Font Size: a A A

A Study On Applying Scaffolding Instruction Theory To The Classroom EFL Reading Of Junior Middle SchoolStudents

Posted on:2016-10-23Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:J LiFull Text:PDF
GTID:2297330464473194Subject:Subject teaching
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
English reading is a necessary part of comprehensive English competence, and it is also a basic part of English learning. Classroom EFL reading is so crucial in junior middle schools that to improve students’reading competence is definitely one of the objectives of English teaching in junior middle schools. The New Curriculum Standard lays a great emphasis that English reading is of supreme importance, but the current situation of classroom EFL reading is not satisfactory. Hence, there is a necessity that we should place great value upon the teaching of English reading. In the advocated and idealized students-centered reading class, teachers are expected to seek an effective way to train their students and stimulate them to be engaged in English reading in order to instruct them to cultivate a strong English reading competence.We intend to conduct an experiment which lasts for an academic semester and apply the scaffolding instruction theory to the teaching of English reading for the 30 students from the experimental class of the Grade 8 in Hangzhou Qingtai Experimental School. We base our conclusion upon quantitative data and qualitative analysis.We aim to answer the following two major questions:(1) Can classroom EFL reading be based on scaffolding instruction theory? If it is possible, will students’interest and initiative in English reading improve to a certain extent and will their spirit of cooperation enhance to a certain degree?(2) In terms of students’ English reading competence, is there any significant difference between the controlled class which is taught with the traditional teaching method for English reading and the experimental class which is taught with the application of scaffolding instruction theory to classroom EFL reading?Data analysis is based upon the pre-experiment and post-experiment questionnaires which we have invited the 60 students from both the CC and the EC to fill in and the results of both the pre-experiment test and post-experiment test whose contents are the reading comprehensions of the two final examinations organized by the educational bureau of Shangcheng District.Eventually, conclusions are naturally drawn and listed as follows. Classroom EFL reading can be based on scaffolding instruction theory. Because of its application, the interest and confidence of students in the learning of English reading from the experimental class has improved. Besides, their initiative and autonomy in the learning of English reading has enhanced, and their spirit of cooperation has been strengthened. After the experiment, we find that the English reading competence of the EC is much stronger than that of the CC. Since the scaffolding instruction theory has been carried out only for a single semester, it is not long enough to prove the effectiveness of this teaching approach. The number of participants is small, so is the scale of the study. Thus, it may affect the validity of the conclusion to some extent.
Keywords/Search Tags:Scaffolding instruction theory, the learning of English reading, interest, initiative, autonomy, confidence, the spirit of cooperation
PDF Full Text Request
Related items