心理环境,缓解学生的焦虑情绪,改变传统的教学模式,增加学生使用语言操练的机会和采用合理的课堂教学组织策略,有效利用课堂时间。     

短期语言培训课堂上的文化介入研究

语言学习课堂上文化参与的方式和内容应该根据不同的人群设计和选择。然而,国内语言课堂上的文化参与内容和方式均过于单一,因而不利于培养不同学生群体的语用能力。为了借鉴国外课堂文化介入方式以改进我们的外语教学,本文作者结合我国短期成人英语学习者的实际需求,通过观察国外语言课堂活动和国内课堂实践,总结出了一个把文化学习融入语言技能训练的课堂文化介入方式系列活动,并对短期语言培训涉及到的文化介入内容问题进行了讨论,以期对各个层面的语言教育有所启发。     

英语课堂教学中词典教学的引入

词典是沟通母语和外语的桥梁,查字典是学习外语的重要手段。本文从将词典教学引入英语教学的必要性入手,分析了在课堂教学中,教师应该如何指导学生进行科学选择和合理运用词典,以提高学生自主学习英语的能力,使词典运用和英语教学有机结合,改善和优化现有的英语教学。     

Access,use and perceptions of teachers and students towards mobile phones as a tool for teaching and learning in Tanzania

This study explored the access, use and perceptions of teachers and students towards mobile phones as a tool for facilitating teaching and learning beyond the classroom walls. A total of 29 pre-service teachers and four college instructors from Dar es salaam University College of Education (DUCE) as well as 12 in-service teachers and 40 students from Kibasila secondary school in Tanzania, participated in the study. Data were collected by using pre-service teachers’ questionnaire, students’ questionnaire, and the instructors’, and in-service teachers’ interviews. Findings showed that all in-service teachers, college instructors and pre-service teachers had mobile phones. Also 60 % of school students owned mobile phones, or had access to mobile phones. Students, pre-service teachers and college instructors were in favour of the use of mobile phones for learning, but the majority of in-service teachers were against it. Since mobile phones are the most available technological tools in schools, this study, recommend a professional development programme for in-service teachers to help them develop a positive attitude towards mobile phones use in teaching and learning.     

改进外语教学方法之我见

普及外语和培养外语人才,改进外语教学方法和提高外语教学水平已经不是一般的教学问题,而是影响我国经济和社会发展的重大问题。从目前各级各类学校的外语教学的现状看,创建一套符合中国国情的外语教学方法尚未系统化,在学校外语教学方法上,还普遍存在着亟待解决的问题,如缺乏对外语教学方法的正确认识,教师讲得多,学生练得少,调动不起学生学习的积极性等。从几个结合中寻找改进外语教学方法的出路。如句型法和情景法的结合,传统教学方法与现代电教手段的结合,正规的课程学习和非正规的潜课程学习的结合。     

“翻转课堂”在大学教学中的应用研究——以教育技术学专业英语课程为例

翻转课堂一种新型的教学组织形式,该教学形式不仅适合于中小学的课堂教学,也同样可以在大学教学中应用。该研究通过在教育技术学专业英语课程中的教学实验,发现应用翻转课堂能够提高学生的学习成绩并能提升学生对课程教学的认同度。通过单组实验法,辅以问卷、访谈、案例等进行三角互证,提出了翻转课堂在大学教学中应用的基本教学流程,并给出了具体操作的注意事项。     

Die Bedeutung des pädagogisch-psychologischen Wissens für die Qualität der Klassenführung und den Lernzuwachs der Schüler/innen im Physikunterricht

In the present study it was investigated whether the pedagogical knowledge of teachers has an influence on the process quality of physics instruction and on the learning achievement of students as well. Pedagogical knowledge, conceptualized as knowledge about strategies in classroom instruction that is domain-general and relevant for teaching behaviors, was measured using a paper-and-pencil test with two scales: one scale on declarative knowledge, the other on conditional-procedural knowledge (Lenske et al. 2015). As a basic aspect of the process quality of classroom instruction, classroom management was assessed using video ratings of two lessons from each participating teacher. Students’ learning achievement was assessed using standardized domain-specific knowledge tests in a pretest-posttest design. The sample included 34 teachers from higher-track secondary schools and their students (N?=?993). A complex bootstrapping mediation model shows that teachers’ pedagogical knowledge, mediated by their classroom management, has a positive effect on their students’ learning achievement.     

How to Improve Students’ Originality in Classroom Teaching

Economic invigoration relies on education. With the rapid advancement of science and technology and the fast development of society, more and more demand has been put on fostering talented people. And how to improve students’originality has become one of the hot topics in Chinese education forum. Beginning with analyzing different foreign language teaching approaches in foreign countries and the general language teaching situation in China, this article holds that enhancing teachers’qualification, analyzing the factors that influ ence students’originality, creating positive classroom atmosphere and conducting creative class activities are indispensable measures of im proving students’originality in classroom teaching.     

基于小组合作的中职学校排球教学探析

排球是中职体育教学中一项常规的体育项目,学习排球可以提高学生的综合素养,培养学生的合作精神,但是排球是一项多人参与的运动项目,需要学生之间的相互配合。因此,中职学校排球教师可以采用小组合作教学方式来帮助中职学生学习排球。文章结合小组合作在中职排球课堂中的作用,阐述排球教学中小组合作的原则,提出现阶段中职学校排球教学的存在的问题,对基于小组合作的中职体育排球教学策略进行探讨。     

提高中职计算机课堂教学效果的探索与研究

针对当前中职计算机课堂教学中存在的问题,就如何提高中职计算机课堂教学效果进行了探讨与研究。提出了八种有助于提高中职计算机课堂教学效果的策略,如:激发和培养学生的计算机学习兴趣;采用以就业为导向的生活化教学模式;重视学生自学能力、创新能力的培养;"项目引导、任务驱动"教学法;分层次教学法;分组讨论教学法;"互联网+"翻转课堂、"线上+线下"混合式教学法;完善考评体系;等等。呼吁中职计算机专业教师与时俱进、积极探索,不断改进教学模式与方法,促进计算机专业核心素养的提升,为学生今后的成长和全面发展奠定坚实的基础。     

工科类高职院校学生外语学习焦虑的探讨——以重庆水利电力职业技术学院为例

焦虑是现代大学生学习过程中普遍存在的现象。对于工科类高职院校的学生而言,外语学习似乎比其他课程的学习更容易引起焦虑。文章主要从工科类高职院校学生外语学习焦虑原因进行分析,并通过访谈了解重庆水利电力职业技术学院工科专业学生英语课堂的焦虑状况,结合笔者自己的教学实践经验,探讨一些帮助高职院校学生克服和减轻外语学习焦虑的有效策略。