An Investigation Into The Inlfuence Of "Shadow Teacher" Training On English Teaching Style In Junior High Schools

To match the junior high school English teaching development, the curriculum reformrequires the English teaching style to be adjusted, optimized and transformed. It advocatessome new English teaching styles, including autonomy, cooperation and inquiry, etc. Aqualified English teacher should not only possess the solid professional English knowledge,but also have proper teaching styles and know how to implement them. To improve theirteaching styles, English teachers should know the relevant theories and put them into theteaching practice.“Shadow teacher” training makes the trainee English teachers follow the trainersupervisors closely like their shadows, and prepare lessons, observe classes, evaluate a class,give a lesson and comment on lectures, etc. in the real teaching environment. It overcomesthe problems of the traditional English teacher training in China, provides a platform ofteaching practice for the trainee English teachers and guides them to improve their teachingstyles theoretically and practically.Based on National Teacher Training Program2013—the project of the replacement ofthe rural teachers of Hebei Province, the author investigates the influence of “shadowteacher” training on English teaching style in junior high schools. Eighty-five Englishteachers in junior high schools of Hebei Province were trained as “shadow teachers” in onemonth. The author partook in the training management. The research first reviews therelevant literature of English teaching style in junior high schools and “shadow teacher”training. Then, based on Constructivism Theory and Adult Learning Theory, the thesis adoptssome instruments, including two questionnaires, classroom observation, and an interview tocarry out the research. The thesis investigates the current situation and main problems ofEnglish teaching style in junior high schools. Next, it observes and analyzes the naturalclassroom teaching of the trainee English teachers before and after the training to find out thechange of their teaching styles. Then, it interviews the trainee English teachers about theirnew teaching styles in practice after they go back to their own schools. In addition, itanalyzes the influence of “shadow teacher” training on English teaching style and the existing problems. The data analysis proves that “shadow teacher” training has a positive effecton English teaching style in junior high schools. It helps English teachers to improve theirEnglish teaching styles and improve their teaching qualities.