自学考试《英语教学论》随堂习题及答案

　　Ⅲ. Term and its definition.

　　Directions: give briefly explanation of each term.

　　1. approach：When we use the word approach we mean that an idea or theory is being applied: that whatever the teacher does, certain theoretical principles are always borne in mind.

　　2. technique：When we talk about a technique, we mean a procedure used in the classroom. Techniques are the tricks in classroom teaching.

　　3. method: A method is a set of procedures or a collection of techniques used in a systematic way which it is hoped will result in efficient learning.

　　4. methodology：Methodology is the principle and techniques of teaching with no necessary reference to linguistics.

　　5. sociolinguistics: Sociolinguistics is the study of language in relation to social factors, that is, social class, educational level and type of education, age, sex, ethic origin, etc.

　　6. SR-model: SR-model refers to a connection which is established between a stimulus or stimulus situation (s) and the organism’s response (R) to this stimulus.

　　7. phoneme: A phoneme is the smallest distinctive sound unit or minimum unit of distinctive sound feature

　　8. casual listening: When we listen with no particular purpose in mind, and without much concentration, the kind of listening is called casual listening.

　　Ⅳ. Short answers.

　　Directions: answer the following questions briefly.

　　1. How do you understand the difference between approach, method, and technique?

　　When we use the word approach we mean that an idea or theory is being applied: that whatever the teacher does, certain theoretical principles are always borne in mind. A method is a set of procedures or a collection of techniques used in a systematic way which it is hoped will result in efficient learning. When we talk about a technique, we mean a procedure used in the classroom.

　　A technique then is the narrowest term, meaning one single procedure. A method will consist of a number of techniques, probably arranged in a specific order. The word approach is much more general and has the implication that whatever method or techniques the teacher uses, he does not feel bound by these, but only by the theory in which he believes. If he can find new and better methods or techniques which will fit in with his approach, then he will adopt these.

　　2. What are the three views of language that support popular foreign language teaching?

　　They are the structural view; the functional view and the interactional view.

　　3. What are the elements with which a method is concerned?

　　There are six elements:

　　1. the nature of language;

　　2. the nature of language learning;

　　3. goals and objectives in teaching;

　　4. the type of syllabus to use;

　　5. the role of teachers, and instructional materials; and

　　6. the techniques and procedures to use.

　　4. What are the points of concern of methodology?

　　The points of concern of methodology include:

　　a. the study of the nature of language skills (eg. reading, writing, speaking, listening) and procedures for teaching them

　　b. the study of the preparation of lessons plans, materials, and textbooks for teaching language skills

　　c. the evaluation and comparison of language teaching methods (eg. the Audiolingual Method)

　　d. such practices, procedures, principles, and beliefs themselves. (Richards, et al, 1985: 177)

　　5. Apart from a mastery of a foreign language, what other knowledge should a foreign language teacher have in order to do his/her job well?

　　He/she should have some knowledge about the related subjects such as linguistics, psychology and pedagogy. He should also know that a lot of variables influence classroom teaching. Factor like foreign language education policy, the goal of foreign language education, learners, teachers, syllabus, teaching method, teaching materials teaching aids, and assessment and evaluation all influence classroom teaching. If a teacher does not know them he would not be able to teach according to the circumstances and would achieve the best results possible.

　　6、In what sense can an understanding of the context of education contribute to language teaching and learning?

　　Teaching and learning a foreign language inevitably involves relationships between different aspects of life, and teaching English successfully is not just a question of method. Other things influence English language teaching (ELT) greatly. Refer to the nine variables discussed in the text.

　　7. Why do we say assessment has great backwash effects on foreign language teaching and learning?

　　Both positive and negative backwash effects. Assessment can provide teachers with feedback for lesson planning and remedial work. Students can also get information about their learning and progress, therefore have a sense of achievement. Through assessment they get to know their problems and areas for further study and improvement. However, inappropriate assessment can cause worries, discourage weak students, emphasis on grades instead of on abilities and competence, etc.

　　8. What is the difference between Skinner’s behaviorism and Chomsky’s mentalism?

　　Where behaviorism ignored the contribution of the child itself in the learning process, mentalism has practically denied that linguistic input and environment play a role in this process, and has generally paid very scant attention to the actual course language development takes.

　　9. Does Krashen’s theory of second language acquisition begin with theories, or with data?

　　Krashen’s theory of second language acquisition begins with theories or assumptions, not with data. He used a deductive method, that is, he set up a number of hypotheses first, then collected information or data to support/refute his hypotheses.

　　10. What is the role of formal learning according to the monitor hypothesis?

　　The monitor hypothesis states that formal learning has only one function, and that is as a “monitor” or “editor” and that learning comes into play only to make changes in the form of our utterance, after it has been produced by the acquired system. Acquisition initiates the speaker’s utterances and is responsible for fluency. Thus the monitor is thought to alter the output of the acquired system before or after the utterance is actually written or spoken, but the utterance is initiated entirely by the acquired system.

　　11. According to Krashen, there is only one way for human to acquire language. What is it?

　　By understanding meaningful messages or comprehensible input; the formula is i + 1.

　　12. What is the function of the affective filter?

　　According to the affective filter hypothesis, comprehensible input may not be utilized by second language acquirers if there is a “mental block” that prevents them from fully profiting from it. The affective filter acts as a barrier to acquisition: if the filter is “down”, the input reaches the LAD and becomes acquired competence; if the filter is “up”, the input is blocked and does not reach the LAD. Thus “input is the primary causative variable in SLA, affective variables acting to impel or facilitate the delivery of input to the LAD.”

　　13. What are some of the main stages of a lesson?

　　Here are some of the main stages of a lesson:

　　a. Presentation: The teacher presents new words or structures, gives examples, writes them on the board, etc.

　　b. Practice: Students practice using words or structures in a controlled way. Practice can be oral or written.

　　c. Production: Students use language they have learnt to express themselves more freely. Like practice, production can be oral or written.

　　d. Reading: Students read a text and answer questions or do a simple task.

　　e. Listening: The teacher reads a text or dialogue while the students listen and answer questions, or the students listen to the tape.

　　f. Revision: The teacher reviews language learnt in an earlier lesson, to refresh the students’ memories, or as a preparation for a new presentation.<0225>

　　14. What is the focus of a Grammar-Translation classroom?

　　The focus of a Grammar-Translation Method is grammar. The process of learning grammar is considered an important means of training mental abilities. The teaching materials are arranged according to the grammatical system.

　　15. What language skills are emphasized by the Grammar-translation Method?

　　Reading and writing are emphasized because literary language is regarded as superior to spoken language and is therefore the language students should study. This emphasis on reading and writing skills also results from the purpose of learning Latin: to read and translate the classical literature of Latin.