An Empirical Study On Classroom Interaction In College English Teaching

With the development of economic globalization, there is an increasing demand on college students'communicative competence. What is more, College English Curriculum Requirements issued in 2004 clearly defines that the goal of college English teaching is to develop students'comprehensive ability, especially the listening and speaking ability. However, the reality in China is that most college English classroom is still teacher-centered. Although there may be some oral English activities occasionally, it is less than effective. Moreover, in China, English is studied as a foreign language rather than a second language. Lacking in genuine and natural environment of English learning, much more hope is placed on the English teachers and English classroom. Therefore, how to improve the college English classroom teaching and enhance students'communicative competence become one of the most important subjects in English teaching and learning researches. With the continuous development of college English teaching reform, there is a shift from lecture-styled classroom teaching to interactive classroom teaching, and classroom interaction has been employed in college English class. However, due to the late start of interactive classroom teaching in China as well as the influence of traditional teaching methods, there are still some problems in the implementation of classroom interaction in college English language teaching.This thesis aims at examining the problems existing in current college English class and proposing a set of strategies on promotion of classroom interaction in college English language teaching. It starts with the analysis and discussion of the theories and definitions on classroom interaction. In the survey, the data, collected through questionnaire, interview and classroom observation, was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively.The results from the questionnaire, interview and classroom observation show that most of the current college English class is still teacher-centered with few chances for students to participate in interactional activities. It is focused on the impartation of language knowledge, and the students are the passive recipients of information, which hinders the development of students'communicative competence.On the basis of the research and the theoretical analysis, the author proposes some strategies on effective implementation of classroom interaction. Teachers should change their roles from instructors, controllers and actors to facilitators, organizers and directors, build close rapport with students, encourage students to open their mouth, but not to resort to their mother tongue and properly deal with the linguistic as well as non-linguistic errors made by the students.This thesis attempts to make some contributions to the college English teaching reform and the cultivation of students'communicative competence by narrowing the gap between theories and practice.