Application Of Task-based Teaching Approach In Listening Comprehension Teaching In High School

Senior English Curriculum Standard (shortened to the new Curriculum Standard in the following) has completed English teaching goals in Senior High School. The ultimate goal is to foster students' communicative abilities, among which listening is an important component. The improvement of students' listening skills can benefit other language skills. Therefore, it is significant to develop students' listening competence. But at present, English listening teaching in high schools is often ignored; whose negative effect should draw our attention. Based on students' present listening ability and the requirements of the new Curriculum Standard, the author seeks to argue for the great necessity and effectiveness of the task-based theory and for its practical application in classroom listening teaching. This thesis lays special emphasis on the advantage and effectiveness of applying the task-based theory to teaching listening in high school.The first chapter of this thesis introduces the present listening teaching in high school and its existing problems, and illustrates the importance of cultivating students' listening competence. The author points out that developing students' listening ability must be paid close attention to in English listening teaching in senior high school.In the second chapter, the author provides an introduction to the development of the task-based theory as well as its theoretical basis. Besides, the author elaborates on the basic ideas and advantages of the task-based approach, a new educational idea, of which the core thought is "students-centered" . The task-based teaching pattern organizes teaching by assigning tasks. In the course of fulfilling tasks, students' cognition competence can be exerted fully by means of participating, experiencing, interacting, communicating and co-operating. Thus students can feel, grasp and use a language.The third chapter of this thesis analyzes the present listening teaching and points out the disadvantages of the present teaching modes according to the results of listening exams for senior III students and the related questionnaire. The conclusion can be drawn that it's necessary to reform the English listening teaching methods. The author suggests that the task-based theory should be applied to English listening teaching for the purpose of improving students' listening competence more effectively.The author elaborates the teaching practice in which teachers apply the task-based theory to English listening teaching in the fourth chapter. This part expounds the application of the two principles of the task-based approach—"students-centered" and "task-centered" to the English listening teaching practice. Furthermore, the author introduces the designing principles and accomplishment procedures of the task-based listening mode in senior high schools. A teaching plan is provided for teachers to carry out.In the fifth chapter, the author illustrates the positive effect the task-based listening mode has on the listening teaching in high schools. Guided by the task-based theory, this thesis attempts to explore the task-based listening teaching mode on the basis of listening practice among the students of senior three in NO. 15 Middle School. The thesis proves the effectiveness and practicality of the new teaching mode.The last part—the sixth chapter concludes the effectiveness of applying the task-based approach to English listening teaching in high school. The author points out that the task-based theory can obviously facilitate English listening teaching in Senior High School. Therefore, in the process of teaching it is necessary to make full use of the theory and strengthen students' listening practice step by step in a planned way so as to improve the students' listening competence. What's more, the author puts forward several suggestions for further study and research.