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On The Application Of The Communicative Approach In China's Natural Conditions

Posted on:2002-03-29Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:G H ChangFull Text:PDF
GTID:2155360092966307Subject:English Language and Literature
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
The application of methodology is always closely connected with times. In the times of economic globalization. People with different languages in different countries meet more and more frequently. So the goal of learning a foreign language at this age is to communication. And what emerges as the times require is the Communicative Approach.The Co:nmunicative Approach is. on one hand, the product of the development of sociolinguistics, etc. ; on the other hand, it is the result of the prosperity of western Europe. Just as China at the turn of the century, western Europe also need a linguistic terrace to achieve the goal of communication. Thus the upsurge of the Communicative Approach has its deep-rooted background. But what we cannot ignore is that the Communicative Approach appeared in the west which is quite different from China. It was created for the westerners who share the same language family-the Indo-European family. So the application of the Communicative Approach cannot overlook the specific Chinese context.Chinese foreign language teachers tend to complete their training at home. It's no hard to imagine their authentic master of a foreign language. In addition, due to the continual rigid examination system in China, the "duck-stuffing" teaching model has been deep-rooted in this land. The rigid examination system drives teachers and students to lay their eyes on dealing with passing examinations and the "duck-stuffing" teaching model affects students' ability in self-dependent study. At the same, colleges and universities are extending their scale. As a result, an English with only twenty to thirty students has added its students to forty or fifty in such a short period. Besides the limited class teaching hours, it is hard for foreign language teachers to fulfil their teaching task within the specified time. The newly-adapted teaching materials influenced by the Communicative Approach, affected by so many disadvantageous factors, cannot be fully exercised. The backward means of teaching also contributes.From the above discussion, we have to conclude that it needs time to apply the Communicative Approach in China. Firstly, according to the cognitive factor,we've learned that learning process is gradual. Even,' former stage is the basis of the latter stage, which cannot be overstepped. However, most of the Chinese students haven't laid a solid foundation on the basic foreign language cognition. So it is impossible for them to reach the ''Problem-Solving" stage-the communicative stage. Secondly, in present China, the natural social cultural context required by the Communicative Approach cannot be presented.Then, what should be the teaching model suited to Chinese context at present? The success of ''Spelling and Reading'" experiment conducted in Si Chuan province by Zhang Zhengdong. the methodology expert and other experts in the teaching world proves that Stage Teaching Model is a relatively successful model in today's China. The model aims at promoting the large amount of absorption in the target language on the learners" part, thus making preparations for a better output.Hence, it's the author's belief that the application of the Communicative Approach in China is to read plenty of authentic materials of the target language. Reading can make the foreign language learners progress in cognition. It can also solve the problem of social cultural problems required by the Communicative Approach. Meanwhile, we must be aware of the importance of the traditional grammar and translation. For grammar and translation are the basic means for foreign language learners to make out the reading materials. What we should also pay attention to are students' pronunciation, spelling and speaking. All of them are closely related to communication. And the role teachers should play, how to take advantage of learners' factors are also what we should take into account.
Keywords/Search Tags:the Communicative Approach, Chinese context, foreign language teachers, communication, grammar & translation
PDF Full Text Request
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