A Study Of The Effectiveness Of English Assignments In High Schools

The overall goal of English teaching in the high school stage is to cultivatestudents to have the comprehensive ability of using language. The ability of usingcomprehensive language forms on the base of the integral development of students’language skills, knowledge of the language, emotional attitude, learning strategy andthe awareness of culture. In order to help students achieve the above requirements ofthe curricula objectives, according to their cognitive level and age characteristics,teachers need to carry on the related language training, for example designing variousand rich assignments for them, and evaluating assignments diversely. Englishassignment is a very important part of English teaching in senior high schools, and avery important way of learning for students in and out of class as well. The designingof English assignments is an essential part of planning the teaching. The reason whythe author studies this topic is that the actual condition of assignment in Englishteaching in senior high schools is far from being satisfactory. Not enough importancehas been attached to the designing of assignments, not as much as is the case with theplanning for classroom teaching, and has even been seriously ignored. The design andevaluation of English assignments become an area untouched in English teaching andseldom is the effectiveness of English assignment researched on. This essay is anattempt to probe into this field through the study of the theory and practice of theEnglish assignment in high schools. This essay aims to discuss how to improve thedesign and evaluation of the high school English assignments, explore how toinnovatively design and carry out high school English assignments, and improve theeffectiveness of the English assignments.Firstly, the author makes an analysis of the background of the research, pointingout the problems existing in the process of the design, implementation and evaluationof the English assignments in high schools. These problems have had a great impacton the effectiveness of English assignments, weakening the quality and efficiency ofstudents’learning. After that, the key concepts in this thesis are defined. Secondly, this thesis reviews the relevant literature. This essay has absorbed andlearned the advanced education theory, and introduced constructivism and task-basedlanguage teaching theory in English assignment. The reform of the Englishassignment is constructed on the base of scientific theory.Thirdly, on the base of the investigation of English assignments in the highschool, this essay analyzes some prominent problems in the students’awareness of theassignments, the teachers’design of the assignment pattern and content and also in theevaluation of English assignments. A critical look at these problems with regard toassignment in a teacher’s practice helps to prove the importance of the study.Fourthly, this thesis discusses the principles and the strategies of designingEnglish assignments, according to the requirements of the English teaching. Thedesigning of English assignments should be based on the development of students andbe centered on how to improve students’study, aiming at lightening the studying loadon their shoulders. So the essay proposes that when designing assignments teachersshould pay attention to hierarchy, diversity, interest, innovation and humane. Only inthis way, can it be possible to improve the efficiency of students’assignments.Meanwhile, the questions about how to adopt new evaluation concept and whatprinciples and methods are for evaluating the English assignments are also discussed.Finally, the results of the research of high school English assignments’effectiveness are also briefly discussed, and the research is reflected. In a sort of sense,the study focuses on the practical application in teaching practice, not just on thetheory. There still exist many deficiencies to be further inspected and perfected in theteaching practice.In conclusion, the author expects to find a scientific and reasonable assignmentdesign for high school English teachers according to different situations of students.Also the author hopes this study can provide a certain basis and offer some experienceand reference to senior English teachers in designing their assignments scientifically.There are still some problems to be solved, which will be the further project for theauthor to undertake.