A Study Of Reflective Teaching In Senior High School English Reading Instruction In The Context Of The New Curriculum Reform

The reflective teaching, in short, is a self observation and evaluation process in which teachers reflect on their teaching contents, teaching methods, teaching strategies, teaching concept, teaching process, students’performance and other aspects of teaching to enhance their teaching quality. Since the concept of reflective thoughts proposed by Dewey was introduced to the field of education, the practice of reflective teaching has developed very quickly, which reflects the value and significance of reflective teaching in some sense. In the new English curriculum standard, teaching reflection is considered as "a core element for teachers’ professional growth and personal development". The new curriculum reform attaches great importance to teaching reflection, because teaching reflection is taken as a useful means to the formation and development of teachers’reflective consciousness and ability. Therefore, the author thinks that the reflective teaching is of great significance for English reading teaching and students’ability.It is safe to say that reading occupies an important place in foreign language learning. Reading is an essential skill for EFL students; and for most learners, reading is the most important skill required to master. In the actual reading teaching, the quality and effect of reading teaching is still far from satisfaction, and the students’reading ability has to be improved further. And the national curriculum lays a special emphasis on developing students’reading ability. Combining the author’s personal experience, the author thinks that reflective teaching is consistent with the concept of teaching reflection advocated in the new curriculum reform. In consideration of this, this thesis aims to investigate the current situation of reflective teaching in senior high school, the problems in reflective teaching as well as relevant countermeasures in order to help English teachers, expecting to improve reading instruction. Therefore, this thesis tries to answer the following questions:(1) what’s the present situation of reflective teaching in senior high school English reading instruction?(2) How to apply the reflective teaching into English reading instruction more effectively?The theoretical framework adopted in this study is based on meta-cognition and constructivism. Two research designs are employed in this study:quantitative and qualitative designs. For quantitative part, a questionnaire is designed. Participants are55English teachers from five senior high schools at different level.50pieces of valid questionnaire were collected and analyzed by SPSS17.0. For qualitative part, interviews were made to further analyze the questions presented in questionnaires. Five teachers were chosen as the interviewees.The following results are obtained from the analysis of the data and information:First, as far as the current English reading teaching is concerned, the reflective consciousness of English teachers in senior high schools is not strong though most teachers have the reflective consciousness, because the atmosphere of reflective teaching is not strong enough and teachers’teaching conception is not changed thoroughly. Besides, their reflective methods are single and their understanding of reflection is very shallow.Second, among the teachers interviewed, those with master degree have a deeper understanding and also implement the reflective teaching better than others. Most of them have received the theoretical education about the new curriculum reform and teaching theories, and also they can accept new things and new theories very fast, so their reflective consciousness and ability are relatively strong.This study suggests that, to further implement the reflective teaching in English reading teaching, the following measures should be taken:First, schools should create an external environment conducive to the reflective teaching of English teachers in senior high school, including1) establishing a reasonable management system for teachers’teaching;2) creating a reasonable appraisal system for teachers’development;3) building up comfortable teaching reflection environment and harmonious interpersonal relationship;4) carrying out proper and effective teaching and research activities.Second, English teachers in senior high school should improve their reflective consciousness and ability. As only through the internal factors can a good external environment works, English teachers in senior high schools should improve their reflective consciousness; develop their own reflective interest; broaden reflective ways; and flexibly use reflective strategies.