A Study On The Application Of Multimedia In English Teaching Among Art Majors

With the widespread application of the computer and the rapid development of the multimedia technology, Computer-Assisted Language Learning for English becomes a hot teaching model. When many Chinese colleges and universities are undertaking English teaching reforms and explorations aiming at cultivating students’integrated English language competence and strengthening their independent learning ability, the English teaching among art majors which is part of English teaching is usually neglected. The English teaching for art majors has been put a dilemma of marginalization. Taking their low level and motivation of English and their special thinking style and learning strategy into consideration, we should also adopt a new English teaching model among art majors so as to improve their English to meet the needs of CET syllabus.Based on the art majors’ special group personalities such as extroversion, vividity, being easy to accept new things, strong sense of participation and its unique thinking style such as "concreteness", "intuitiveness", "imagination", "creativity", and the features and advantages of the multimedia technology such as authentic language, interesting and multiple learning materials and learner-centered approach, this thesis tries to probe into the application of multimedia in English teaching among art majors and prove its effectiveness by the experimental research so as to offer some implications on practical teaching and meanwhile inspire future research.Taking the textbook College English for Art Students which is designed especially for art majors as the experimental textbook and 112 students majoring in Graphic Design and Animation Design in Engineering and Technology College, Hubei University of Technology as the participants, a one-and-half-year teaching experiment is conducted with one experimental group and one controlled group and with the instruments of language proficiency tests, questionnaires and interview. On the basis of the analysis of comparisons of pretests and posttests of experimental group and controlled group, pre-questionnaires and post-questionnaires of them and the interview of experimental group, the significance is obvious.The thesis concludes that the application of multimedia in English classroom activities among art majors can swift the traditional English teaching into dynamic, attractive and personalized one in the authentic and relaxing language environment; the maximizing participation contributes to art majors’participation satisfaction and the improvement of their self-respect. On account of the characters of art majors such as extroversion, vivaciousness, intense desire for participation, strong self-esteem and sensibility, the advantages of the multimedia can make English learning among art majors more meaningful and interesting, and thus improve art majors’ English competence and foster their interest, attitudes, self-confidence and self-learning abilities.