The Study On The Effect Of The Project-based Learning On Improving English Majors' Oral Ability And Social Skills Based On The Investigation Of The USEM Model

With the rapid development of the global economy,China's participation in international affairs has gradually increased,and its role has become more significant.To this end,China needs to develop more high-end foreign language talents to serve social needs.Given this,domestic universities at present accepts the multi-talent training concept,namely,different universities cultivate students' comprehensive abilities based on their school-running characteristics.Foreign and domestic researchers believe that PBL(i.e.,project-based learning),as one teaching method that improves students' multiple abilities simultaneously,can be adopted in teaching practice.Based on literature reviews and the USEM model(understanding,skills,efficacy-beliefs,meta-cognition),this study constructs the competence framework of foreign language talents,and investigates the current situation of comprehensive abilities of senior English majors from X university in Gansu.For the deficiency of oral ability and social skills,this study conducts three-month PBL experiment to improve them.Before and after the experiment,this study adopts the oral English test to evaluate students' oral ability level,and uses the social skills test to measure students' socials skills level.By so doing,this study explored whether PBL can be used to enhance English majors' oral ability and social skills.On the basis of data analysis,this study has the following findings.First of all,X university in Gansu aims to develop senior application-oriented foreign language talents.Results of questionnaire show that senior English majors' comprehensive abilities(total 32 abilities)are at intermediate level in the mass.The mean values of four dimensions are as follows: understanding(3.31),social skills(3.74),efficacy-beliefs(3.57)and meta-cognition(3.76).By analyzing the personnel training program for English-major of X university,this study concludes that related language skills courses at present account for most of the proportion at X university,followed by professional courses and practical courses.In general,the proportion of theoretical courses is much than that of practical courses,which reveals the reason for the lack of comprehensive abilities of students in one sense.Compared with the PPP approach,PBL approach has a positive effect on improving students' oral ability.Results of independent samples T-test shows that there is no significant difference in accuracy(t=0.02,p=0.98>0.05),complexity(t=0.37,p=0.71>0.05),and fluency(t=0.15,p=0.88>0.05)between EC and CC before the experiment.And there are significant differences in accuracy(t=-2.29,p=0.03<0.05),fluency(t=-2.12,p=0.04<0.05)and complexity(t=-2.47,p=0.02<0.05)between EC and CC after the experiment.Results of paired samples T-test show that there are significant differences in accuracy(t=-2.52,p=0.02<0.05),complexity(t=-2.35,p=0.03<0.05)and fluency(t=-4.07,p=0.00<0.05)in EC before and after the experiment.However,there is no significant difference in accuracy(t=1.67,p=0.11>0.05),complexity(t=2.01,p=0.06>0.05)and fluency(t=0.53,p=0.60>0.05)in CC before and after the experiment.Compared with the PPP approach,PBL activities effectively improved students' social skills,but not all of them.Results of independent samples T-test uncover that there is no significant difference in communication(t=-0.13,p=0.90>0.05),problem-solving(t=-0.54,p=0.59>0.05),teamwork(t=1.61,p=0.12>0.05),organization and planning(t=1.16,p=0.25>0.05),self-management(t=1.22,p=0.23>0.05),independent study(t=1.08,p=0.29>0.05)and interpersonal relationship(t=-0.31,p=0.76>0.05)between EC and CC before the experiment.Results of independent samples T-test show that there are significant differences in communication(t=-2.19,p=0.04<0.05),problem-solving(t=0.04,p=0.02<0.05),organization and planning(t=-2.676,p=0.012<0.05),self-management(t=-2.935,p=0.006<0.05)while there is no significant difference in teamwork(t=-0.51,p=0.62>0.05),independent study(t=-0.14,p=0.89>0.05)and interpersonal relationship(t=-0.41,p=0.68>0.05)between EC and CC after the experiment.Results of paired samples of T-test show that there are significant differences in communication(t=-3.00,p=0.01<0.05),problem-solving(t=-3.71,p=0.00<0.05),teamwork(t=-3.60,p=0.00<0.05),organization and planning(t=-2.86,p=0.01<0.05),self-management(t=-3.08,p=0.01<0.05)but there is no significant difference in independent study(t=-1.16,p=0.27>0.05),interpersonal relationship(t=-0.92,p=0.38>0.05)in EC before and after the experiment.Results of paired samples T-test also reveal that there is a significant difference in communication(t=-2.49,p=0.02<0.05)but no significant difference in problem-solving(t=-0.66,p=0.52>0.05),teamwork(t=-0.87,p=0.40>0.05),organization and planning(t=0.81,p=0.43>0.05),self-management(t=0.63,p=0.53>0.05),independent study(t=-0.11,p=0.92>0.05)and interpersonal relationship(t=-1.16,p=0.26>0.05)in CC before and after the experiment.This study has the following teaching implications.Firstly,since the cultivation of foreign language talents is affected by the local economy and the school-running characteristics,therefore,universities should implement the multi-talent training concept in teaching practice,and design corresponding personnel training program.Secondly,because the USEM model takes social needs into account,it can be used in foreign language teaching to evaluate students' comprehensive abilities.Thirdly,employers' evaluation should be also taken into account when evaluate students' comprehensive abilities.Fourthly,changing traditional teaching methods is a critical step for the reform of foreign language education.Given this,student-centered teaching method like PBL should be adopted to stimulatestudents' interest and motivation.Considering the fact that PBL improved students' oral ability and social skills,it can be used in future foreign language education.