Teaching Methods & learners’ Interest(3)

Week 1
Activity 1
The future world
This activity is based as in Junior English for China (Go for it), Book 8B, Unit 1. “Will people have robots?”
Purpose: to open the exhibition contest, transfer study interest
Instructions: Students designed a picture about the future world. They explained their pictures in English in the group, then acted it out in the class.
Procedure: At first, I came into the classroom with smiling, and greeted each other. Then, after providing an environment about the future, ask students to imagine the future life and design the future world on the paper. At that time, when they heard it, they were so happy to draw a picture. Soon, they finished their design. Of course, they couldn’t stop showing their design one by one. Students could introduce own picture in Chinese. WHOSE PICTURE IS THE BEST? This was very important. After comparing, the best one would win the prize of designer abort the future world. Students were so exciting, because they all wanted to get this prize. Even though they got the prize or not, they still were very happy. Next, with this kind of pleasure, they thought this lesson was interesting and finished studying new lesson.

Week 2
Activity 2
Make a banana smoothie
This activity is based as in Junior English for China (Go for it), Book 8B, Unit 7, “How do you make a banana smoothie?”
Purpose: to combine theory with practice, let students study knowledge in practice and prove study interest
Instructions: Students retold how to make a banana smoothie in the groups, then acted it out in class.
Procedure: Before class, I got ready for a glass of drinks. When I came into the classroom with the glass of drinks, students felt very exciting and curiosity. As soon as I asked a student to taste the drinks, every student all wanted to have a try. Then, some students had a taste, they were satisfied with it. But they didn’t know what it was. I told them the name of the drinks. It was called smoothie. HOW DO YOU MAKE A BANANA SMOOTHIE? Next, I showed how to make a banana smoothie. At the same time, I explained the statements in English. All students were interested in listening to it. After explaining, they couldn’t stop beginning to practice. It was unimaginable that they could explain the statements in English accurately. Last, they finished studying the lesson happily.

Week 3
Activity 3
A story
This activity is based as in Junior English for China, Book 8B
Purpose: to practice telling a story or making a dialogue with the Simple Past Tense
Instructions: I got the students to tell a story in groups, then I told everyone to retell the story in front of me.
Procedure: With the piece of beautiful music, the class began. At first, I told an interesting story in English and Chinese. Students were glad to listen to a story. After they finished listening to the story happily, they were willing to finish given work by me, which I asked them to find out the new tense in the story. Then, lead them to sum up the meaning and structure of the Simple Past Tense themselves. Of course, they should still practice the tense by making a dialogue or short story. They were interested in sharing their dialogues and stories.

5. Problem Unsolved
After I thought seriously and had exchanges of views on the project with my students, I found out that although atmosphere in the English class had been improved a lot through the full-scaled implementation, there was still much that would need further improvement. Only when I make continuous reflection in my teaching, can I make great progress. The most frequently mentioned problems can be categorized into two aspects:
On the one hand, the problem of the textbook: Vocabulary is big, and grammar is not only much but also difficult.
On the other hand, the way of learning:
Some students have some wrong idea about their studies; some students enjoy playing, so they always have no enough time to do their homework. The most important is that lots of students are weak in English. They can’t complete their homework by themselves quite often and study some knowledge by themselves without teachers.

6. Project evaluation
☆The problem
Is the problem a researchable one? Yes. If give me the resources, the time and the expertise I have, I can launch a project to solve the problem. (I can do something to change the present situation.)

☆The methods used in problem analysis
Are the methods used to analyze the problem acceptable, suitable to it and properly applied? Yes. I used the analytic method, cause analysis, interview and brainstorming. These are all acceptable methods suitable to my problem. I also used them properly.
☆The project objective
Is the project objective realistic? Yes. It is researchable. It is realistic. It can be achieved. My project object—to improve students’ study interest about English—is realistic.
☆The project hypothesis
Is the project hypothesis provable? Yes. My hypothesis—learners’ interest in studying is increased by better organization and teaching methods—is provable.
☆The project rationale
Does the project have a study basis? Yes. My project was based on the theoretical assumptions which are valid and reasonable.
☆The project design
I have defined my project objective and hypothesis.
I have stated my project rationale.
I have worked out the details for project implementing.
I have also planned the stages and time table for the project implementation.
☆The stages and details of project implementation
The stages are necessary and complete. The implementation details are properly maintained. In my case, I am assessed on the following items.

Week 1
Teaching notes
Students’ handout
Diary-keeping

Week 2
Teaching notes
Students’ handout
Diary-keeping

Week 3
Teaching notes
Students’ handout
Diary-keeping
☆The methods used in project implementation
In what way has the project been implemented?
In my case, I used the classroom teaching.
☆The methods used to obtain the results
In what way has the investigator obtained the project results? Is it acceptable, suitable and project used? I used observations, diary-keeping, and interviews to obtain the project results. They are all acceptable, suitable to the task and properly used.
☆The results obtained from the project implementation.
My hypothesis has been proved to be correct.

7. Conclusion
The present study is chiefly based on the project that I proceeded from March, 2007 to June, 2007, which aimed to enhance my students’ interest in studying English. After implementing my three-week project, I did a surrey to see the result. From the result, I think the methods used in problem analysis are suitable, the problem objective is realistic, the hypothesis is provable, and the project has a study basis. Now, I can be very happy to state that my problem has been successfully solved.

This action research helps me cultivate awareness of the dynamic mechanism in my English teaching. It enables me to acquire unceasing professional development. From the action research, I have gained a lot of benefits. Although I have learned a lot and improved a lot, action research starts me on another cycle of reflection, since I have basically solved one problem and identified another. I will go on with the spiral cycle of reflection which will lead me to the endless process striving for perfect teaching. The final report is drawing to an end but my action research is not. In fact, I’ve only just begun.

Bibliography
1. Gu Yueguo, 2005, Practical Project Design, Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
2. Gu Yueguo, 2005, English Language Teaching Methodology’ Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
3. Junior English China (Go for it ), Teacher’s Book 8B, People Education Press
4. Junior English for China (Go for it ), Students’ Book 8B, People Education Press

Appendix:
A. The timetable of the project
B. Teaching Notes
C. Diaries
D. The questionnaire for problem analysis

Appendix A:
The timetable of the project
Stage Week Calendar dates Tasks Materials needed
Ⅰ 1 Mar 05~30 identify a problem Report about getting off the ground
Ⅱ 2 April 2
~
6 Analyze the problem using scientific methods of investigation
△ analyzing the teaching situation
△analyzing the teaching objectives / teacher’s roles / tasks / type / student’s roles, etc
△analyzing the possible causes of the identified problem. Questionnaires
Ⅲ 3 May 8
~
16 Design a problem-solving project
△ formulating the project objectives and hypothesis
△ making a lesson plan
△ preparing materials and resources needed
△ proposing data collection method: teaching journal / questionnaire / survey / interviews / samples of students assignments, etc Teaching notes
Ⅳ 4,5,6 June 4
~
July 2 Implement the project
△report of classroom implementation of the lesson plan
△report of the data collection Teaching diaries, students’ exercises, a photo about teaching

Ⅴ 7 July 9~13 Evaluate the project against a checklist
△ Critical comment on my own teaching by checking my subjection comments against the collected data
△ Suggestions for future teaching
Ⅵ 8,9,10 July 16~20 Write the project report Project report

Appendix B: teaching notes

Week 1
Date: Tuesday, March 5, 2007 9:00-9:40 Class: 3
Today’s objectives: There will be robots in the future.
Teaching methods: open the exhibition context, transfer study interest.
Order of doing things:
Step1. With the time is passing, our life will change in the future. What’s our life like? (Give out the question)
Step2. Ask students to imagine our life in the future and draw it on the paper (Design the future world)
Step3. Let students introduce own picture in Chinese. (Lead to the title of this class)
Step4. Whose picture is the best? After comparing, the best one will win the prize of the best designer about the future world.
Step5. Study how to describe the future world in English with the Simple Future Tease
Step6. Summarizing the lesson
主 + will + V
Homework: Do some additional exercises (Make a composition with the Simple Future Tense in Spoken English and writing)

Week 2
Date: Monday , April 2nd , 2007 10:50-11:30 Class 3
Today’s objectives: to practice students’ spoken English
Teaching methods: ①Get well ready for teaching
②Combine theory with practice
Before class, design the teaching carefully, bring some fruits, glasses, knife, blender into classroom
Step1. Take out of a glass of drinks. Let students have a taste.
Step2. Tell students the names of this kind of drinks. Lead into the title (a banana Smoothie)
Step3. Show how to make a banana Smoothie. While showing, explain the statements in English.
Step4. Ask students to practice to make own smoothie. At the same time, they can practice spoken English, explain how to make a smoothie to others.
Step5. Summarizing the lesson
Homework: do some additional exercises

Weeks 3
Date: Friday , April 27th, 2007 9:00-9:40 Class 1
Objectives: To study the Simple Past Tense

Teaching methods: ①Create a relaxed and pleased study environment
②Weave the short play themselves, transfer study positive
Step1. Class begins with the piece of beautiful music.
Step2. Tell a humors story in English and Chinese
Step3. Find out the new tense——the Simple Past Tense. Let students sum up the meaning and structure of the tense.
Step4. Practice the tense by making dialogue and the short play themselves
Step5. Summarizing the lesson
Homework: Write a new story by the Simple Past Tense

Appendix C: diaries

Week 1
Date: Tuesday May 8, 2007
As usual, when I said that we were going to study Unit 1, the students shrug their shoulders. They seemed so upset and tired, as if they needed have a rest. After studying new words, they were still so.
But, when I told students that they could design and draw a picture about the future world on a piece of paper, they looked a little happy. They began to draw own picture as quickly as possible. Soon, they finished their picture, and they were so exciting that they wanted to show their picture to me. Their pictures were very great. I praised them very much they felt successful. And the student whose picture was the best won the prize of the competitions.
In this class, they finished the rest of the Unit happily. Even, they thought to study English wasn’t difficult as usual.

Week 2
Data: Friday, May 15, 2007
I’m very glad that my students become more active in my class. Especially when I bring some fruits and tools into the classroom, they were very exciting. They all wanted to taste the smoothie. After showing how to make it, they couldn’t stop beginning to try. While they were making it, they all spoke English. The whole class went smoothly. I found all students were smiling. They did their practice quite well. Last, they pleased all teachers share their success tastefully. I was surprised to see it.

Week 3
Date: Tuesday, May 22, 2007
This period of time, I would deal with boring grammar. I had thought they couldn’t under stand it. But, after telling them a interesting story in English and Chinese, they were so exciting. To my surprise, they were more active than I expected. They know the grammar and understood it. I didn’t spend too much teaching them, they could use it properly. I was more than happy, because I was successful.