The Application of Schema Theory to Junior English Listening Teaching

study starts with the explanation to schema theory and listening comprehension, and then applies schema theory into junior English listening teaching. With the comparison of results from

questionnaires and tests, it’s clear that schema theory contributes to listening by helping students construct and activate schemata. For teacher, there is a necessity to innovate more interesting tasks in every step of teaching under the application of schema theory. With the application of schema theory, many changes are taken to experimental lessons. According to performance of students and the writer’s reflection, the pedagogical implications are listed as follows:

1. It’s important to train students’ ability of predicting. One function of schemata is to help students do predictions. In fact, listening comprehension is the process of making prediction and then verifying prediction.

2. It’s important to have a positive attitude. Therefore, how to active class atmosphere and how to avoid students’ tension in listening are questions need to consider.

3. It’s necessary to arrange specific assignments for students in listening. The chances for students to participate in class’s activities can be added greatly with concrete assignments.

4. The leading function of the teacher and principal role of students should be both played.

5. On the basis of paying attention to improve students’ ability of listening comprehension, foster students’ ability of speaking

meanwhile. We can find that in teaching procedure with schema theory, activities of listening and speaking are inseparable. For example, students need to discuss according to listening in post-listening. The relationship between listening and speaking is the same as imputing and outputting.

This study mainly researches the application of schema theory to junior English listening teaching. However this application was

conducted in a small scale. Experimental subjects and time are both limited. In addition, due to the flexibility and motility of teaching process, some factors which may influence experimental subjects’ performance can’t be controlled well. For example, the emotion of students in class and students’ degree of strain in tests may influence authenticity of data.

With the development of schema theory, further studies of its

application are surely carried out in the field of listening teaching. Bibliography

Brown, Gillian. Listening to Spoken English. New York: Longman, 1990. Carrell, P.L. “Three Components of Background Knowledge in Reading Comprehenison.” Language learning 33(1983): 83-84.

Harmer, Jeremy. The Practice of English Language Teaching. Person Education North Asia Limited and World Affairs Press, 2003.

Kang Lixin 康立新. Guonei Tushi Lilun Yanjiu Zongshu 国内图式理论研究综述 (“The Research Overview to Schema Theory at Home.”) Henan Social Science 4(2011):180-182.

Ni Rong 倪蓉. Tushi Lilun Zai Yingyu Jiaoxue Shangde Yunyong 图式理论在英语听力教学上的运用 (“The Application of Schema Theory to ESL Listening Pedagogy”) Shanghai: Shanghai International Studies University, 2004.

Widdowson, H.G. Teaching Language as Communication. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1978.

Wu Yian 吴一安. Tixing Yu Tingli Ceshide Youxiaoxing 题型与听力测试的有效性 (“Question Types and the Validity of Listening Tests.”) Foreign Language Teaching and Study 3(2001):127-35

Zhou Xiangli 周相利. Tushi Lilun Zai Yingyu Tingli Jiaoxuezhongde Yingyong 图式理论在英语听力教学中的应用 (“The Application of Schema Theory to English Listening Teaching.”) Foreign Language and Teaching 10(2002):24-26 Appendixes Appendix I

Questionnaire I

初中英语听力教学现状调查（实验课堂前） 各位同学：

本次调查旨在通过不记名的问卷调查，了解各位同学英语听力方面的学习现状，以及各位同学对现在老师的听力教学的想法和感受，以提高和改进教学水平。请各位同学如实作答，不必有任何思想顾虑。祝各位同学学习进步！ 1. 你认为在英语的学习中，听、说、读、写这四方面哪个最重要？ A.听 B.说 C.读 D.写

2. 你认为自己在以下哪个方面最为薄弱？ A.听 B.说 C.读 D.写

3. 你认为自己目前英语听力水平如何？ A.优秀 B.良好 C.一般 D.较差

4. 你同意这样的观点吗？“听力无法教，多听才是提高听力的唯一途径。” A.同意 B.不同意

5. 在听力课前，你会去主动学习相关词汇吗？ A.经常 B.有时 C.偶尔 D.从不

6. 在听力过程中碰到听不懂的单词，你会怎么处理？

A.置之不理，不受很大影响 B.比较紧张，状态受到影响 C.无法克制自己不去想听不懂的单词，注意力无法集中

7. 在听力过程中，你是否有这样的体会：越熟悉的、越感兴趣的话题越容易听懂？

A.经常 B.有时 C.偶尔 D.从不

8. 在听力过程中，你会根据你个人的经验或各方面综合知识来对听力练习的答案进行预测吗？

A.经常 B.偶尔 C.从不

9. 你希望在每次听力课的开始，老师都能介绍一些背景知识吗？ A.希望 B.不希望 C.无所谓

10. 你觉得以下哪些方面符合你的听力现状？（多选） A. 听到认识的单词但一下子反应不过来。

B. 听到不认识的单词就会紧张，影响注意力。 C. 单词都能听懂，但连在一起不知道什么意思。 D. 缺乏相关的背景文化知识。 E. 无法听太长的文章，一听就忘。

F. 无法抓住听力的重点，不知道自己该听什么。 G. 听力对我来说没什么问题。 Appendix II

Questionnaire II

图式理论应用于初中英语听力教学中的反馈调查（实验课堂后） 各位同学：

通过十个星期的实验课堂的学习，想必大家都会对英语听力的学习有了新的想法和感受，本次调查旨在通过不记名的问卷调查，了解各位同学目前的学习情况和对老师教学的反馈。请各位同学如实作答，并感谢各位同学在这十周内的积极配合！

1. 通过这十周的实验课堂，你觉得你的英语听力有进步吗？ A.进步很大 B.稍微有点进步 C.与之前差别不大

2. 现在的你是否会主动在课前查阅相关背景知识或学习相关词汇？ A.经常 B.有时 C.偶尔 D.从不

3. 进行听力练习时能否根据已给的听力任务猜测到本次听力的主题？ A.能 B.猜中一点 C.不能

4. 进行听力练习时脑海中能否构建出内容的大概框架？

A.能 B.不能

5. 进行听力练习时，还会停下来思考陌生单词的含义吗？ A.像之前一样，经常停顿 B.停顿比之前少 C.几乎没有停顿 6. 听力练习后你会进行回顾及反思吗？ A.经常 B.有时 C.偶尔 D.从不

7. 实验课堂中的学习模式能比以往调动你的学习积极性吗？ A.能 B.不能

8. 通过十周的实验课堂，你都有哪些收获？（开放性回答，各抒己见）

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