韩礼德“以语言为基础的学习理论”探讨

韩礼德提出的以语言为基础的学习理论,将语言视作学习其他知识的资源,认为语言是重要的学习工具。英语学科核心素养注重学习者自主学习能力和终身学习能力的培养,提倡使用语言拓展学习领域,这与韩礼德提出的学习理论不谋而合。阐述以语言为基础的学习理论的来源与内涵,分析以语言为基础的学习理论与我国基础外语教育之间的关系,指出明确以语言为基础的学习理论的内涵,充分理解并发挥语言的工具价值,有助于学习者学习能力的养成与发展,进而促进我国基础教育阶段外语学习与教学。

加强英语写作推进语篇教学

书面表达是全国很多地市中考英语试题的重要组成部分,是英语写作技能的重要体现。教师要想真正帮助学生提高中考英语书面表达的成绩就必须落实英语写作教学工作,需要满足学生为了社会工作生活中应用英语的需要,合理设计安排英语写作课,提高写作课课堂效率。然而写作教学并不是孤立的,而应与听说教学、词汇教学、语法教学、阅读教学几方面相结合,相互促进,寓写作教学于口语训练之中,寓写作教学于课内外语篇阅读训练之中,同时加强写作技巧训练促写作。

Foreign Language Teacher Recruitment： Theoretical Perspectives and Empirical Findings

In some contexts such as private language schools of Iran language teachers are recruited mainly on the basis of their speaking fluency and in other EFL contexts they are recruited simply because they are native speakers. Moreover, previous studies mainly focus on comparing the effectiveness of native and non-native language teachers by exploring learners＇ and teachers＇ perceptions of native and non-native language teachers. Since recruitment criteria are theoretically unjustified and the results of previous studies are subjective and inconclusive, this study aims at making a case in the opposite direction. That is, the researchers argue that there should be： （1） a shift away from recruiting language teachers on the basis of their speaking fluency and native language background towards hiring language teachers on the basis of their professional performance in the language classroom; （2） a shift away from exploring learners＇ and teachers＇ perceptions of native and non-native teachers towards studying the effect of teachers＇ native language on learners＇ proficiency, accuracy, fluency, and achievement. To pave the way for these shifts, this study first reviews the theoretical perspectives and empirical findings concerning effective language teachers and then draws conclusions and implications which help interested stakeholders, i.e., supervisors, make informed decisions when they recruit language teachers.

Conversing in Spanish at a Seniors Center： A Brief Experience of Community-Based and Foreign-Language Learning

This pilot study explored the linguistic gains of intermediate level Spanish learners who completed community-based learning at a Spanish-speaking seniors center. Leamers had the opportunity, rare in foreign-language instruction, to discuss topics from their textbook in authentic native/non-native dyads. The interactions also allowed the seniors to fulfill an identified community needed by socializing in Spanish. Analyses of a post-service survey revealed that learners assessed the experience positively, because they spoke Spanish creatively. Seniors were described as cooperative and fun interlocutors, suggesting that age difference minimally affected the interactions. Direct observation revealed that learners managed to produce L2 Spanish output in connected speech for an extended period of time. Likewise, the seniors enjoyed a moment of socialization and first language use while sharing their views on the topics of discussion with the young visitors. Seniors＇ active participation likely encouraged learners to cope with sudden switches of topics that required negotiating for meaning and pushing the still limited interlanguages. A new service leaming study proposes to investigate the use of native/non-native dyads in Spanish in fulfilling a dual function： socialization and first language maintenance for the seniors at the center and language learning for the students.

On the Factors Analysis of Affecting Listening Comprehension in Learning Foreign Language

The listening teaching to students should not be a passive acceptance process, but the use ot knowledge and non-knowledge of the language of all language information analysis processing and reconstruction of the information process. The paper shows the information that listeners accept relates to a variety of factors, which is a complex psychological process and proactive thinking process. However, due to the weak language basics, unhealthy hearing psychological and incorrect hearing and learning methods seriously affect and hinder the improvement of the hearing ability of college students. Therefore, how to improve the English listening comprehension become the majority of English learners continue to explore the issues. To the right way to learn in a short period of time to improve the level of English listening, it is necessary to grasp the scientific and reasonable learning strategy.

Exploring English Language Learning Policies in Iran Based on Secondary School Course Books for Learning English in Light of Globalization and Culture

With the globalization of English, the macro and micro cultures of the users of English around the world interact intensively. Considering these conditions, the local and global cultural interface seems an important issue which needs to be clarified in the materials and books used for learning English. Thus, the focus of this study was to explore the language learning policy of the new Iranian English course book at high schools, Prospect 1, recently published and taught for a year in Iran, in light of globalization and culture. This qualitative study was conducted through carrying out semi-structured interviews. The participants of this study were 30 teachers of Ministry of Education, who had the experience of teaching Prospect I for a year and they were mostly chosen from Mashhad and the rest from other cities of Khorasan province, Iran. The interview contained four main questions which were posed to the teachers. The findings of the study indicate that the language learning policy of Iran need to pay more attention to the learners＇ intercultural communicative competence because it mainly attempts at teaching English language focusing on the home culture in the Iranian context. The article ends with some pedagogical implications and more recommendations for developing research studies.

Application of Fuzzy Automata Theory and Knowledge Based Neural Networks for Development of Basic Learning Model

The paper focuses on amalgamation of automata theory and fuzzy language. It uses adaptive knowledge based abstract framework which uses dynamic neural network framework along with fuzzy automata as Models of Learning, combining the two methodologies the authors develop a new framework termed as Fuzzy Automata based Neural Network （FANN）. It highlights conversion of knowledge rule to fuzzy automata thereby generating a framework FANN. FANN consists of composite fuzzy automation divided into ＂Performance Evaluator＂ and ＂Feature Extraction＂ which takes the help of previously stored samples of similar situations. The authors have extended FANN for Urban Traffic Modeling.