The Application Of Literature Circles Model To English Extracurricular Reading Teaching In Senior High School

A large amount of reading is an indispensable condition for learners who are proficient in mastering the English language(Huang,2006).Therefore,the status of reading teaching in the English teaching field just cannot be ignored.In view of the current situation in high school English reading teaching,teachers and students focus on reading in the classroom without paying enough attention to extracurricular reading.As a kind of reading model,the “Literature Circles” model has been widely used in both intensive and extracurricular reading teaching abroad.Moreover,in order to improve learners’ reading skills,the “Literature Circles” model can smoothly combine the four skills of listening,speaking,reading,and writing.This study took two parallel classes of the tenth grade in the Middle School Attached to Xinjiang Normal University in Urumqi,Xinjiang.The research subjects conducted a five-month experiment based on the input hypothesis,humanistic education,and cooperative learning theory.One hundred students got involved in this thesis.Among them,50 students in the experimental class used the “Literature Circles” model for extracurricular reading,and 50 students in the control class used the original reading teaching model for extracurricular reading.This study attempts to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of English extracurricular reading teaching based on the “Literature Circles” model in the high school of China,and it is expected to verify that this model has effects of promotion on students’ receptive vocabulary,reading achievements and frequency of reading strategy.Here are three research questions for this thesis:(1)What is the effect of the “Literature Circles” model on students’ receptive vocabulary scale?(2)What is the effect of the “Literature Circles” model on students’ reading achievements?(3)What is the effect of the “Literature Circles” model on students’ reading strategies?In order to answer three research questions,this thesis used research instruments such as questionnaires,test papers,and semi-structured interviews to collect data.After analyzing the collected data,the author finally got the following conclusions:Firstly,the results of the test and interview have shown that the experimental class’ s receptive vocabulary score is significantly higher than the control class.Therefore,extracurricular reading based on the “Literature Circles” model can improve thereceptive vocabulary scale of participants.Secondly,the reading achievement score of experimental class students is significantly higher than the students in the controlled class according to the analysis.Therefore,extracurricular reading based on the “Literature Circles” model can improve participants’ reading achievements.Thirdly,the results of the questionnaire and interview have shown that the experimental class students’ average reading strategy score included three dimensions that were all higher than the students’ score in the controlled class.Therefore,extracurricular reading based on the “Literature Circles” model has positive effects on improving participants’ frequency of reading strategy.This thesis makes the following two suggestions for the current “Literature Circles” model: Firstly,the key to implementing the “Literature Circles” model is to select reading materials.Therefore,teachers should provide students with suitable and abundant reading materials based on their current English reading level,stage of physical and mental development,and reading interests.Secondly,in the “Literature Circles” model,teachers played multiple roles,such as selector,organizer,monitor,and summarizer.The success of the “Literature Circles” model depends on whether participating teachers can fulfill the above teacher’s roles.Therefore,the “Literature Circles” model should be conducted under the guidance of experienced teachers.