An Empirical Study On Teaching The School-Based English Curriculum Of American-Drama-Supportd Listening And Speaking In Junior High Schools

After several rounds of curriculum reform,the three-level administration system has been set up:national curriculum,distinct curriculum and school-based curriculum.English as an essential subject serves as an important medium to culture communication.Yet due to time limit and exam stress,schools and teachers give priority to cultivate learners' reading and writing skills,even emphasize to impart fragmented grammar knowledge.As the cultivation of English listening and speaking skills has been neglected to a certain extent,the purpose and significance of English learning have suffered from constraints.Therefore,American drama serves as a potential resources for language and cultural learning,the characteristics and advantages in teaching deserve attention and discussion in school-based English curriculum of listening and speaking in junior high school.In reaction to the phenomenon and problem,the study,based on the constructivist learning theory and intercultural communication theory,properly introduces excellent American drama into junior high school English listening and speaking teaching in order to discuss the following two issues:1.What effects does the school-based English curriculum of American-drama-supported listening and speaking have on junior high school students' interest in English listening and speaking?2.What effects does the school-based English curriculum of American-drama-supported listening and speaking have on junior high school students' English listening and speaking performance?This study selected two parallel classes,with 88 students in total,from Grade Two in a junior high school in Huaihua,Hunnan Province as the participants.The research lasted for a semester and the research instruments were two questionnaires(pre-test and post-test),two listening test(pre-test and post-test)and two oral test(pre-test and post-test).The research data were analyzed by Reliability analysis,Independent Samples T-test and Paired Samples T-test.The results of the study were as follows:1)the learning interest in English listening and speaking of students in the experimental class and the control class has been raised,but at distinctly different levels between the two classes.Students in the experimental class has shown significantly higher interest in English listening and speaking.Independent sample T-test indicated that combining American drama with English listening and speaking teaching has shown positive effect on junior high school students' learning interest in English listening and speaking.(2)Students in both classes have made progress in English listening and speaking level.However,Independent sample T-test showed that there was no significant difference in performance in English listening tests of students in both classes,but students in the experimental group have made more progress in English speaking.Therefore,this course showed greater effect on improving students' level in English speaking.By utilizing American drama as teaching material,this study further explores development of English listening and speaking curriculum in junior high schools,and provides empirical data for relevant studies.Due to relatively short experimental period and small sample size,it is inevitable that this study needs to be developed in future teaching practice.