Research On The Effectiveness Of TBLT With Information Technology Model

In December,2002, the Ministry of Education started up its long-brewed College English teaching reform. In 2004, it promulgated the College English Curriculum Requirements (hereinafter referred to as Curriculum Requirements) which states clearly that with the help of information technology, the teaching of English should shift from the monotonous teacher-centered pattern, in which knowledge of the language and skills are imparted by the teacher in class only, to the student-centered pattern, in which the ability to use the language and the ability to learn autonomously are cultivated in addition to language knowledge and skills. Task-based language teaching (TBLT) is a task-centered teaching approach that emerged in 1980s. It puts emphasis on "learning by doing" and aims to improve learners'comprehensive language competence and individualized learning strategies by creating an interactive context to enable learners to sense, explore and manipulate the target language.The research is conducted on the basis of the following two research questions:1) Does TBLT with information technology have any advantages over the traditional teacher-centered approach in improving students'comprehensive English competence? 2) If yes, in what aspects does TBLT with information technology have advantages over the traditional teacher-centered approach? By reviewing relevant theories and research achievements, the framework of TBLT is improved.The thesis reports a 15-week empirical study whose subjects are 130 first-year college students. The subjects are from two English classes. One is experimental class (EC) receiving TBLT with information technology and the other is control class (CC) receiving the traditional teacher-centered approach. A pre-test is held in the two classes at the beginning of the semester. A post-test and a questionnaire are conducted in the two classes at the end of the semester. The researcher also interviews six students in EC. The data of the two tests and the questionnaire are collected and analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 16.0, supplemented and interpreted by analysis of the data collected by the interview.The research results show:1) TBLT with information technology has some advantages over the traditional teacher-centered approach in improving students' comprehensive language competence; 2) It is widely acknowledged by students in EC that they have renewed their language learning beliefs to some extent, such as the nature of language and English learning, the development of learning approach, and the adjustment in learning strategies, etc; 3) Students in EC tend to be more autonomous and cooperative, more motivated and confident in English learning; 4) students in EC show more acceptance to TBLT with information technology.Finally, the researcher puts forward some suggestions for the improvement of teaching models in the context of College English reform.