An Application Of Inquiry-based Learning To English Reading In Senior High School

As we all know reading comprehension plays an irreplaceable role in English teaching for a long time. It is not only a significant way for students to acquire all sorts of information, but also an effective method for students to improve their language competence and professional skills. In a word, reading is a high-efficient method to promote students’comprehensive quality. With the newly proposed curriculum reform, Nine Years of Compulsory Education English Curriculum Standard (2001) puts forward higher requirements on English reading teaching. English reading is no longer dominated by inflexible teaching modes, but constantly adjusts to meet the requirement and development of students. English reading class should be designed according to students’real situation. First of all, establish reasonable three-dimensional targets to stimulate students’ curiosity and interest in reading. Secondly, help students form good learning habits so as to enhance their self-confidence. Students are able to improve their overall language proficiency continuously in this happy learning process as well. Finally, consciously cultivate students’ awareness of cooperation and exploring ability so that they have courage to bring forth innovative ideas and will to practice. As English teaching devotes considerable attention to reading comprehension on one side while it to be at a standstill on the other side, the author attempts to use Inquiry-based Learning mode to guide English reading teaching based on the present situation.As a new instructional theory and strategic system, IBL is different from the stereotype accepted teaching mode. Inquiry-based Learning characterized by self-exploration learning and group cooperation research as its main forms, it breaks the passive learning situation of the students and reverses the long-standing teacher-centered English reading classroom situation. In such a learning atmosphere, students can ask questions actively and try to elaborately analyze the problem under the guidance of teacher in an active way, seek an approach to tackle the problem and come to a final conclusion through repeated verification. In such a virtuous cycle process, the students’independent problem-solving ability and practical capability will be greatly improved. In addition, in the process of inquiry-based cooperative learning, the division of labor is clear-cut, each student being charge with specific responsibilities and they are pleased to work together under the guidance of clear objectives, which results in coordination and cooperation to ensure the orderly conduct of exploration activities. This will not only enhance students’team spirit but also provide more communication platforms for them. Therefore, students can learn from each other and achieve common progress in the learning process.In order to verify the superiority of IBL mentioned above and examine the feasibility and effectiveness on applying IBL in senior high school English reading teaching, the author carries out an IBL experiment for four months, which comprises two interrelated aspects:(1) How to use the Inquiry-based Learning mode in the teaching process?(2) Whether reading teaching under the guidance of IBL mode is beneficial to improve students’reading levels? With the above questions, the author makes the following analysis:Firstly, the author grasps the general situation of experimental class and the control class in reading comprehension through the questionnaire survey, including students’reading habits, reading attitude, reading objective and some prevailing problems that exists in reading comprehension as well as reading strategies and skills students uses when deal with the reading materials. Secondly, the author implements a pre-test before the experiment and a post-test at the end of semester in the experimental class (EC) and the control lass (CC). By analyzing the experimental data and comparing the results, the author finds that there exists a remarkable difference in the experimental class before and after the experiment while control class almost gets no progress in English reading. Finally, the author chooses some representatives in the experimental class and conducts an interview; the author then draws a corresponding conclusion in accordance with the analysis of the interview.Research result shows that by applying IBL in English reading teaching, teacher and students can better position their own in the process of teaching and learning, which is good for them to build up a friendly and harmonious relationship; students change from competitors into partners for they have the inclination to interact actively, a sense of team spirit and cooperation of them are cultivated at the same time; once students have independent space to think and enough opportunities to explore, their autonomous learning ability can be effectively improved; students do not passively accept the ready-made answers any more, but to obtain genuine knowledge with their own analysis and validation. According to the relevant researches abroad and at home, the author mainly adopts the experimental method to explore the influential and promotional role of IBL mode in senior high school English reading. By applying5E’s Learning Cycle (Engagement; Exploration; Explanation; Elaboration and Evaluation) in English reading class, the author continually discovers the existing problems and adjusts the teaching strategies to ensure the validity and reliability of the research. It aims at building up a new, student-oriented and an effective English reading teaching mode in senior high school so that teacher and students can break the shackles of the traditional teaching mode and benefit from IBL mode with a scientific attitude.The results of the study have the following implications for teaching and learning: in the process of IBL, teachers should withdraw their authority and change roles to assist students in time; students should constantly practice so as to improve their practical ability; educators should explore unceasingly in order to exert the advantages of the IBL in English reading teaching to the maximum.