网络阅读环境下中国成年英语学习者的阅读策略

Adult Chinese English learners' Reading Strategies in Web-based Reading

进入21世纪后随着网络技术的迅速发展、互联网应用的逐渐普及,以及教师运用网络技术能力的普遍提高,来自互联网的电子文本开始被语言教学者用于课堂教学,网络探究阅读近年来被广泛尝试。由于网络文本与传统的印刷文本相比具有非线性、多维性和交互性等特点,网络探究阅读活动在阅读目的、阅读过程和阅读结果方面与传统阅读活动也就产生了很大的差异。本研究使用一个开放式的问卷,目的是探索中国成年英语学习者在网络探究阅读过程中的阅读方式和所使用的阅读策略。研究结果显示,中国成年英语学习者在网络探究阅读环境下的阅读过程仍然和阅读传统印刷文本相似,大部分学生沿袭了传统的线性阅读模式;他们不善使用归纳概括策略,不善利用图片等多媒体辅助手段促进理解,但是区分重要和次要链接的能力较强;多数学生喜欢多媒体网络文本。上述发现为以网络为基础的英语阅读教学和阅读策略教学和训练提供了有益的启示。

With the rapid development and spread of internet technology in the 21st century, web-based electronic texts have been widely used in language teaching as well as the teaching of reading, and methods as WebQuests have been adopted widely by language teachers in improving students reading comprehension and ability to solve problems. Web-based reading is generally believed to be non-linear, multi-dimensional and interactive, while traditional reading is usually linear and passive. Thus the pattern of reading web-based electronic texts is greatly different from that of reading traditional print texts in terms of purpose, process and outcome. The present study, by using an open-ended questionnaire with 11 questions, aims to probe the reading patterns and strategies adopted by Adult English learners in China when they are reading web-based materials. Conclusions drawn from the findings of the present study are： Adult English learners in China still follow linear routes while reading web-based electronic texts ; they have not acquired, thus are not good at making use of summary strategies ; they are not able to make the most of the multi-media information, which is believed to be the most remarkable strength of web-based reading materials; while reading web-based materials, they tend to ignore unknown words or look them up in electronic dictionaries or through online search engine, but they don＇t draw inferences as they do while reading traditional print materials; however, they are rather skilled at distinguishing important links from less important ones. It is also found that relatively more Adult English learners in China prefer web-based electronic texts to traditional print texts. Web-based English teaching and reading strategy instruction can benefit from the findings and the conclusions of this study. It is thus recommended that adult English learners in China be informed of the importance of applying summary strategies to web-based reading and the benefits of the wide variety of multi-media information on the Internet, be taught how to summarize main ideas or key points of web-based reading materials and how to make the most of all kinds of information involved in reading without being misled, be guided to switch from linear to non-linear reading patterns according to different reading purposes, and be provided with sufficient opportunities to practice using such strategies and the target language. In addition, although the findings from this study indicate that most subjects of this study are good at distinguishing important links from less important ones, the strategy of distinguishing important information from less important information should be further emphasized and taught to help language learners avoid being overwhelmed by misleading information.