| Mind maps,as an effective thinking tool,can use pictures and texts to form a memory connection of theme keywords,images,colors,etc.,and show the relationship between the topics at different levels with mutual affiliation and related hierarchy diagrams.As it turned out,mind maps had a great impact on improving students' autonomous learning ability,logical thinking ability,problem-solving ability,and forming effective learning strategies.Therefore,they had been promoted in elementary and junior high schools.In order to improve the efficiency in using mind maps,this research mainly investigated the application of mind maps in junior high schools English reading instruction,understood the attitudes of students and teachers to mind maps,found out the problems and put forward some countermeasures to solve the problems.This research aimed to improve the application effect of mind maps in English reading instruction in junior high schools.This research put forward four questions: 1.What are the students' attitudes to the application of mind maps in English reading instruction? 2.What are the teachers' attitudes to the application of mind maps in English reading instruction? 3.How does mind map work in English reading instruction? 4.What are the problems in the application of mind maps in English reading instruction? And what are the countermeasures?This study chose 260 students and 108 English teachers as the subjects,who were from three junior high schools in Qingdao,Shandong Province.It investigated the application of mind maps in junior high school English reading teaching through classroom observations,questionnaires and interviews.Then the researcher carried out statistical analysis on the relevant data to obtain the research results.The research results showed that:(1)most junior high school students had a positive attitude towards mind maps,but some students were not aware of the effect of mind map in explaining vocabulary and grammar knowledge.(2)Teachers in the research confirmed the application value of mind map,however,only a few teachers could skillfully draw mind maps and use them frequently in English reading teaching.(3)In English reading teaching of junior high schools,most of teachers used mind maps in explanatory and narrative texts,and they used them more often in constructing the frameworks of the passages and retelling the contents of the passage.From the perspective of the types of mind maps,tree maps and bubble maps were used most frequently.(4)The problems existing in the application of mind maps are as followings: teachers didn't have a comprehensive understanding of mind maps,and they were insufficient with the application ability of mind map;some students were unable to actively participate in classroom activities based on the content of the mind map.Therefore,the author proposed the following countermeasures: Teachers should learn more knowledge that is theoretical and improve their practical abilities to apply mind maps;It is necessary to encourage teachers to communicate with each other and promote the diversity of the application level of mind maps;Teachers are supposed to take a variety of activities to reduce students' anxiety by using mind maps to improve their enthusiasm for participating in classroom activities. |
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