An Analysis Of Junior Textbooks Based On The Task-based Language Teaching Theory

Teaching materials, are the links and the ligaments of teachers and students and are the carriers for teachers to organize language teaching and for students to obtain knowledge. Since our country issued the new English Curriculum Reform, there have appeared various English teaching materials in different areas. So it is crucial and necessary to choose the most suitable teaching materials for local schools and students. A suitable and reasonable English teaching material can not only help students to master and acquire language knowledge, have a better understanding of English country culture, but also promote to form an open and receiving character, form the consciousness and the ability of cross-cultural communication and finally build up correct values and humanistic quality. Go for it,published by People’s Education Press, adopts Task-Based Language Teaching theory, combining topics and tasks and to train students’ communicative competence and language structure gradually by setting up a series of tasks and language learning process from easy to hard. Combining the new English Curriculum Standard issued by ministry of Education, Go for it has been rearranged and increased the review part, cultural background knowledge and learning strategies. Besides, it increases task-based learning and discourse input and output.The thesis analyzes the Go for it based on Task-Based Language Teaching theory. Firstly, the thesis reviews the developmental background, definitions and studies of the Task-Based Language Teaching theory. Secondly, the thesis discusses the theoretical support: language acquisition theory,psycho-linguistics and the new English Curriculum Standard. Thirdly, the thesis puts forward three research questions. 1)How does Go for it conform to the principles of the Task-Based Language Teaching approach? 2) In what way, is Go for it in accordance with the New English Curriculum Standard? 3) To what degree do teachers follow the Task-Based Language Teaching principles in using Go for it?According to the textbooks analysis, classroom observation and interview analysis, we come to the conclusion that the English teaching material Go for it reflects the principles of the TBLT theory and is in accordance with the national curriculum standard. The teaching material sets up different topics and gives students different tasks so that students can learn language by using and experiencing language.Besides, Go for it pays attention to students’ communicative function and language knowledge structure.By leading students to use language to do things, Go for it emphasizes the language practicalcompetence and language ability. However, there are still some disadvantages in this series of textbooks.Such as, some of the tasks are not suitable for local students to implement, some of the reading materials contain a lot of new vocabulary and do not provide systematic words learning methods.Therefore, teachers should adjust teaching methods flexibly in classroom so that they can realize the teaching goals to the largest degree.