A Study Of English Film Elective Course In Senior High Schools

It emphasizes that English teaching needs to combine compulsory courses with elective courses for quality education in the latest edition of The National English Curriculum Standards.More and more educators,therefore,are increasingly concerned about English elective courses.At the same time,the senior high schools throughout the country try to offer all kinds of English elective courses to meet the needs of students’ all-rounded development.In the background of curriculum reform,the Middle School Attached to Sichuan Normal University,a famous school in Chengdu,Sichuan province,sets up an English film elective course to arouse students’ interest and develop their specialties.So this research starts by focusing on the current situation of English film elective course.It then analyzes the factors for the existing problems in English film elective course and tries to offer some suggestions based upon students’ questionnaire,teachers’ interview and classroom observation.First,interviews about teachers’ attitudes toward this course have been done before each class.And then,part of data sources about teaching procedures derive from classroom observations during class.In order to have a comprehensive understanding about students’ opinions,a questionnaire finally has been handed out after finishing this course.After three months of investigation,the author has found that there are some problems existing in the English film elective course,such as: random choices of film as teaching materials;vague teaching aims;lack of various teaching activities and dull classroom atmosphere;unreasonable way of assessment.Many factors result in these problems.First,the importance of compulsory courses has been emphasized by the senior high school,while the value of elective courses has been neglected for a long time.Second,English teachers have had heavy teaching loads and lacked sufficient expertise about English film elective course.Third,students have treated English film elective course as a film enjoyment course.Based on these phenomena,some suggestions are offered to improve them: schools,teachers and students must change their attitudes toward English film elective course because English film elective course is a necessary supplement to English compulsory course,which can further cultivate diversity.Besides,scientific selection principles of teaching materials should be made from four aspects: thought,language and culture,topic and genre,content relevance to English compulsory course.Then,the teaching aims could be specified.Teachers can design some achievable teaching aims from three aspects: knowledge and ability,process and method,attitude and value.What’s more,teachers can also design various teaching activities,such as prediction,note-taking and role play according to the three periods: pre-watching,dur-watching and post-watching.Finally,school leaders should optimize the way of assessment and divide it into three parts: attendance,class performance and final evaluation.There are some pedagogical implications.First,attitude decides on action.All of students are very sensitive observers of teacher behaviour patterns in the classroom,Either teachers or students,therefore,need a serious attitude towards this course.Furthermore,in dealing with English film elective course,teachers need to devote time and energy to making plan for this course and sharpen the professional skills.Indeed,schools should make a valiant attempt to provide in-service or off-work training and perfect campus network so that teachers can be competent in teaching English film elective course as soon as possible.