An Investigation Of The Task-based English Teaching In Northern Jiangsu Rural Middle Schools

The study was intended to investigate the current situation of the task-based English teaching in rural middle school English classes in the north of Jiangsu Province. Two research questions to be addressed in the present study are as follows:1. What is the current situation of the task-based English teaching in Northern Jiangsu rural middle schools?2. What are the underlying factors responsible for the current situation of the task-based English teaching in Northern Jiangsu rural middle schools?Both quantitative and qualitative researches are involved in the study. The quantitative researches are two questionnaires, respectively involving 50 teachers and 110 students from rural middle schools in Northern Jiangsu. Two interviews are conducted in the qualitative research. 10 teachers and 12 students are chosen as interviewees to explore the possible factors leading to the current situation.The major findings are listed as follows:1. Although most teachers and students in Northern Jiangsu rural middle schools have a certain knowledge about the new model, their overall understandings lack systematicity and consistency, especially in terms of some specific relations. The quantitative research shows that most teachers fail to combine the new teaching model theories with teaching practice effectively. They only have a dim idea about the relationship between tasks and form-focused activities and are therefore unable to maintain necessary balance between language forms and functions in class. Most of the tasks designed according to the current instruction materials do not agree with the students'English competence and are too difficult for some rural students.2. Although the task-based English teaching model is usually implemented according to pre-task, during-task, and after-task stages, problems still exist in the process of its implementation. Teachers are not qualified enough to direct and control the implementation of the teaching model effectively. Their summaries and comments are often incorrect or inadequate, so that students feel that they can not learn as much as they expected.3. Task-based English teaching plays a positive effect in the promotion of students'learning interest and the stimulation of their motivation in English learning by increasing their confidence. However, it fails to play a remarkably positive role in enhancing students'examination results. The model, to some degree, is incompatible with the current examination-oriented educational system.4. The main factors leading to the current situation in Northern Jiangsu rural middle schools are unsuitable difficulty level of the designed tasks, unqualified teaching staff, lack of necessary support from the leadership concerned, negative effects of the examination-oriented system and unsatisfactory FL learning environment.Findings from this study imply that rural middle school English teaching reform should be carried out in a planned way. Teachers should combine the new model theories with teaching practice. Focused tasks should be preferred and above all, the degree of task difficulty should be a little above students'present level of English. The government is expected to invest more money in the software and hardware in rural middle schools. In addition, teachers'overall qualities should be improved and they should try their best to enhance students'learning interest and motivation.