Action Research On Unit Homework Design In Junior High School English Teaching Based On Thematic Meaning

Homework is the bridge connecting teaching and learning,both as a test of the results of teaching and as practical feedback for learning.The research and exploration of homework is one of the core issues to promote the development of curriculum reform.However,the current English homework design in junior high school has problems of quantity over quality,single items over integration,and training over thinking,which lead to randomization,fragmentation and mechanization of homework design.Based on Wang’s unit homework design flow chart from the perspective of curriculum and Zhong’s ADDIE Model,the thesis proposes the model of English unit homework design,which is named the TOCHE Model(T-thematic meaning,O-unit objectives,C-learning content,H-unit homework and E-evaluating homework).This thesis mainly aims to answer the following two questions:(1)Do students get the structured knowledge through the unit homework based on thematic meaning? If so,how to get it?(2)How do students improve their thinking capacity through the unit homework based on thematic meaning?This action research was conducted for one semester in Grade Nine of a junior high school in Zhejiang Province.31 students were invited as the research participants to carry out the research.The action research process was divided into the preparation stage,the first stage and the second stage.This thesis mainly uses questionnaire,interview,classroom observation and other ways for data collection and analysis.The study has found that firstly,unit homework based on thematic meaning can effectively allow teachers to design interesting and effective English homework in a planned way.Such unit homework can reduce the burden and improve the quality because the TOCHE Model conforms to the rules of English teaching and students’ learning.Secondly,unit homework based on thematic meaning allows students to learn systematically and actively.Students acquire structured knowledge and are willing to explore deeply about the relevant content of the topic.Thirdly,unit homework based on thematic meaning enhances students’ thinking capacity and gradually develop higher-order thinking such as logical,dialectical and creative thinking.This thesis puts forward some implications for unit homework design.Firstly,teachers should update the teaching philosophy to keep up with the times and be literacy-oriented.It is worth trying different pedagogical theories or scientific processes for instructional design and homework design.Besides,English teaching and homework design should focus on the integration of teaching,learning and assessment.Finally,research shows that students’ thinking capacity can be cultivated and English learning as well as English homework should also reflect thinking.