Teaching Methods & learners’ Interest
Abstract:The present study presents a detailed report of a project implemented to solve the problem that most of my students aren’t interested in English and they don’t like studying English. It is hypothesized that learners’ interest in studying English will be greatly increased by some better teaching methods in this respect. This hypothesis is verified by a three-week classroom teaching of varied techniques.
Among the methods of scientific investigation used are analytic method, cause analytic questionnaire survey, and brainstorming.
Key phrase:English; interest; teaching methods
Main Headings of the Project Report
1. Introduction
2. Summary of the Preliminary Research
2.1 Problem
2.2 Problem analysis
2.3 Project objective
2.4 Project hypothesis
2.5 Possible solutions
3. Full-Scaled Implementation of the Solutions
3.1 Get on well with students
3.2 Get well ready for teaching
3.3 Great a relaxed and pleased study environment
3.4 Flexible and diversified teaching
3.5 Combine theory with practice
4. Project Design
5. Problem Unsolved
6. Project evaluation
7. Conclusion
References:
Appendix:
A. The timetable of the project
B. Teaching notes
C. Diaries
D. The questionnaire for problem analysis
1. Introduction
I have been teaching the students who are in their second year of a junior middle school. In my teaching, I’ve found there are some problems. Now, I’ll finish my study in ChengDu University. I hope I can solve the problems that have troubled me for some time through the action research so that I can apply my knowledge and theory into practice, which I learned from ChengDu University.
2. Summary of the Preliminary Research
This part of my study was conducted during June 6th , 2007~8th, 2007
2.1 Problem
The problem I have in my teaching is that most of my students don’t study English so that they get very bad grades.
2.2 Problem analysis
In my teaching, the problem identified was really a serious problem. My preliminary research confirmed that the main reason is that students aren’t interested in studying English.
2.2.1 Analytic method
Through careful analysis, I was led to a series of questions: For instance, I found lots of students think to study English is useless, it is too difficult to study English and English class is so boring. The problems were actually caused by me, not by my students. Probably the teaching work that I design was poorly interesting.
2.2.2 Cause analysis
In this situation, I asked myself a series of questions and tried to provide some answer to them.
Why did most of students not feel interested in studying English? In order to know more about this issue, I designed a cause exploration procedure like this.
Questions Answers
△Is it because they feel difficult to study English? Possible yes
△Is it because to study English is useless? Maybe
△Is it because the English classes are poorly designed? Maybe
2.2.3 Questionnaire survey
I made a pilot investigation in this respect to know more about the situation. For this purpose, I designed a research procedure like the follows.
I give my questionnaire to all students and ask them to finish it. All of them, fifty-six students, returned their questionnaires which were left anonymous.
When all these data came in, I made some statistical evaluation. The result showed that over 90% of the students thought it was useful to study English. About 79% of them thought it was difficult to study English. Most of students don’t like English and aren’t interested in English. They thought they like varied, relaxed, pleased English class instead of boring English.
2.2.4 Brainstorming activation
When I was engaged in the problem analysis, I consulted my thesis supervisor Mr. Li, Miss Pu and Miss Peng and often talked to my classmates about all the problems I met. They gave me a lot of advice and help so that I pondered the problem more deeply and carefully.
After a lengthy problem analysis, I determined to launch a project to overcome this problem.
2.3 Project objective
My research objective is to increase my students’ interest in studying English.
2.4 Project hypothesis
It is hypothesized that learners’ interest in studying is increased by better organization and teaching methods.
2.5 Possible solutions
With these reasons in mind, I have correspondingly provided some possible solutions which are as follows.
2.5.1 Get well ready for teaching in the classroom before class.
2.5.2 Try to create a relaxed, pleased Environment.
2.5.3 Make interesting class with different teaching methods instead of simple and boring class.
2.5.4 Give students some chance to practice themselves.
2.5.5 Tell them some ways to study English, let them feel successful.
3. Full Scaled Implementation of the Solutions
This part of my study was conducted during March 14, 2007~April 6, 2007. (Three Weeks)
3.1 Get on well with students
Teaching and studying in a pair of contradiction. How to get on well with students and teachers is very import to complete the teaching purpose. The teenager’s mental state characteristics tell us, the students of this age like being close to teachers. If they have good will to a certain teaching, they are interested in this teacher’s lesson and will spend lots of time and energy studying this lesson (subject). Of course, as a result, they will get good grades. This kind of phenomenon may be what everyone often says “Love me, Love my dog”. Whereas, if they don’t like a certain teacher, because of psychology of aversion, they don’t wish to learn or don’t study this teacher’s lesson. We often see this kind of phenomenon. So, the teachers must get along well with students, under the students’ interest, loving, change of morale, concern the students everywhere, take good care of them, respect them, help students at the right moment: Let you become not only a worthy of students’ eyes. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the teachers can’t criticize their weakness, can ignore. But the same of purpose of criticism and commendatory is for taking good care of them. As a result, critical ways is more important than criticism itself. Let them do not harm the sense of pride, let them feel animadversion from the heart is a sincere love, is for helping them. Like this, there is harmonious, mutually agreeable relation of teachers and pupils, students have interest to proceed studying.
In order to get on well with students, I often stay at school instead of going home, take part in all kinds of sports with them, for example, play basketball, play tennis, play games and so on. When having a rest, I talk about all kinds of titles about life, about studying, about motions, and so on, with them. From it, I know lots of thing about them in their hearts. They long for having English and more. Little by little, they long for having English class and seeing me. Of course, they can have class more carefully.
3.2 Get well ready for teaching
If the teachers want to give a successful English class, to get well ready for teaching is very important. How to get well ready for teaching?
At first, teachers must look through the textbook as much as possible and understand the textbook. When I really understand it, I can find out the mainly and important knowledge and make it in an order.
Then, what I need do is to think over how to give out this lesson, of course, I must still consider students’ situation. For example, how is knowledge and base what they have had? Which ways are fit for them? What knowledge can’t they understand? Imagine what will happen in the class, and how to solve it, and so on.
After thinking textbook and students’ situation, I should prepare for tools what I need during the course.
Last, I write out each statements of every class on the book.
3.3 Great a relaxed and pleased study environment
Traditional teaching mode and methods, the teachers always instills to students, the students have to be forced to accept knowledge negatively and passively. They don’t feel relaxed and pleased, they only fell tired and boring, as the result, they aren’t interested in English. At last, this leads to divide into two administrative levels; the teaching quantity is not gook.
How classroom environment is, influences to arouse students’ study interest seriously. The students should create relaxed and pleased study environment for students. For attainting the aim, the teachers fill with hot liver, get into the classroom whole-heartedly. The students can have smiling on the face and kind eyes as well as good spirit. While, the teachers should have pure, unadulterated, tunnel and fluent spoken English, norm and beautiful writing, reasonable design on the Bb and so on.
For the sake of traditional teaching that downplay impression to people, the teachers, the teachers fuse teaching in joy, action combination, combine studying and practice, teachers and students match.
Before class, the teachers can tell a joke or a byword with English that students can understand roughly according to content of course. Or students show their English conversation practices for three minutes, give freedom lectures, talk freely and sing an English song together. All the activities can arouse students’ interest and get ready for completing teaching.
An English proverb says, “A good beginning is half dome”. To lead into the new lesson must pay attention to the art. According to the content of course, you can establish a suspense to attract students, can also put a question that person think deeply to hold students, can begin through some object and shows. During teaching, can’t only read the textbook loudly. You must be good at using persons and things in the classroom. The language always connects with the scene. No scene, no language. When there is scene, students have deep impression to language. Learning is so interesting, students can grasp language well. The teachers explain the details in terse and lively language. And, to change to explain for asking questions, students who are not an on-looker have a large number of time to take part in studying and practices, practice when studying, study while practicing. Only like this, students feel interested in it. Pay attention to making students feel happy after success. Different administrative level students can go to practice different level language materials. Like this, each student can feel successful with the achievement. From it, students have more interest, the enthusiasm is doubly. Once students make a mistake, the teachers needn’t be angry and scold them, pay attention to correcting this mistake ingeniously, protecting students’ self respect. A class is the whole work of an art, there is not only a good beginning but also a good ending. According to different circumstance, the teachers can stay a puzzling question, broadcast text record once and let students sum up main contents or sing a song etc.
In a word, let students feel relaxed, pleased and interested in a lesson all the time.
3.4 Flexible and diversified teaching in the class
A single teaching method is dry and dull. Through that is a good method, if that’s often used, it will lose good results. For arousing students’ interest, keep and consolidate the interest, the teachers must assiduously study teaching material carefully, design different methods of teaching according to the contents. For example:
3.4.1. Lead the competition mechanism to come in the English classroom teaching, open the exhibition contest, transfer study interest.
3.4.2. Help to remember with the formula, increase the enthusiasm of learning English.
3.4.3. Let students create teaching aid, stir up to study the English interest.
3.4.4. Weave the short play themselves, transfer study positive.
3.4.5. Move the students’ interest, stir up them to want to study knowledge.
3.4.6. Take measures suited to local conditions, induct to study the English interest.
3.5 Combine theory with practice
Classroom instruction for forty minutes is the most important. The teachers should concentrate their energy and catch the teaching quantity of 35 minutes. But students want to study English well and they only spend several English lessons is not enough. So we should also develop extracurricular teaching activities, but this kind of activity shouldn’t go on classroom teaching, shouldn’t also have no organization and discipline. According to different class, different level, different fondness of all students, the teachers may organize them properly. For example, train the backbone for the purpose, organize English game, have a concert and lecture competition, spell the words, hold composition contests, hearing competes, etc… in a class, the same grade or the whole school. The purpose is for making beautiful and colorful life for students and strengthening knowledge studying environment, develop students’ interest. The purpose of all kinds of activities is for enlivening students’ lesson outside life, strengthen lesson inside studied, create English atmosphere, develop students’ interest to study English, combine classroom with extracurricular.
4. Project design
My hypothesis is that learners’ interest in studying is increased by better organization and teaching methods. Moreover, my new assignment activities should have a real information value so that students have a real purpose to communicate.
I designed three activities to be tried out in three weeks. And these activities are reported as follows.
Week 1
Activity 1
The future world
This activity is based as in Junior English for China (Go for it), Book 8B, Unit 1. “Will people have robots?”
Purpose: to open the exhibition contest, transfer study interest
Instructions: Students designed a picture about the future world. They explained their pictures in English in the group, then acted it out in the class.
Procedure: At first, I came into the classroom with smiling, and greeted each other. Then, after providing an environment about the future, ask students to imagine the future life and design the future world on the paper. At that time, when they heard it, they were so happy to draw a picture. Soon, they finished their design. Of course, they couldn’t stop showing their design one by one. Students could introduce own picture in Chinese. WHOSE PICTURE IS THE BEST? This was very important. After comparing, the best one would win the prize of designer abort the future world. Students were so exciting, because they all wanted to get this prize. Even though they got the prize or not, they still were very happy. Next, with this kind of pleasure, they thought this lesson was interesting and finished studying new lesson.
Week 2
Activity 2
Make a banana smoothie
This activity is based as in Junior English for China (Go for it), Book 8B, Unit 7, “How do you make a banana smoothie?”
Purpose: to combine theory with practice, let students study knowledge in practice and prove study interest
Instructions: Students retold how to make a banana smoothie in the groups, then acted it out in class.
Procedure: Before class, I got ready for a glass of drinks. When I came into the classroom with the glass of drinks, students felt very exciting and curiosity. As soon as I asked a student to taste the drinks, every student all wanted to have a try. Then, some students had a taste, they were satisfied with it. But they didn’t know what it was. I told them the name of the drinks. It was called smoothie. HOW DO YOU MAKE A BANANA SMOOTHIE? Next, I showed how to make a banana smoothie. At the same time, I explained the statements in English. All students were interested in ing to it. After explaining, they couldn’t stop beginning to practice. It was unimaginable that they could explain the statements in English accurately. Last, they finished studying the lesson happily.
Week 3
Activity 3
A story
This activity is based as in Junior English for China, Book 8B
Purpose: to practice telling a story or making a dialogue with the Simple Past Tense
Instructions: I got the students to tell a story in groups, then I told everyone to retell the story in front of me.
Procedure: With the piece of beautiful music, the class began. At first, I told an interesting story in English and Chinese. Students were glad to listen to a story. After they finished listening to the story happily, they were willing to finish given work by me, which I asked them to find out the new tense in the story. Then, lead them to sum up the meaning and structure of the Simple Past Tense themselves. Of course, they should still practice the tense by making a dialogue or short story. They were interested in sharing their dialogues and stories.
5. Problem Unsolved
After I thought seriously and had exchanges of views on the project with my students, I found out that although atmosphere in the English class had been improved a lot through the full-scaled implementation, there was still much that would need further improvement. Only when I make continuous reflection in my teaching, can I make great progress. The most frequently mentioned problems can be categorized into two aspects:
On the one hand, the problem of the textbook: Vocabulary is big, and grammar is not only much but also difficult.
On the other hand, the way of learning:
Some students have some wrong idea about their studies; some students enjoy playing, so they always have no enough time to do their homework. The most important is that lots of students are weak in English. They can’t complete their homework by themselves quite often and study some knowledge by themselves without teachers.
6. Project evaluation
☆The problem
Is the problem a researchable one? Yes. If give me the resources, the time and the expertise I have, I can launch a project to solve the problem. (I can do something to change the present situation.)
☆The methods used in problem analysis
Are the methods used to analyze the problem acceptable, suitable to it and properly applied? Yes. I used the analytic method, cause analysis, interview and brainstorming. These are all acceptable methods suitable to my problem. I also used them properly.
☆The project objective
Is the project objective realistic? Yes. It is researchable. It is realistic. It can be achieved. My project object—to improve students’ study interest about English—is realistic.
☆The project hypothesis
Is the project hypothesis provable? Yes. My hypothesis—learners’ interest in studying is increased by better organization and teaching methods—is provable.
☆The project rationale
Does the project have a study basis? Yes. My project was based on the theoretical assumptions which are valid and reasonable.
☆The project design
I have defined my project objective and hypothesis.
I have stated my project rationale.
I have worked out the details for project implementing.
I have also planned the stages and time table for the project implementation.
☆The stages and details of project implementation
The stages are necessary and complete. The implementation details are properly maintained. In my case, I am assessed on the following items.
Week 1
Teaching notes
Students’ handout
Diary-keeping
Week 2
Teaching notes
Students’ handout
Diary-keeping
Week 3
Teaching notes
Students’ handout
Diary-keeping
☆The methods used in project implementation
In what way has the project been implemented?
In my case, I used the classroom teaching.
☆The methods used to obtain the results
In what way has the investigator obtained the project results? Is it acceptable, suitable and project used? I used observations, diary-keeping, and interviews to obtain the project results. They are all acceptable, suitable to the task and properly used.
☆The results obtained from the project implementation.
My hypothesis has been proved to be correct.
7. Conclusion
The present study is chiefly based on the project that I proceeded from March, 2007 to June, 2007, which aimed to enhance my students’ interest in studying English. After implementing my three-week project, I did a surrey to see the result. From the result, I think the methods used in problem analysis are suitable, the problem objective is realistic, the hypothesis is provable, and the project has a study basis. Now, I can be very happy to state that my problem has been successfully solved.
This action research helps me cultivate awareness of the dynamic mechanism in my English teaching. It enables me to acquire unceasing professional development. From the action research, I have gained a lot of benefits. Although I have learned a lot and improved a lot, action research starts me on another cycle of reflection, since I have basically solved one problem and identified another. I will go on with the spiral cycle of reflection which will lead me to the endless process striving for perfect teaching. The final report is drawing to an end but my action research is not. In fact, I’ve only just begun.
Bibliography
1. Gu Yueguo, 2005, Practical Project Design, Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
2. Gu Yueguo, 2005, English Language Teaching Methodology’ Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
3. Junior English China (Go for it ), Teacher’s Book 8B, People Education Press
4. Junior English for China (Go for it ), Students’ Book 8B, People Education Press
Appendix:
A. The timetable of the project
B. Teaching Notes
C. Diaries
D. The questionnaire for problem analysis
Appendix A:
The timetable of the project
Stage Week Calendar dates Tasks Materials needed
Ⅰ 1 Mar 05~30 identify a problem Report about getting off the ground
Ⅱ 2 April 2
~
6 Analyze the problem using scientific methods of investigation
△ analyzing the teaching situation
△analyzing the teaching objectives / teacher’s roles / tasks / type / student’s roles, etc
△analyzing the possible causes of the identified problem. Questionnaires
Ⅲ 3 May 8
~
16 Design a problem-solving project
△ formulating the project objectives and hypothesis
△ making a lesson plan
△ preparing materials and resources needed
△ proposing data collection method: teaching journal / questionnaire / survey / interviews / samples of students assignments, etc Teaching notes
Ⅳ 4,5,6 June 4
~
July 2 Implement the project
△report of classroom implementation of the lesson plan
△report of the data collection Teaching diaries, students’ exercises, a photo about teaching
Ⅴ 7 July 9~13 Evaluate the project against a checklist
△ Critical comment on my own teaching by checking my subjection comments against the collected data
△ Suggestions for future teaching
Ⅵ 8,9,10 July 16~20 Write the project report Project report
Appendix B: teaching notes
Week 1
Date: Tuesday, March 5, 2007 9:00-9:40 Class: 3
Today’s objectives: There will be robots in the future.
Teaching methods: open the exhibition context, transfer study interest.
Order of doing things:
Step1. With the time is passing, our life will change in the future. What’s our life like? (Give out the question)
Step2. Ask students to imagine our life in the future and draw it on the paper (Design the future world)
Step3. Let students introduce own picture in Chinese. (Lead to the title of this class)
Step4. Whose picture is the best? After comparing, the best one will win the prize of the best designer about the future world.
Step5. Study how to describe the future world in English with the Simple Future Tease
Step6. Summarizing the lesson
主 + will + V
Homework: Do some additional exercises (Make a composition with the Simple Future Tense in Spoken English and writing)
Week 2
Date: Monday , April 2nd , 2007 10:50-11:30 Class 3
Today’s objectives: to practice students’ spoken English
Teaching methods: ①Get well ready for teaching
②Combine theory with practice
Before class, design the teaching carefully, bring some fruits, glasses, knife, blender into classroom
Step1. Take out of a glass of drinks. Let students have a taste.
Step2. Tell students the names of this kind of drinks. Lead into the title (a banana Smoothie)
Step3. Show how to make a banana Smoothie. While showing, explain the statements in English.
Step4. Ask students to practice to make own smoothie. At the same time, they can practice spoken English, explain how to make a smoothie to others.
Step5. Summarizing the lesson
Homework: do some additional exercises
Weeks 3
Date: Friday , April 27th, 2007 9:00-9:40 Class 1
Objectives: To study the Simple Past Tense
Teaching methods: ①Create a relaxed and pleased study environment
②Weave the short play themselves, transfer study positive
Step1. Class begins with the piece of beautiful music.
Step2. Tell a humors story in English and Chinese
Step3. Find out the new tense——the Simple Past Tense. Let students sum up the meaning and structure of the tense.
Step4. Practice the tense by making dialogue and the short play themselves
Step5. Summarizing the lesson
Homework: Write a new story by the Simple Past Tense
Appendix C: diaries
Week 1
Date: Tuesday May 8, 2007
As usual, when I said that we were going to study Unit 1, the students shrug their shoulders. They seemed so upset and tired, as if they needed have a rest. After studying new words, they were still so.
But, when I told students that they could design and draw a picture about the future world on a piece of paper, they looked a little happy. They began to draw own picture as quickly as possible. Soon, they finished their picture, and they were so exciting that they wanted to show their picture to me. Their pictures were very great. I praised them very much they felt successful. And the student whose picture was the best won the prize of the competitions.
In this class, they finished the rest of the Unit happily. Even, they thought to study English wasn’t difficult as usual.
Week 2
Data: Friday, May 15, 2007
I’m very glad that my students become more active in my class. Especially when I bring some fruits and tools into the classroom, they were very exciting. They all wanted to taste the smoothie. After showing how to make it, they couldn’t stop beginning to try. While they were making it, they all spoke English. The whole class went smoothly. I found all students were smiling. They did their practice quite well. Last, they pleased all teachers share their success tastefully. I was surprised to see it.
Week 3
Date: Tuesday, May 22, 2007
This period of time, I would deal with boring grammar. I had thought they couldn’t under stand it. But, after telling them a interesting story in English and Chinese, they were so exciting. To my surprise, they were more active than I expected. They know the grammar and understood it. I didn’t spend too much teaching them, they could use it properly. I was more than happy, because I was successful.