| In English teaching and learning in China, reading has been a focus of attention among teachers and scholars. Theories on reading and numerous teaching approaches have raised people's awareness of the influence of reading on students' listening, speaking and writing. So reading is one of the most important skills students should master. This thesis intends to present genre-based teaching approach that is good for teaching reading comprehension in high schools. Genre-based teaching approach is based on genre theory. It is the application of genre analysis. It aims to improve students' reading abilities by providing them with genre knowledge.With the development of genre and genre-analysis theory, we have begun to realize that genre-based teaching approach is effective in improving students' reading comprehension. It is widely used in ESP and EAP area, while it is less common in the teaching of English in senior middle schools. Although some teachers employ it in some high schools, most of them apply it only to writing. Genre-based teaching approach applied to reading instruction has almost stayed blank. But at the same time, a high school student's English proficiency mainly depends on his reading ability. In a high school, there is a variety of themes and genres of reading materials, among which importance is placed on the genre of exposition. This thesis has the intention to propose that genre-based teaching approach can also be used in the teaching of EFL exposition reading in high schools so as to build up students' knowledge of genre structure of exposition, which can improve their reading competence in future.To achieve this purpose, this thesis first presents the concept of genre, genre analysis and genre-based teaching procedure. Then three different models of reading instruction in exposition are introduced, such as general—particular pattern, problem—solution pattern and matching pattern. The author believes that genre analysis is a good way to help students analyze a text more effectively compared with other reading teaching approaches.The thesis is based on the hypothesis: (1) Genre -based teaching approach will improve senior school students' reading ability;(2) Genre-based teaching approach also suits intermediate-level students. In order to test these two hypotheses, the experiment, which lasted five months, were performed among students in Grade Three in Zhongxiang Shiyan Middle School. Quantitative analysis was adopted in the experiment. Two reading comprehension tests were conducted and analyzed.From the experiment, the two of the hypotheses were confirmed. The two readingcomprehension tests were carried out in two different classes of the same level by the same teacher. The class, which adopted the genre analysis method, had a better mean score than the control class. The experimental natural class is the one in which the students have the same English level as the control class, but after the genre-based teaching approach was used the students' integrating reading ability was also improved, which confirmed the first hypothesis. What's more, the students began to try to analyze a passage using the models they mastered.At the same time, one unexpected important finding came out in the process of teaching. After the five-month implementation of genre-based teaching approach, it is found that the students' autonomous study ability was improved greatly. They began to analyze a text by themselves and consult some useful materials through many channels when they came across a new genre, which was beneficial to their future English study.This study has considerable pedagogical implications for senior school English teaching. Firstly, EFL teachers in high schools are advised to develop students' awareness of genre, and apply genre and genre analysis theory to reading teaching. During the implementation of genre-based teaching approach, teachers should further improve the students' integrating reading ability by analyzing the generic structure and linguistic features of a certain genre. Secondly genre-based teaching approach also demands high school English teachers' higher qualifications, which helps to effectively perform the genre-based teaching approach.It is hoped that our study results and analysis will be helpful for EFL reading instruction in high schools.
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