The purpose of the present paper is to investigate the multimodality in college English textbooks. Because multimodality is closely associated with college English teaching and learning, it is necessary to probe into ...The purpose of the present paper is to investigate the multimodality in college English textbooks. Because multimodality is closely associated with college English teaching and learning, it is necessary to probe into the multimodality in college English books. First, the study showed that the images in college English textbooks have the following functions: to illustrate the text, to consolidate the information in the text, to aestheticize the text, as well as to collaborate with the text to establish harmony between the author and the reader, therefore to convey the author's intentions well. Second, the study showed that the multimodality in college English textbooks reflects power relation and solidarity relation between the author and the reader. On the one hand, multimodality in college English textbooks implies unequal power relationships which are represented by unequal power opportunities for the author to select images while the reader has little influence. On the other hand, the learning activities provide a lot of chances for the reader to make contact with the images, hence establishing a familiar and harmonious relationship between the reader and the author. The findings of the present study have useful implications for college English teaching and learning and imply the need for further studies in this field.展开更多
Content-based instruction has been gaining widespread popularity in the teaching of both ESL and EFL. Despite its reported and recognized advantages, however, many English teachers fail to make full use of its content...Content-based instruction has been gaining widespread popularity in the teaching of both ESL and EFL. Despite its reported and recognized advantages, however, many English teachers fail to make full use of its content and benefits of language learning. In addition, there are comparatively few studies which offer theoretical foundation for content-based teaching and constructive suggestions for its integration in the settings of EFL. This article aims to connect theory with practice and help teachers of EFL in China to maximize the potential of content-based instruction. To achieve this goal, it first presents a short literature review on project-based instruction, followed by a summary of its advantages and beneficial outcomes of using the intemet in order to implement it. It then proposes an eight-step process for the sequencing of project work and finally demonstrate a real-world project specially designed for Chinese EFL students. Both the design and the teaching activities proposed can be easily transferred to other settings..展开更多
文摘The purpose of the present paper is to investigate the multimodality in college English textbooks. Because multimodality is closely associated with college English teaching and learning, it is necessary to probe into the multimodality in college English books. First, the study showed that the images in college English textbooks have the following functions: to illustrate the text, to consolidate the information in the text, to aestheticize the text, as well as to collaborate with the text to establish harmony between the author and the reader, therefore to convey the author's intentions well. Second, the study showed that the multimodality in college English textbooks reflects power relation and solidarity relation between the author and the reader. On the one hand, multimodality in college English textbooks implies unequal power relationships which are represented by unequal power opportunities for the author to select images while the reader has little influence. On the other hand, the learning activities provide a lot of chances for the reader to make contact with the images, hence establishing a familiar and harmonious relationship between the reader and the author. The findings of the present study have useful implications for college English teaching and learning and imply the need for further studies in this field.
文摘Content-based instruction has been gaining widespread popularity in the teaching of both ESL and EFL. Despite its reported and recognized advantages, however, many English teachers fail to make full use of its content and benefits of language learning. In addition, there are comparatively few studies which offer theoretical foundation for content-based teaching and constructive suggestions for its integration in the settings of EFL. This article aims to connect theory with practice and help teachers of EFL in China to maximize the potential of content-based instruction. To achieve this goal, it first presents a short literature review on project-based instruction, followed by a summary of its advantages and beneficial outcomes of using the intemet in order to implement it. It then proposes an eight-step process for the sequencing of project work and finally demonstrate a real-world project specially designed for Chinese EFL students. Both the design and the teaching activities proposed can be easily transferred to other settings..