Teaching For English Majors Research Articles

Application of Multimodality to Teaching Reading

To improve students’ reading ability is one of the fundamental requirements for English teaching for English majors. However, some English majors are not interested in reading English and lack motivation to learn it. Even teachers may lose enthusiasm to teach them English. As a result, teaching English reading is inefficient.Application of multimodality in teaching English has attracted many researchers’ attention; the author applies multimodality to teaching English reading and attempts to answer the following question: Is the application of multimodality to teaching English reading effective?An experiment is carried out in two parallel classes for a whole term. In the experimental class, multimodality is applied in teaching reading and teaching procedures are all designed according to the theory of elements of designing multimodality while in the control class, ordinary multimedia teaching is applied. The data of pre-test, reading quizzes, a post-test are analyzed by SPSS 16.0. The research finds out that on the one hand, the application of multimodality in teaching reading is indeed effective. On the other hand, multimodal teaching is more popular among English majors for it can help activate classroom atmosphere, inspire students’ motivation to read after class and build up their confidence in learn English, especially English reading. The author also provides the suggestions for English teaching based on the research findings.

Authentically Authored Native American Young Adult Literature (YAL) and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) in the Preparation of Preservice Teachers

College students in a young adult literature (YAL) course required for preservice teachers who are English education majors read the semi-autobiographical novel, If I Ever Get Out of Here (2013) by Eric Gansworth (Onandaga). Gansworth focuses on the experiences of a Tuscarora middle school student attending school off the reservation. At the conclusion of the course, students were surveyed to determine their perceptions of the social and political inequities explored in the novel. The survey sought to determine if reading this particular novel and participating in literature circles would prompt better understanding among non-Native students of the inequities inherent in the current social and educational system. The results indicated that the use of literature circles was not sufficient to develop a full understanding of the need for culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP). Further work needs to be done in order to move beyond “scratching the surface” of white privilege and to generate realizations of inequity among preservice teachers.

A Study on the Innovation of Teaching Methods of English Teaching for English Majors from the Perspective of Specialized Vocabulary

In this paper, we analyze the mechanical engineering professional English courses situation and student learning, and points out current problems of the course combined with professional features and their own practical work and learning experiences, interests, in order to mobilize students to participate in interactive, us. In the proposed curriculum objectives, architecture, content, assessment methods and other improvements. This paper analyzes the comparative grammar translation method and communicative language teaching methods and effectiveness in the use of educational environment in Chinese universities. English Comprehensive Ability Training should start with interest—interest in learning is an important means to stimulate the students' motivation for learning. By analyzing the characteristics of a professional, we have established a professional English proficiency training system. In teaching practice, to build interest training, speaking and writing teaching, diversified assessment methods, to explore students' professional training program English proficiency. Practice shows that students' English comprehensive capacity has increased dramatically. English teaching is an important part of the institutions of higher learning English teaching English teaching English teaching has both continuity, but also has the characteristics of areas of expertise. English language teaching is teaching, but also expertise in teaching. Based on the common features of professional English courses, teaching practice, teaching methods of English are explored.

A Study of Thematic Progression in the English Writing Teaching of English Majors

The English writing of English majors is always a studying project of English writing teachers. This study, under the guidance of the theories and patterns of thematic progression, and with the subjects of sophomore English majors in Jilin Agricultural University, finds out that thematic progression cultivates Chinese students’ English thinking, and helps them to produce coherent and standard English writing.

Chinese Culture Teaching For English Majors—A Case Study of Sun Tzu Culture

It is universally admitted that English majors should learn about English culture and the teaching of Chinese culture has been neglected for a long time. The consequence is serious—as Chinese and English majors, most students cannot fluently express their own culture in English. Taking an essential part of Chinese culture—Sun Tzu culture as an example, the paper makes a research on the problem and suggests that joined efforts should be made in five aspects: the syllabus, the examination, the teaching, teachers and students.

The Study of Application of Translation Workshop in Translation Teaching of English Majors

English teaching must follow the pace of the times. In shortage of translation talents, it is particularly important to improve the translation ability of English majors. However, current translation teaching only emphasizes on the output of translation results, and it still exists many deficiencies. As a new approach to translation teaching, translation workshop pays more attention to the process of translation and improves students' translation level. This method thinks that students are the subject of learning. It focuses on various steps of translation process. The translator should not only learn multi subject knowledge, update their own information, but also develop mutual cooperation and communication skills. The method is helpful to improve the enthusiasm of students' translation, and also conforms to the current direction of translation teaching reform.

A Washback Study of the Test for English Majors for Grade Eight (TEM8) in China—From the Perspective of University Program Administrators

ABSTRACTWashback and fairness are interrelated in validity research, and thus an investigation into washback inevitably involves fairness. This article reports Phase One of a washback study of Test for English Majors for Grade Eight (TEM8). Phase One was a questionnaire survey administered to university program administrators. Two research questions were addressed in this phase: (a) What are university program administrators’ perceptions of TEM8? (b) How does TEM8 affect teaching? After the questionnaire was piloted and revised, it was distributed to 809 TEM8 participating universities in March 2012. Our analyses found: (a) participants were familiar with the National Teaching Syllabus for English Majors (hereafter the Teaching Syllabus) and the TEM8 Test Syllabus, but they were less familiar with the marking criteria of TEM8; (b) most participants expressed satisfaction with the TEM8 test; (c) decisions based on TEM8 were mostly as intended, but there were also unintended uses; (d) most universities surveyed included TEM8 preparatory courses in their programs, mostly in the form of lectures; (e) the top three factors affecting teaching effectiveness were the quality of teachers, the quality of students, and the efforts of students. The findings have implications for future reforms of TEM8 and teaching for English majors.

Genre Analysis and Advanced English Teaching

This paper intends to discuss advanced English teaching of English majors from the perspective of genre analysis. Based on the presentation and discussion of a sample lesson, with examples and detailed illustration, this study is aimed to explore how to improve advanced English teaching of English majors through surface-level description of language in use and deep-level explanation of communicative purposes and writing tactics of various discourses. The paper concludes that in advanced English teaching, the teacher’s job is to lead students to the appreciation of different genres, as well as the understanding of the esthetic values achieved through writing styles.

A Study on English Education Majors’ Beliefs about Foreign Language Learning

A Study on English Education Majors’ Beliefs about Foreign Language Learning

Empirical Study on Intercultural Communication Teaching for English Majors in Chinese Universities

The relationship between intercultural communication competence and foreign language teaching has been attended to worldwide for many years. Its importance has also been well recognized. In China, many universities have run Intercultural Communication as an individual course at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This paper presents findings from an empirical research on intercultural communication teaching for undergraduate English majors from six universities in Yunnan province in southwest China. It focuses on students’ perception of present intercultural communication course in terms of purpose of learning, content and effective approaches, expectations for teachers and suggestions for improving the course. Based on data analysis, this paper puts forward some implications on intercultural communication teaching. Teachers should help students to develop appropriate cultural attitudes and improve their intercultural communication competence so as to meet the demand of the globalized world. Meanwhile, collaboration among researches and teachers are advocated to improve teaching of intercultural communication. Key words: Intercultural communication; English majors; Perception; Teaching

The Implementation of Portfolio Assessment in Integrated English Course

Portfolio assessment is a learner-centered assessment and it is also an assessment for learning. A study with a class of 31 first-year English education majors in 2011–2012 was conducted. The development and implementation of portfolio assessment in the integrated English course was described, and then a survey on the learner’s perception toward the use of the portfolio assessment was conducted. The results showed that student have positive attitude toward the use of the portfolio assessment, the portfolio assessment developed students’ language competence, enhanced their cross-cultural knowledge and promoted their learning autonomy and motivation. Finally the problems in using the portfolio were discussed.

The Grammar Voyeur: Using Google to Teach English Grammar to Advanced Undergraduates

Although many people associate English teachers with English teachers have long debated whether belongs in an English curriculum at all. In fact, by 1985, instruction had fallen so far from favor that National Council of Teachers of English resolved that the teaching of in isolation does not lead to improvement in students' speaking and writing, and that in fact, it hinders development of students' oral and written language (quoted in Kolln and Hancock 2005, 17―18) As David Brown and others have noted, anti-grammar view conflates as a subject with a particular kind of instruction, specifically traditional drill in prescriptive rules, a sort of fix-it-up attempt for weakest writing (Kolln ig8i;Micciche 2004; Brown ). Rather than admiring we see, as a voyeur might, too many of us notice only when we criticize it. No wonder that many students expect instruction to be abstract, boring, and unconnected to their lives (Marlow 2010, 225). These views present a dilemma to me, as someone who teaches Modern English Grammar, a class required for undergraduate English and English education majors. I believe that when students understand systematic nature of their language—the rules they follow when they string words together-they are better prepared to appreciate how syntax affects message. Outside of composition journals, I find broad support for my efforts. I'm so glad you're teaching that! people tell me, as they confess their own grammatical incompetence or list their favorite peeves. Colleagues long for students who can write just one good sentence. Our writing center hears fix my more than any other request. But what, specifically, does mean in these exchanges? Often it includes spelling, punctuation, concision, appropriate register, clarity-only occasionally syntax. To extent that has come to signify something that needs fixing, it's no wonder that much of scholarship in my discipline views teaching as a mechanistic, anti-rhetorical enterprise that relies on prescriptive drills and that emphasizes error avoidance rather than communication (Brown 2009). The proposed alternatives to prescriptive drills, however, often seem to discount teaching of syntax. For example, some teachers have focused on what Patrick Hartwell labeled stylistic grammar, grammar terms used in interest of teaching prose style, but there, Hartwell notes, instruction is simply beside point (1985, 124). Many publications.

Co-Teaching at the Pre-Service Level: Special Education Majors Collaborate with English Education Majors

General education and special education teacher candidates lack experience in collaborating with each other as colleagues; however, upon graduating and entering their own classrooms, most are expected to know how to provide services to students with disabilities in the general classroom. This study describes the efforts of two professors, one in special education and the other in English education, to have their students participate in a collaborative and consultative relationship with each other at the pre-service level. Data are comprised of pre- and post-surveys, as well as weekly written reflections by the teacher candidates. Significant differences were found across programs and within the English education program. Reflections reveal differing participant perceptions of the co-teaching experience. Findings indicate exposure to co-teaching at the pre-service level provides an opportunity to address the roles and responsibilities of general and special educators in working together to ensure academic success for all learners.

Virtual connections and real boundaries: Teaching writing and preparing writing teachers on the internet

The project described in this article was intended to bring together, electronically, a group of high school student writers and university undergraduate English-education majors; the purpose was to give the university students “hands-on” experience with high school student writing and to offer the high school writers an audience beyond their teacher. What seemed like a straightforward and exciting virtual connection, however, became an exercise in negotiating a number of “real” boundaries (technological, institutional, and theoretical) and, ultimately, revealed important and difficult questions about the uses of computerbased resources such as the Internet for writing instruction and for high school—university collaborations in the teaching of writing. This article describes the difficulties encountered and explores questions raised by the project about use of computer technologies in teaching writing and about purposes of writing instruction more generally.

Self-Identity through Literature

or poor in college courses for EnglishEducation majors in a predominantly white college, I became a student-teacher at a Boys Detention Home near the campus. The first week a very frustrated white supervisor raised her voice loud enough for students to hear as she warned me that any attempt to teach low-income black and Puerto Rican youth was pointless: Why bother? These (students) are scum! Her attitude came as no surprise. I had undergone many ego-damaging experiences in school. My mind flashed back to countless tryouts for school plays at which I was never cast as a heroine; to a fifth grade teacher who prophesied that I would never be anything; to a short, ruddy biology teacher who tacked a grotesque photograph of a black man on the bulletin board and explained to the class that Negroes descended from apes. My mind flashed back to a world of school experiences from grade school to college through which I had been routinely insulted, humiliated, or simply ignored. The supervisor's harsh words served as an incentive for me; I began to see myself in the faces of those students and I de-

A Unified View of the Subject: Some Suggestions from the Trenches

teaching, and I submit that something is lacking. The something lacking is not inherent in the courses themselves, but in their organization and in the assumptions that may or may not have led to their creation. My point is that English majors come from their respective schools not knowing what the subject is; they have few coherent assumptions about the nature of the subject. In the case of English education majors, this is a particularly unhappy situation, since one can scarcely teach a subject whose nature and boundaries he is only dimly aware of. College English departments should give their majors a comprehensive view of the subject. Perhaps courses should be set up for this very purpose, but at the very least a department could publish its assumptions about the subject, and indicate how individual courses grow out of those assumptions. Our department has spent considerable time defining the subject and creating courses in which it can be most effectively taught; I offer our work, in hope of starting a trend.