An Exploratory Study Of Research-Based Learning In Junior English Teaching In Guangxi

With the rapid economic growth in China and as a result of the world globalization, English plays a more and more important role in the modern society. China's entry to WTO and the successful bid of Beijing to host the 2008 Olympic Games have contributed to the fierce competition for versatile talented people and brought about a drive of English learning among the Chinese people. There is an urgent demand for well-educated, versatile talented people in China. As a result, people have come to realize the importance of having a good command of English. For that reason, people have reached a consensus in paying particular attention to basic education through which children receive the most fundamental knowledge.Reviewing the past, people are clearly aware that the traditional English teaching and learning in basic education in our country can not keep the pace with the development of the economy of our country. In order to meet the new challenges at home and abroad, and to solve the existing problems, Research-Based Learning emerges as the times demand. The implementation of RBL in English teaching becomes the top priority at the second stage of curriculum reform. This study aims to find out the achievements and especially the problems with the implementation of RBL in junior English teaching in Guangxi by conducting a survey on it and give some suggestions for making it more popular. This present thesis includes 5 chapters.Chapter 1 shows the background of RBL, current research at home and abroad, the purpose of this study.Chapter 2 is an overview of RBL, including its definitions, classifications and theoretical basis.Chapter 3 is the core part of this thesis in which the situation of the implementation of the survey is shown and the data are analyzed. English majors who were taking the correspondence programs given by the College of Foreign Studies of Guangxi Normal University and Guangxi University for Nationalities took part in the survey. The English majors are actually English teachers of junior high schools from many different regions and cities in Guangxi, so the survey does show a general picture of the current situation of the implementation of RBL in Guangxi junior English teaching. It is certain that the reform has produced a marked effect. However, it also reveals that the implementation of RBL in Guangxi junior high schools is superficial. There are still many problems with it.In Chapter 4, in order to solve the existing problems discussed in the previous chapter, some suggestions are made to junior English teachers, the educational authorities and school administrators.The last part is a brief conclusion. Here the author points out that it is necessary and possible to popularize RBL in junior English teaching in Guangxi and some measures must be taken to promote the implementation of it .The author also emphasizes that RBL must not only be carried out within science subjects or just in senior high schools but also within every subject including English and in junior high schools; RBL as a learning style should be carried out in all learning activities.