A Study on Teaching English Reading through the Communicative Approach and Cooperative Learning in a Middle School of China

Abstract

A Study on Teaching English Reading through the Communicative Approach and Cooperative Learning in a Middle School of China Yu Xu (Qinghai Normanl University) Hwa-ja Lee (Sunchon National University) The subject of this dissertation is a research project in Qinghai Normal University No.1 Attached Middle School, to confirm the assumption that CA and CL will achieve a better result than traditional teaching in such a culturally, economically, academically deprived and multi-national area as Qinghai. During the half-year research project, the communicative instructional model was applied to reform traditional teaching, incorporating cooperative learning experiences. In the 2003 research project, the questionnaires, exams, performance records and the interviews of the students and the teachers indicate that teaching reading through the Communicative approach and Cooperative learning in a middle school in China can achieve a better result in improving students’ four language skills and developing their communicative competence. A follow-up study in 2009 was also conducted to trace the impact of the 2003 project, which was radical in English education in remote areas at that time. The result of the 2009 study was the same as the research project done in 2003, shown in data collected from questionnaires, paper interviews and classroom observation. So that the Communicative approach and Cooperative learning are still seen as crucial and important to English teaching, it must be pointed out that students will become more skilled in reading, listening, writing and speaking English if CA and CL continue to be used.