Application Of Literature Circles Model To English Reading Teaching In Junior Middle School

The current English Curriculum Reform of reading course emphasizes inspiring students' reading interest and improving students' reading performance.However,the regular reading classes tend to excessively emphasize teaching vocabulary and grammar,which has resulted in lower interest and passive attitude in reading learning.Literature,with its plain language and rich cultural knowledge,can not only help to stimulate English learners' interest and attitude in reading,but can improve students' reading performance.Literature circle reading model has been widely adopted in English reading teaching at elementary and secondary schools in foreign countries.However,previous studies have indicated that the research of the application of literature circle reading model to English reading in junior middle schools of China remains in preliminary stage.Therefore,based on Cooperative Learning Theory,Reader Response Theory and Humanistic Theory,the present research tries to apply literature circle to improving students' reading performance and change students' negative attitude towards reading learning.The researcher randomly selected 80 students from two parallel classes in Guan Zhuang No.2 Junior Middle School in Zhu Madian City as subjects in the study.One class was randomly chosen as experimental class while the other was control class.Literature circles reading model is employed in the experimental class while the regular reading teaching model is used in the control class.Based on the quantitative and qualitative data analyses,the author found that literature circle reading model not only improve Junior Middle School students' reading performance,but also can improve students' reading interest and attitude.Based on the findings of the study,the researcher suggested English teacher should learn and utilize literature circle reading model in extracurricular reading class and put it into practice positively.Secondly,the teacher should design reasonable activities according to the feature of literature circles reading model.Students should have awareness of the change of role in literature circles and should try their best to read more literature so as to develop a good reading habits.