Implementation of the RAR English Teaching Strategy to Achieve Instructional Effectiveness

Abstract

The purposes of this study were twofold: (1) to understand my students' previous English learning experiences, and (2) to examine whether the established RAR English teaching strategy could fulfill the instructional effectiveness in the empirical teaching settings. The action research method was adopted to fulfill the needs of this study, and the conclusions of the study were summarized as follows: 1. Three phases existed with my students’ English learning experiences: (1) merry-go-round at the elementary school level, (2) back-to-the-grind at the junior and senior high school level, and (3) flying-over-the-sky, to-be/not-to-be, or crash-to-the-ground at the university level. 2. Lived experiences of the teacher could be utilized as the rationale for designing English teaching materials. 3. Assignments in the class provided students with hands-on English learning activities, and facilitated them to become active participants, rather than silent recipients. 4. Students were motivated to learn the contents by showing them photographs with the assistance of instructional technological equipment. 5. Students' reflective journals enabled me to revise my teaching strategies and to achieve the ”double-feedback” effect. 6. With the RAR English teaching strategy, the interaction between students and me was satisfactory, and students expressed positive attitudes toward English learning.