A Study On Applying Multi-modal PPT In Senior High School English Teaching

With the rapid growth of information technology, the application of teachingmedia becomes more and more popular in Foreign Language Teaching. As a matter offact, during the process of teaching, teachers do not only choose the blackboard, cards,pictures, the radio, but also monitors, over-projectors and PPT. Over the past decades,Multi-Modal Teaching has been widely researched at home and abroad. Kress&VanLeeuwen mainly focused on Multi-Modal Discourse Analysis, types of multi-modal,and the relationship between the media and modals,etc. Hu Zhuanglin and Gu Yueguoare scholars who also did research on multi-modal. For example, Hu Zhuanglin applieddiscourse analysis to the discussion of multi-modal construction of meaning, referringto PPT design. He insists that language is the main modal to convey meaning, whilethe power of PPT lies in the application of acoustics and pictures to convey meaning.In this essay, we focus on the application of Multi-Modal PPT in a senior school,which combines with Multi-Modal Learning Theory, Input Enhancement Theory andCognitive Load Theory. We mainly adopt the following methods: sample analysis,questionnaire survey and empirical approach. The former two methods aim to answerthe following two questions: what attitude do the teachers and students’ hold towardsmaking and applying Multi-Modal PPT? what problems exist in the making and usingof Multi-Modal PPT?Empirical approach aims to reveal whether the application ofMulti-Modal PPT has something to do with students’ performance, such as their scoresand interests in learning, etc. Besides, we have reviewed the PPT made by the teachers.According to data collected from sample analysis, questionnaire survey andempirical approach, we draw some conclusions. Firstly, both teachers and students arefond of the Multi-Modal PPT in class. But students are not very satisfied with thecurrent Multi-Modal PPT made by the teachers. Secondly, although they are not adeptat making PPT, teachers can use PPT appropriately. Majority of teachers are only goodat dealing with texts and pictures, but do not know how to use video or radio in PPT.Thirdly, the Multi-Modal PPT does not have much to do with scores, but does motivatestudents’ positive attitude towards learning. Fourthly, there are some advantages in applying PPT and disadvantages in PPT design. Advantages:(1) Students’ interest inlearning is aroused.(2) The atmosphere is invigorated.(3) Less time is in writing onthe blackboard.(4) Facilitate oral English learning. Disadvantages:(1) Students cannot catch focal and difficult points quickly.(2) Colors are not used appropriately.(3)Multi-Modal is not fully explored.This research suggests that there are two things that the teachers should thinkabout. One is how Multi-Modal PPT should be used in senior English teaching; theother is how to use the blackboard, textbook and PPT together to achieve perfecteffects of teaching. It can not be concluded that teaching media is better than anyoneelse. What can be said is that teaching media is more suitable in this context. Therefore,when choosing teaching media, teachers should take teaching aims, teaching contentand teaching objects into considerations.