Language Teaching Approach of English Native Countries and Its Application in Ch
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Abstract：The language teaching system of English native countries such as Australia is studied and analyzed in this paper. It has some advantages compared to Chinese traditional English teaching system. In Australian colleges, Students are taught in different stages based on their English ability and get equal chances of studying. Each student is considered as individual and the system respects their unique learning style. Students are asked to set a specific and suitable aim and achieve it step by step. They enjoy themselves in English classes. Teachers don’t fill detailed knowledge into students’ mind, but give students instructions on how to learn. And teachers use various teaching skills and plans to encourage students to practice English. Its assessment process is also effective.
Key words ：Language teaching system, learning style, instructions, effective assessment
As an English teacher with eight-year teaching experience at International School of a college, I have got TAA certificate (TAA means training and assessment and it is the Australian teacher’s certificate) and I have been to Australia to observe the local English teaching mode. The long cooperation of my institute and other ones of four countries, including America, Scotland, Australia and Malaysia, offers me a valuable opportunity of analyzing the differences in teaching approach between Chinese and foreign colleges. Here I would like to take Australian language teaching system as an example to explain the effective teaching method of one of the english native countries, Australia.
Ⅰ Students are taught in different stages based on their English ability and get equal chances of studying.
Generally speaking, language classes are classified into four stages in Australia. Stage One means the lowest foundation of the language while Stage Four means when you finish it you are good enough to begin professional courses study.
When students enroll, they are asked to do a language test. Specifically speaking, the test consists of two stages. The first stage is written test in which students have to read several passages and answer some questions and then they are asked to do English writing. The second stage is to talk with an assessor, in which students’ listening and speaking ability will be assessed. In brief, their English ability is evaluated at four aspects, including listening, speaking, reading and writing.
According to their test result, students are arranged to study in different language classes. Students with lowest English foundation go to classes of stage 1 while others with higher scores go to classes of stage 4. Students with improvement go to class of further stages.
Above is a huge difference from our traditional English teaching system.
In most Chinese colleges, students assemble together to learn English in one big class, generally more than 100 people, rarely according to their English foundation. Normally a teacher teaches students of different English ability in one class using exactly the same teaching materials with the same teaching approach. Teaching materials are chosen not according to students’ need, but to teacher’s favor. Some books, even published ten years ago, are still in use, just because some old teachers are familiar with them. It is obvious that in this situation students adapt themselves to the teacher, which seems to be the core of traditional teaching system.
It is easy for us to see that the Chinese traditional English teaching system is not efficient compared to Australian language system.
In Australian college, international students of the same level study in the same room. On one hand, teaching materials are suitable for each one in one class and every student understands the teacher because of the same foundation. Teachers don’t have to use the same books, they just prepare useful materials as they like as long as those materials are good for students. On the other hand, students get the same chance to answer questions and to practice. The system is fair to each one.
Ⅱ Each student is considered as individual and Australian language study system respects their unique learning style.
Most teachers have experienced this situation: students on courses behaved in a variety of different ways that impinged on how much they learned from the course. For example, some people were forthcoming and others such as presenter, syndicate chairman,etc, and others resisted ‘high office’ and kept a low profile; some people were cheerful and laughed a great deal while others were more serious and earnest; some people were prepared to go at risk and produce ‘off the top of the head’ ideas while others were independent on thorough preparation.
Above phenomenon reveals that a student’s learning style affect his or her learning result. According to this fact, Australian colleges demand each student to complete a learning styles questionnaire before study, which is designed to find out his or her preferred learning style. All of them are true or false questions. There is no right or wrong answers.
Here are a few question examples of the questionnaire.
1 I have strong beliefs about what is right and wrong, good and bad.
2 I often act without considering the possible consequences.
3 I tend to solve problems using a step by step approach.
4 I have a reputation for saying what I think, simply and directly.
5 I often find that actions based on feelings are as sound as those based on careful thought and analysis.
6 I like the sort of work where I have time for thorough preparation and implementation.
7 I regularly question people about their basic assumptions.
8 What matters most is whether something works in practice.
9 I actively seek out new experiences.
10 When I hear about a new idea or approach I immediately start regular exercise, sticking to a fixed routine, etc.
11 I take pride in doing a thorough job.
12 I get on best with logical, analytical people and less well with spontaneous, ‘irrational’ people.
13 I take care over the interpretation of data available to me and avoid jumping to conclusions.
14 I like to reach a decision carefully after weighing up many alternatives.
15 I’m attracted more to novel, unusual ideas than to practical ones.
The analysis of the questionnaire helps teachers identify each student’ learning style. There are basically four styles, including activist (What’s new? I’m game for anything), reflector (I’d like time to think about this), theorist (How does this relate to that?) and pragmatist (How can I apply this in practice?).Teachers adapt their teaching approach to suit students’ unique leaning style. And this makes lessons effective.
Ⅲ Teachers help students to set a specific and suitable aim and achieve it step by step.
English classes in Chinese college focus on studying a book no matter whether all the students can digest it. The purpose seems not improving students’ English ability but just finishing a book.
Compared to it, Australian College’s language teaching system has a clear purpose suitable for every student. Every teaching plan is designed for a specific aim. At the beginning of studying, students should finish a portfolio, in which they answer detailed questions to show their study goal and situation. For example, how is the environment of your classroom? How is the outside environment? Are your expectations fulfilled? What prevents you from improving? What is your studying plan? What English skill do you want to improve in class?
Based on this portfolio, teachers help each student with self-evaluation and set a goal for him or her. After making a studying schedule, the student should follow it strictly. And then at the end of the semester, it is necessary to reviewing the whole semester, and check whether this aim has been achieved.
To Australian college international students who are studying English, specific aim is essential, which make them clearer about each step.
Ⅳ Students have fun in English classes. Teachers don’t fill detailed knowledge into students’ mind, but give students instructions on how to learn. Teachers use various teaching skills and plans to encourage them to practice English.
In Chinese traditional way English classes have listening, reading, speaking and writing lessons. Students spend two hours on only one item. Just imagine, how does it feel to keep doing listening exercises for two hours? It definitely makes the whole class boring and seem no end. What is worse, teachers keep talking. They explain vocabulary, analyze sentences and translate passages. What are the students doing? Just listening. Is it fun? Absolutely not! Students try to bear that but nobody really enjoy it No fun, no interest, students become reluctant to attend English class. It seems to be a torture for people to study without fun.
On the contrary, Australian colleges have noticed that interest and fun lead success. They apply this rule into teaching approach and students have fun in class. There are a number of skills for teachers to stimulate students to enjoy lessons. They are allowed to play games in class such as crossword. They can hold a meeting in five or six and hand in group paperwork like meeting agenda and minutes. Also role play is a good choice due to the fact that students grasp opportunities of using imagination, from costumes, body language to voice tones. They make characters fresh with various personalities. Students really enjoy themselves in class.
In Australian language system, there is no listening, speaking, writing or reading lessons separately. They believe that English lesson should be integrated with the whole package. Students practice all English skills in one class, which makes the lesson various and attractive. To teachers, introduction matters. At the beginning of each lesson, teacher always tell a story or show some pictures to attract students’ attention. They lead students to think about the introduction with imagination and students have a discussion in group about it. That practice listening and speaking.
Let us take a lesson I attended in Australia last year for example. The teacher prepared listening exercises for students to do. Before playing the recording, the teacher showed students four pictures related to content of listening materials and students were asked to tell history events revealed by the pictures. They should have a discussion in group of four. I witnessed how they argued and how they seek words to prove that their answers were right. All the communication was in English. After discussion in group of four, teachers checked and revealed answers. Then she asked some students to explain the history events in detail. She didn’t forget to express compliment for their well-informed knowledge about world history, which encouraged and satisfied students. After the whole introduction, students began to listen to the recording and did exercises. Actually the introduction offered words and background information on the listening materials, so that it was much easier for students to understand the recording. We can easily conclude that in this lesson students practice the whole English package in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.
Another reading material is a letter, in which the writer complained about his date. As a matter of fact, his date is perfect except for her odor. To go on or to break up? This is a complicated question. Before showing the material, the teacher asked students to think about a question, what kind of date can’t they accept? With dandruff? With tattoo? Drug addict? With no legs? All of the questions stimulate students to communicate excitedly in English. And that is the magic of teaching.
ⅤEffective assessment
Chinese traditional system has a simple assessment method. That is final examination. The final test result accounts for 100% or at least 90%. Now we become realize that it is not efficient way to assess students’ ability.
Australian system focuses on class performance and assignment. Almost every course demands a report or presentation which accounts for at least 30% of final score. Usually students receive the assignment task one or two month before deadline. And in order to get related data or resources, they go to library for books and do experiment or research. Maybe after reading ten books or more, they accumulate enough information and finish the report. The two-month after-class learning process means much more than class time. They learn English reading and writing, how to think and analyze in English, how to design questionnaire and communicate to strangers for information. Beside, oral presentation improve students’ oral English, persuasive skills and they even find how to use visual aids. In addition, group work, group discussion and project is often adopted by teachers. Students learn team work as well as English.
As a rule, all these assignment tasks accounts for 60% around of final score. But how do they do the assessment? Rubrics or checklist. When students receive assignment, they also get a checklist or rubrics, which tell them the assignment will be assess from which point of view.
In conclusion, Australian English language teaching system sets a remarkable model for us to follow. One of my friends, who did not know a word of English when she was 35, has better English ability than average English major now at her age of 37. She benefits from Australian language teaching system and prove its efficiency. Now we have applied some methods to classes. We believe students will get more and more knowledge and ability during our English class.
References
Australian Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, 2008
作者简介： 苏莹，山东商业职业技术学院教师。英语八级，BFT高级，国际商务英语考官资格。曾赴澳洲培训，澳大利亚TAA教师证。
李振红，山东商业职业技术学院教师，曾赴马来西亚培训。