A Research On The Relationship Between Teacher Talk And Students' English Learning Anxiety

Affective teaching has been greatly emphasized in the new curriculum standard.However,there are no effective measures for middle school teachers to take when they are facing the pressure from test-oriented education.This research focuses on connection between students' learning anxiety and teacher talk(TT),trying to find a method that is easy-to-apply and practical in carrying out affective teaching in senior middle school.One of the functions of teacher talk is to impart knowledge to learners.Many researches have been done on this by scholars at home and abroad.The other function of teacher talk is its interpersonal function,which is closely linked to learners' anxiety.These two major functions interweave and complement each other.They are the two inseparable aspects of effective teacher talk.This study proceeds from the interpersonal function of teacher talk,and focuses on the relationship between teacher talk and students' learning anxiety.The research questions are as follows:1)What is the relationship between teacher talk and students' learning anxiety?2)What are the impacting factors of effective teacher talk?3)What are the suggestions on improving the effectiveness of teacher talk?To find out the answers to the research questions,a study is conducted in a middle school in Longling.The subjects are students in two classes in senior one and their English teachers.The information is collected through the observation of classroom,interviews as well as questionnaire.The exploration of the information has shown a lot of findings that are summed up below.1)Teacher talk has a close relationship with students' learning anxiety.Positive and encouraging teacher talk can reduce their learning anxiety in learning English.On the contrary,harsh and criticizing words will make students have worries,thus they don't dare to take risks in language learning.2)In accordance with the characteristics of middle school students,teachers should integrate their caring on students' affect into teacher talk.No matter teachershave communications with students in the class or out of class,they should try their best to use more encouraging,caring,respective,understanding and fair words.In doing so,the effectiveness of teacher talk can be improved.Teacher talk can ultimately reduce their learning anxiety.Based on these findings,some suggestions are given on how to improve the effectiveness of teacher talk by using the relationship between teacher talk and students' anxiety.These suggestions are expected to be helpful in teaching practice.Every EFL teacher has to face the reality of how to meet the requirements on affective teaching in the new curriculum.This study is expected to shed some light on affective teaching in middle school in China.