A Study On College English Classroom Teaching And Learning Environment

Our society has set very high standards for English learners. In this situation, how can college English teaching meet the needs of English learners has become an urgent problem. In China, students generally lack a natural learning environment, so that English class is the major channel for language input. Many studies have showed classroom environment have a strong effect on students’ academic achievement. Therefore, to make good use of College English class time and create a positive classroom environment is of great significance. However, most studies are conducted in primary schools and middle schools at present, studies about university classroom environment are relatively weak, let alone college English classroom psychosocial environment. Accordingly, the basic reason for the present study is to provide an objective description of college English classroom psychosocial environment and finally come up with some implications both for teaching and learning. The study is distinctive in aspects that it is one of the few empirical studies of college English classroom environment and it mainly attempts to explore the psychosocial classroom environment.The study was conducted among 94 valid student-version questionnaires and 15 teacher-version questionnaires, with subjects from Wenzhou University and Wenzhou Medical College. The questionnaire in this present study was a modified questionnaire combining WIHIC with CUCEI. Besides, interviews and ten classroom observations had been followed as a supplement to the study. Descriptive statistic analysis and independent t-test in SPSS 13.0 were applied to analyze the data obtained from the questionnaires and the class observation scales.Major findings of the study are listed as follows:1. Generally speaking, college students are content with their classroom psychosocial environment. Although students think teachers do not support them effectively and assign tasks very clearly. Besides, they are not satisfied with their involvement in the class at all.2. Teachers have a more positive perception of the classroom psychosocial environment than students do. Teachers think they have given students adequate support in the classroom, but they are also not satisfied with students’ involvement in the classroom. 3. The finding from the observations and interviews is in agreement with that from the questionnaires in some aspects. It also can be found that students do not highly involve in the class and cooperate very well with their classmates.The major findings give some inspiration to the teaching and learning in the class. First, it is to increase teachers’ support. Second, it is to enhance students’ involvement in the classroom. Teachers should learn to motivate students more effectively. The last but not the least is to create a safe classroom environment by making students’ affective filter down.