A Case Study Of English Gap-filling Test In Senior High Schools:Common Problems And Teaching Strategies

Based on the requirement to strengthen the subjective items in Curriculum Standards, the paper of Fujian Matriculation English Test first introduced gap-filling test item in 2009, and improved it partly in 2014. Full of subjectivity, flexibility and integrity, this test item reflects objectively whether students can master the vocabulary and comprehend the context, thus reflects their real comprehensive language ability. However, according to the examination results over the years, we find that the average scoring is low. Aimed at this problem, the author conducts a series of research, analysis and exploration. First, this paper introduces the overall characteristics as well as the characteristics of gap-filling test item in Fujian Matriculation English Test over the past five years in detail, elaborates the formation and the development of gap-filling test item, and summarizes the theoretical foundation of gap-filling test item. Then, it analyzes some common mistakes students made in doing the gap-filling test, and finally comes up with some solutions to gap-filling test and a series of corresponding teaching strategies and suggestions.The innovation of this paper consists in the efficient guidance for students to go out of the traditional way to solve gap-filling test item on the basis of the detailed analyses of the characteristics of the local gap-filling test item and the students’common problems. Moreover, it provides effective solutions and corresponding teaching strategies and suggestions.Based on the careful observation in the teaching process and the students’ performances both in the class and in their daily homework and the detailed analysis of their test papers and the questionnaire survey, the author finds that the most common problems for students are the vocabulary deficiency and shortage of organic combination of vocabulary, grammar and text. In order to better these questions, the author adopts some methods in the teaching process as follows:(1) paying more attention to let students get a good habit of reading, such as reading the text through, rereading and checking the text again; meanwhile, training students to take four steps to choose a proper word for each blank, such as confirming the meaning, deciding the appropriate word, using the correct part of the speech and locating the exact form; (2) improving their vocabulary studies, reducing the negative transfer from mother language to the greatest extent and strengthen their awareness to choose a right word based on grammar; (3) choosing a large variety of gap-filling text materials on the basis of the teaching materials, then adapting them properly. We find that students can do much better in solving the gap-filling with the help of the methods mentioned above.