An Experimental Research On English Grammar Teaching Based On Situated Cognitive Theory In Grade One Of Senior High Schools

Grammar teaching has been a subject of much controversy in senior middleschool English teaching in China for a long time. The following questions havepuzzled many teachers. Should grammar be taught? What is a more appropriate wayto teach grammar? How to improve the students’ linguistic competence? Traditionally,grammatical knowledge is seen as the most important factor so that formal instructionof grammar is regarded as the objective of English language teaching, but itcompletely neglects the students’ ability of using language. To solve such problems,we should explore the patterns of grammar teaching in certain situations, for thepurpose of cultivating learners’ practical application ability. The introduction ofSituational Cognitive Theory (SCT) has a great influence on grammar teaching.Compared with traditional grammar teaching modes, situation-based grammarteaching can better stimulate students’ interest in learning English, change students’attitude towards learning English, and improve students’ comprehensive ability ofusing language. In this way, students can share thoughts and feelings in a relativelyactual situation by applying certain grammar knowledge.In English grammar teaching of grade one in senior high school, teachers oftenspend most of their time and effort on the grammar teaching, making students rarelyhave a chance to speak in class. Teachers should combine language forms andfunctions in real communication situations to enable the students to grasp the contentof grammatical rules and to apply grammatical knowledge to solve practical problems.It can help change the inefficiency of English language teaching in Chinese situationsso as to achieve a more efficient teaching goal: language use competence. The authorconducts the empirical research in the attributive clause teaching that is based on thesituated cognition theory. The study will prove the feasibility and efficiency of thesituation-based grammar teaching by questionnaire, experimental method, classobservation and interview. The results of the data analysis indicate that designingvivid and interesting situation in grammar teaching can fully mobilize students’ enthusiasm and initiative in grammar learning. Meanwhile, it also can help studentsobserve and induce the grammar rules in certain situations; grammar teaching in classbased on situated cognition theory naturally integrates the four basic skills, such asreading, writing, listening and speaking, which improves the accuracy of the students’English speaking and writing.The thesis covers some basic concepts of grammar and grammar teaching, statusof grammar teaching in grade one of senior high school and requirements from NewCurriculum Standard. The first part introduces the background, purpose, significanceof the study. The second part firstly elaborates the definition, importance andtheoretical foundation of the situational grammar teaching, then introduces grammarteaching and the principles and strategies of designing situation in English grammarteaching in senior high schools. The third part mainly introduces empirical researchmethods. In the end, the author makes a conclusion, reflects the limitations of theresearch and gives some suggestions to the future research.