A Study Of Interactive Approach And Its Application To College English Teaching

In recent years, English learning in China has been given more emphasis and more people have been attracted to learn it. Nowadays English has become a required course in universities and colleges. But the traditional language teaching method is still prevalent in College English teaching for years. Teachers dominate all the class hours by explaining the usage of language with less participation of learners. With the issue of College English Curriculum Requirements by the Higher Education Department in 2004, teachers gradually realize that the ultimate purpose of English teaching is to cultivate and develop students'ability or competence to use English.It is the interactive approach that makes students become the center in the process of teaching. And consequently, it can realize the change from the traditional teacher-centered model to the interactive student-centered model. It is assumed that interactive approach can develop the students'subjective initiative to learn English and ultimately cultivate the learners'competence to use English. Interactive approach not only emphasizes the importance of training students'linguistic competence, but also the interactive competence. As we all know that the interactive approach refers to interactive classroom teaching initially. With the application of the information technology in the College English teaching, the interactive approach not only refers to classroom teaching, but also includes the network teaching. Nowadays, a large sum of capital is invested into developing the facilities of web-based learning. Then what is the effectiveness of the teaching model? Can it meet the needs of the training the learners'English comprehensive applied ability?In view of these problems above, the thesis at first begins to make an investigation on the current English teaching model in colleges and universities. A survey is carried out among 350 students in four universities in Hunan province. The statistics from the survey indicate that: (1) Large-size class is adopted in College English teaching in many universities, which partly results in the uneven levels of the students'English proficiency; (2) Most teachers tend to explain the language knowledge in class, neglecting the training of the students'applied ability. On the basis of related interactive theories, an experimental research undertaken for one year is expected to prove the effectiveness of the interactive approach in promoting the students'applied ability. Two groups of experimental class and controlled class in Changsha University of Science and Technology are selected in this experiment, the interactive approach is used in experimental class while the traditional approach is used in controlled class. During the experiment, three tests are taken in these two classes. Given the similar English proficiency of the two classes in pre-test, the results of mid-test and post-test illustrate the different progress made in the experimental class and controlled class. Consequently, on the basis of this study, a conclusion is made that the interactive approach is beneficial to the cultivation of the students'comprehensive applied ability.The present thesis studies interactive classroom approach as well as interactive network approach and systematically analyzes the roles of interactive approach in promoting the students'English applied ability. It is not only helpful to the further study of the teaching approach, but also beneficial to the full use of the facilities of interactive online learning and can promote the reform of the College English teaching.