Maximizing The Role Of Course Books--A Case Study In Secondary Schools In Shanghai

In China the English language teaching has undergone great changes, or reforms at least in some aspects. Among other things, changes in course books are especially conspicuous. Traditional course books published by the People's Education Press have been adapted in order to meet the need of the increasingly changing times. In some fast-developing areas, several sets of books are available, with each school having their different choices. Then the next step ought to be how to carry out more effective teaching and learning with the aid of more mature textbooks. With these questions in mind, this thesis mainly treats of how course books function in the English language teaching by way of a case study in secondary schools in Shanghai. The research aims at revealing the status quo of the adoption of different sets of course books through interviews and questionnaires among both teachers and learners. For the potential problems, some suggestions are offered for future language teaching. On the one hand, course books are important in helping to fulfill teaching aims and objectives. From the perspective of people, on the other hand, teachers must take learners' external factors into consideration: to arouse their interest, to urge their autonomous learning, and to cultivate their learning strategies. It is teachers who shoulder the responsibility of bridging the gap between course books and learners so as to achieve better learning effects.