Action Research On Improving Junior High School Students' English Reading Proficiency Based On Discourse Analysis

Reading,as one of the most direct and effective input in language learning,is a means for students to acquire information,learn language knowledge,improve cultural awareness and cultivate thinking abilities.As one of the four basic skills in English learning,reading is critical in English teaching.In English teaching in junior high schools,English reading teaching has been important and difficult for English teachers.Taking into consideration of inefficient reading classes and students' lack of discourse skills,the research is intended to improve students' reading proficiency by teaching English reading based on discourse analysis.The approaches of discourse analysis adopted in reading classes are context,genre,discourse pattern,and cohesion,which are chosen based on Schema Theory and Cohesion Theory.Action research is employed in the research and the research questions are as follows:1)What effects does reading teaching based on discourse analysis have on junior high school students' English reading performances?2)Does reading teaching based on discourse analysis have a positive impact on junior high school students' reading skills?Participants in this research are 38 Grade Three students in a class of a junior school in Guangzhou.The research lasts for 14 weeks and contains two cycles.In the first cycle,discourse knowledge and skills are incorporated into the reading teaching of the text book-Oxford English 9B.Students are led to predict and perceive contents of texts based on context,to comprehend texts from macro-level and micro-level by learning to analyze genres,discourse patterns,and cohesion of texts.In the second cycle,students put knowledge and skills of discourse analysis into practice by analyzing texts of four common genres: narrative stories,scientific expository texts,historical stories,and practical texts.The reading materials were chosen from 2016 Guidance Book for Guangzhou Junior High School Students' Academic Tests(English).Instruments used in the research include tests,questionnaires and interviews.Three reading tests(a pre-test,a periodical test,a post-test)are carried out to assess whether students have made progress in reading performances and in what aspects they have made progress.The two questionnaires are conducted to compare students' changes in using reading skills.Three interviews are mainly aimed to find out students' attitudes towards reading teaching based on discourse analysis and their problems in reading.Based on the research process and data analysis,the main results of the action research are as follow:1.English reading teaching based on discourse analysis can effectively improve junior high school students' reading performances in the test types of detailed information,inference,main ideas,ordering,structure and cohesion.2.English reading teaching based on discourse analysis can improve junior high school students' reading skills,especially discourse skills.Based on analysis and discussion,a conclusion is drawn that reading teaching based on discourse analysis can effectively improve students' reading proficiency.This teaching mode can provide implications for English reading teaching in junior high schools.