Investigation On Middle School Teachers' Mediation In English Teaching

The publishing of English Curriculum Standards of Compulsory Education(2011)means the higher requirements on English teaching in middle school.New curriculum goal points out that teachers should not only function as the organizer,the guide and transmitter of knowledge in the teaching process,but also as the mediators in students' learning.The author makes a case study on English teachers and students in Affiliated Middle School of Henan Normal University in order to find current situation of teachers' practice on mediation and existing problems,so as to put forward teaching suggestions.The author takes Feuerstein's mediation theory as a cutting point,and conducts this investigation on the basis of Constructivism Learning Theory,Social Interaction Theory and Humanism Theory,attempting to solve the following questions:(1)What is the current situation of teachers' mediation in English teaching? What are the existing problems?(2)What are English teachers' and students' opinions on teachers' mediation?(3)What can we do to improve teacher's role of mediator in the English teaching?Firstly,the author makes 30 classroom observations to find current situation of teachers' practice on mediation and existing problems.Secondly,through questionnaires on 15 teachers and 120 students,the author can find out teachers' and students' views on mediation.Finally,through interviewing 15 teachers,the author gets teachers' views on specific features of mediation,and puts forward corresponding teaching suggestions.The results show that:(1)English teachers can practice mediation to a large extent,students do well in “shared intention”,“goal-setting” and “sharing”.But there still exist problems in “purpose beyond here and now”,“individuality” and “challenge” in actual classroom teaching.(2)Most English teachers and students have positive attitudes towards teachers' mediation,teachers generally consider “shared intention”,“sharing”,and “sense of competence” as the most important ones,while students hold that “belonging”,” sense of competence”,and “shared intention” should be the most important ones.(3)With a view to improving teachers' mediation in English teaching,Teachers should strengthenprofessional quality,improve teaching methods,communicate better with students,and adjust teaching plans to improve teaching efficiency.Through this study,we hold that school authority and relevant education sectors should improve middle school teachers' practice on mediation.After all,teaching a man fishing is more important than giving him fish.