A Comparative Study Of English Reading Strategies Between Urban And Rural Students In Junior Middle School

English reading occupies a pivotal position in English learning,and plays a key role in improving students' language ability,cultural quality and thinking quality.The English curriculum standards for Compulsory Education(2011 edition)requires that students should have preliminary comprehensive language ability through English learning at the compulsory education stage.The improvement of students 'comprehensive language ability depends on reading.The key to effective reading is the rational use of reading strategies.Therefore,it is necessary to know the current situation of students' use of reading strategies,analyze the causes of current circumstances,and provide targeted guidance for the improvement of reading teaching.At the same time,the National plan for Medium and Long-term Education Reform and Development(2010-2020)requires to achieve balanced development at the compulsory education stage.Therefore it is particularly important to study whether urban and rural students are in a balanced learning level.Based on this,this article will discuss the following three questions:(1)What are the differences between urban and rural junior high school students in reading strategies in general?(2)What are the differences between urban and rural junior high school students in the use of specific English reading strategies?(3)What are the reasons for the differences in the English reading strategies of urban and rural junior high school students?This study conducted a survey in four junior high schools(two urban schools and two rural schools)in my hometown by questionnaires and interviews and comparative method.456 students were surveyed by questionnaires and 8 students and 4 teachers were randomly selected for interviews.Through the questionnaire,the author tries to find out overall and specific situation of English reading strategies used by urban and rural junior high school students and the differences in the use of reading strategies between them.Based on the interviews,the reasons for the differences between them are analyzed.Combining quantitative with qualitative research methods,the following conclusions are reached:(1)On the whole,there is a significant difference in the use of English reading strategies between urban and rural students.Rural junior high school students 'English reading strategies are used less frequently than urban junior high school students' English reading strategies.(2)There are differences in the use of metacognition and cognitive strategies.In the use of metacognitive strategies,urban junior high school students are better than rural junior high school students in focusing attention,reading articles with questions,selfassessment and self-management.In using cognitive strategies,urban students are better than rural students in peculating,guessing,deducing,and expansion.There are no obvious differences in emotional strategies.Rural students are doing better than urban students in terms of cooperation strategies,clarification of questions,and understanding purposes.(3)The reasons for the differences are divided into two categories: internal reasons and external reasons.Internal reasons include reading habi,con cio ne of eading a eg ing,and den in e nal lea ning motivations;external reasons include English teachers' reading teaching methods,reading teaching requirements,and the impact of the family environment.Through a comparative study of reading strategies between urban and rural students in junior middle school,this paper aims to find out the disadvantages and ad an age of den eading a egie in ban and al a ea,e lo e he reasons for the differences and provide some reference for English teachers who pay attention to the balanced development of urban and rural education.