Developing The Learners'Integrated Skills In The Teaching Of College English Reading

Language, besides being a means of human communication, possesses other purposes, such as self-expression, verbal thinking, problem-solving, and creative writing. English, being one of the languages officially used in the United Nations, has been widely learnt and researched throughout the world. As far as our ELT is concerned, one of the main aims is to equip the learners with the competence to make integrative use of the target language, that is, to develop their communicative competence. Our successful attempt in carrying out our policy of reform and opening the door to the outside world results in a rapid development in our culture and economy, which puts newer and higher demands on qualified foreign language personnel not only in terms of quantity but also in quality. The course of College English Reading is the major source of input for our non-English-major learners to acquire English knowledge and to develop English competence from. However, under the influence of our traditional concepts on language and education, the focus of our College 128 t)t~抍h.pittg f/at?LvtlI,k?s liiitgiaft抰l .Sh ills 1,1 tilL?IL抋LlliIlg a] L抩lh~gL?1~aagllsia Reading English Teaching (CET) has always been on the imparting of English formal knowledge to the students. The development of the learners?skills in using the target language has not received its due position, let alone the development of the learners?integrated skills in using the target language. The teaching methodology adopted in College English Reading often appears to be dull and boring, with the teacher dominating the class, pouring out his English formal knowledge to the students from the beginning to the end while the learners are forced to be passive knowledge-receivers or dedicated note-takers. It is true that through such traditional teaching methods as grammar-translation method and audio-lingual method we have turned out quite a number of English personnel who are fairly good at reading and translating. However, generally speaking, their ability in listening, speaking and writing are comparatively low. It is a fact that the non-English majors make up the majority of English learners in China. They will be active in both scientific and educational circles and shoulder the important task of cooperation and exchange with foreign countries in economy, culture, science and technology. In order to successfully accomplish the important task entrusted to them by modem China, they need to equip themselves with the integrated skills in using English. From this perspective, it is quite inadequate for us to continue training them through the traditional teaching methods, because that will fail to satisfy?the newer and higher demands for English personnel by modern China. Good and effective teaching methods have always been the pursuit of language teachers. On the basis of the theoretical framework of the communicative competence proposed by Michael Canale and Merrill Swain, this dissertation is intended to explore the inner relationships among the skills of reading, speaking, listening and writing. It is revealed Abstract 129 through concrete analysis that the four language skills are interrelated and complement each other and they are four main forms of expression of the communicative Therefore, in the development of the learners?...