The Application Of Context Theory To The English Grammar Teaching In Senior Middle Schools

Grammar teaching is an important and necessary part to improve students’ learning ability. It is known that the traditional grammar teaching methods regard grammar as the rules which are isolated from the real context. As a result,weak learning interest and monotonous grammar learning strategies lead to unsatisfactory teaching effect.Malinowsk(1923) firstly puts forwards the term “context”, he proposes that grammatical forms are closely related with its context. In order to improve the efficiency of grammar teaching, the research applies context theory to the grammar teaching in senior middle schools, that is, different contexts are set by teachers so that students can perceive and learn grammar well.This study goes from the following aspects:First, does English grammar teaching based on context theory have a positive effect on students’ grammar learning strategies?Second, does English grammar teaching based on context theory have a positive effect on the grammatical cohesive ability?Third, does English grammar teaching based on context theory promote students’ grammar achievements?The participants were 91 students in Grade 2 in Lingyuan No.2 Senior Middle School. There were two classes in this experiment: Class 1 is assigned as experimental class, and Class 5 as control class. Students in experimental class receive the grammar teaching based on context theory, while students in control class traditional grammar teaching method. The research applied quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the data from questionnaires, grammar tests and interviewby SPSS11.5.The analysis indicates as follows:Firstly, the grammar teaching based on context theory has a positive effect on the students’ grammar learning strategies. The students make great progress in the use of meta-cognitive strategies, cognitive strategies and the resource management strategies.Secondly, the grammar teaching based on context theory proves that the students have a significant improvement in cohesive ability. Students can use more grammatical cohesion devices correctly.Thirdly, grammar teaching based on context theory improves students’ grammar achievements, and promotes English proficiency.Generally speaking, the grammar teaching based on context theory is feasible and valid. The grammar teaching based on context theory is better than the traditional teaching method. This study also enlightens the teachers to change their teaching concept in design of class teaching method in order to enrich students’ grammar learning strategies.