A Study On The Current Situation Of The Application Of TBLT In English Teaching Of Junior Middle Schools Of Rural-urban Fringe

Task-based Language Teaching has been implemented in middle schools in China for over a dozen years.Many scholars and English teachers have conducted researches and practiced on TBLT.However,these researches are usually conducted in urban schools and there are few researches on the application of TBLT in middle schools in rural-urban fringe.For this reason,the author selected No.36 Middle School students and teachers as the research objects,based on the literature concerning the definition of TBLT,the principles of task design,the author attempts to discover the current situation of applying TBLT in rural-urban middle schools.The research methods she used in the study include questionnaires,classroom observations and interviews.The research questions are as follows:1)What's the present situation of applying TBLT in English classes in middle schools in rural-urban fringe? 2)What are the factors for problems existing in the application of TBLT in junior middle school English classes in rural-urban fringe? 3)What countermeasures can be taken to solve these problems?Through the analysis of results in questionnaires,classroom observations and interviews,the major findings are listed as follows:First,some teachers in No.36 Middle School have vague ideas of the definition and designing principles of TBLT.Therefore,their abilities to design a task and to operate it are inadequate;secondly,most students in No.36 Middle School have bad learning attitudes or weak learning ability,as a result,they are not actively participated involved in participating tasks;thirdly,although most teachers and students believe TBLT has aroused students' learning interest,there are no obvious improvement in students' grades.There are several factors for these problems.First of all,the teachers' comprehensive quality is not high enough,they lack the initiative to learn teaching theories,and the schools and educational departments also fail to provided teachers with adequate training and continual education in TBLT;next,the current entrance exam system may be in conflict with TBLT.According to the interview,the current teaching content and exams are both too difficult,students need to go to after-school classes to get good grades,but most students in rural-urban middle schools never go to after-school classes;thirdly,the students' family background in rural-urban fringe is too complex,causing many students' problem behaviors in class.In order to solve these problems,the author tried to make some practical suggestions.First,teachers' overall qualities need to be improved comprehensively.Schools and educational departments should regularly organize activities like the race course or demonstration classes,then teachers can learn from each other in these activities;secondly,the schools and educational departments are expected to strengthen teachers' professional training and strive for continual education for them;thirdly,with the development of the economy,the author hopes that the government can pay more attention to people in rural-urban fringe and further narrow the gap between rural and urban areas;the last,English teachers should create a good atmosphere of English learning through various forms for students.Hopefully,in a relaxed and happy atmosphere,students will improve their interest in learning English and develop their body and mind.