Teaching English in the song of music：Toward a systemic framework for using English songs in EFL teaching

Guided by dialectical systemic thinking, this paper proposes a systemic framework for using English songs in EFL teaching. It first provides the philosophical, linguistic, psychological, pedagogical, and empirical bases for such an approach, then outlines the major processes in selecting and preparing English songs in lesson planning, and demonstrates the main procedures and aspects of using songs in classroom activities. It argues that the application of this approach will immediately stimulate the learners＇ interest in EFL learning and enhance the efficiency of EFL teaching.

Strategies to Promote Intercultural Communicative Competence in EFL Teaching

With the acceleration of globalization and internationalization, the demand for multilingual speakers is urgent, which promotes the development of foreign language teaching and learning especially English. Consequently, the English as a Foreign Language （EFL） teaching is paid great attention to in China. Many previous studies show the connection of EFL teaching and teachers＇ intercultural communicative competence （ICC）. Although it is presumed that teachers＇ ICC at this stage is a prerequisite to raise students＇ ICC, the specific strategies to promote teachers＇ intercultural skills in EFL teaching have not yet been empirically demonstrated. The goal of the present study is to put forward some specific strategies to promote teachers＇ ICC in EFL teaching. Two cases including interview and teaching plans, were administered in high school teachers. Sample analysis demonstrated teachers＇ current problems in ICC and in Chinese EFL teaching as well as the necessity for teachers to acquire the specific teaching strategies. These findings seem to suggest that specific strategies are indeed essential to promote teachers＇ ICC in EFL teaching.

The Application of Blended Learning Approach in EFL Teaching

Blended learning(BL)has been recognized as one of the most promising directions in education development in the modern world as it combines the strengths of traditional educational methods and benefits of online learning technologies.This paper starts with an exploration of BL as a concept,models and its application in language teaching and then probe into the effectiveness of BL approach in English as Foreign Language(EFL)Teaching especially to boost students speaking and listening competence,via a comparative study.With 50 in control group taught through traditional face-to-face instructions and 58 in experiment group through BL method,108 students are involved to find out that BL is conducive to promote students’motivation,self-study as well as activity and also to enhance their speaking and listening skills.

The Brief Exploration of the Value of Modern English Advertisements in EFL Teaching

In the recent age of globalization, English advertisements prevail in people＇s everyday life. As a social discourse, advertisements offer valuable resources of language use to English learners. It is also of great importance to fully utilize these resources to improve the quality of EFL teaching, especially learners＇ abilities to gain English proficiency. Based on an analysis of recent findings in modem English advertising, the present paper proposes a framework of employing English advertisements in EFL teaching from linguistic, rhetorical, pragmatic and cultural perspectives.

Techno-constructivism in EFL Teaching

With the explosion of information technology, many foreign language teachers are concerned that technology will impose distance in the student-teacher relationship and both teaching and learning will suffer. To make full use of information technology without loss of social interaction in classroom, techno-constructivism is recommended. Examples of effective implementation of techno-constructivist pedagogy in EFL teaching are given to demonstrate how to ensure effective learning.

A Brief Analysis of Features of Authentic Listening in EFL Teaching

In recent decades, there is an increasing awareness among EFL teachers that listening is no longer being regarded as a receptive skill to assist other language skills. Instead, listening itself is viewed as an important communicative skill that is urgently required in the real- world communication. This project aims to identify the main features of authentic listening that are required in EFL teaching which are Purpose and Expectation, Environmental Background Clues and Informal Speech.

EFL teaching:its goals and basic requirements

In choosing the subject matter for the EFL teaching course,we should keep in mind the fact that the purpose is to provide knowledge of the world and specifically of the relevant cultures.Usefulness is usually the first feature in EFL teaching.That does not mean we could neglect the interest of the lessons.

A Comparison between Deductive and Inductive Approaches for Teaching EFL Grammar to High School Students

This study had the purpose of testingtwo methods for teaching grammar in Englishasa Foreign Language(EFL)class:the deductive and inductive approaches in terms of effectiveness and rapport.This research was conducted in a public high school in Ecuador.Seventy students enrolled in the second year of senior high school participated.One in-service teacher taught the EFL classes during the process of intervention(10 weeks),and two EFL teachers observed all of these classes and recorded the information by filling in observation sheets.The students were administered grammar pretests and post-tests in order to assess their grammar knowledge.The results of the tests showed a significant difference in the scores in favor of the inductive approach.After the statistical analysis of the data obtained from the tests and observation sheets,we concluded that the inductive approach is more effective for teaching grammar in the EFL classroom in terms of instruction and rapport.

EXPLOITING VIDEO FILMS FOR EFL TEACHING PURPOSES

Using video films can be a very effective way of teaching and learning English only when the films areproperly selected and some activities are organized around them.This paper offers the criteria forchoosing films and suggests some activities for a variety of language teaching purposes.As video units and video films in English are now more easily available,the use of video films has becomean increasingly important component of teaching English as a foreign language.Here I use the term"video film"in a loose sense to mean"feature film on video".In recent years,textbooks have appeared inChina,such as English Through Films(Wu Qing,Yang Limin 1993)and English and American

Chinese Tertiary Students＇ Perceptions of a Good EFL Teacher

This article mainly deals with a group of Chinese tertiary students＇ ideas about what makes a good EFL teacher at the tertiary level. The participants＇ learning experience, reflections and expectations have cast light upon what a modern EFL teacher is supposed to perform in the Chinese EFL context.

The Third Space Identity Construction： A Narrative Inquiry into a Chinese College EFL Learner’s Experience of Online Intercultural Writing Exchange

Drawing on in-depth interviews with a Chinese EFL learner, this qualitative study explores her identity changes throughout her engagement in the third space-the online intercultural writing exchange. The findings show that her productive construction of the third space is marked by a transformation from a reticent student to an open thought sharer and her claim of a legitimate ownership of using English as a global language. A split is exposed between her newly acquired English rhetorical conventions and her deeply rooted perceptions in the Chinese context. It is suggested by the study that EFL learners be provided greater opportunities to explore language as both a linguistic system and a sociocultural practice where they can exercise their agency and expand the range of identities.

Definition of Standard English and its enlightenment on English teaching

Standard English is defined not as a language, a style, an accent, but as standardized grammar and vocabulary with different accents. And from a linguistic point of view, Standard English is no more correct than any other form of English. Yet it is most prestigious, and a desirable educational target. However, different varieties of English should also be taught for international communication.

Rethinking Speaking Skills in EFL （English as a Foreign Language） Settings

The teaching of speaking has been neglected in EFL （English as a Foreign Language） settings throughout language history which led to negative effects on EFL teachers＇ and learners＇ attitudes. While teachers exhibit hesitation having no preset teaching paradigms at their disposal, learners experience withdrawal in speaking situations that demand interactional ease and socio-pragmatic awareness. Indeed, both the type of instruction and the complexity of this skill make of the teaching of spoken language a highly controversial issue especially with the implicit dichotomy that speaking entails and which opposes accurate mastery of linguistic patterns to ease or facility in meaning transmission. This paper aims at reconsidering the way this dormant skill has been tackled and the interfering variables that should be rethought and revisited while dealing with it.

An Examination on the Problems Existing in the Teaching and Learning of Oral English

The published studies on the issues in the teaching and leaming of ESL （English as a Second Language）/EFL （English as a Foreign Language） oral English shed lights on many of the unresolved problems in ESL/EFL teaching and learning. The writer＇s findings through literature review of the issues in the teaching and learning of ESL/EFL oral English indicate that further studies in this area may provide more valuable experiences to aid ESL/EFL speakers in producing fluent and accurate speech.

Corpora research of language transfer

The paper firstly reviews the developments of language transfer research. Utilizing the results supplied by CEM and AntConc, the present writer conducts analyses of the lexicai errors committed by the students in TEM-8 test and reveals the contributions to SLA and EFL language teaching that language transfer may make.

An Empirical Study of Chinese EFL Classroom Teaching:A Cognitive Linguistic Approach

An empirical study of Chinese EFL learners has been carried out in the authentic Chinese EFL classroom on the campus of Tianjin Foreign Studies University, with an aim to verify how and why the cognitive linguistic approach can facilitate L2 or FL learners in the process of learning English as a second or a foreign language. The statistical analysis of the data showed that the EC outperformed the CC both on lexical and grammatical proficiency and on their metaphorical and pragmatic or sociolinguist competence after the classroom treatment. Thestudy has concluded that using CMs and IMs as the motivator and organizer in the process of learning English as a foreign language, the cognitive approach benefits L2 or FL learners with respect to comprehension and retention of memory.

Investigating Learner Engagement in Flipped English as a Foreign Language Classroom

Flipped classroom is an innovative instructional method. Recenttechnological developments have given rise to the popularity of flippedclassroom. This study reports the findings of a questionnaire survey thatinvestigates learners’ perceptions of flipped EFL (English as a ForeignLanguage) classroom, with a particular focus on their self-perceived learnerengagement. The results of the study indicate that the learners generallyhave positive and favorable attitudes toward flipped classroom. Seventyfivepercent of them consider flipped classroom useful in boosting theirconfidence in learning English and 50.6% think that they have becomemore interested in the course. Yet, it is also found that only 30.1% agreethat flipped method has helped them to understand the course content moreclearly. In addition, as high as 71.6% of the respondents agree that theflipped method can increase their motivation to participate in classroomlearning activities, but only 44.9% believe that their engagement hasbeen raised. While the results show that the students tend to accept thisnew teaching method, their evaluation of the actual effects of it is notas expected, which may be due to the lack of guidance and the weakconnection between online self-study and classroom activities. Futurestudies are needed to explore how to strengthen these areas.

Investigation on the Intercultural Sensitivity of English Teachers in Chinese Elementary Schools

The development of technology has driven human beings into a globalized world,which requires intercultural communication competence(ICC).As its affective aspect,the subject of intercultural sensitivity(IS)is being heatedly discussed nowadays.This study focuses on the importance of intercultural sensitivity(IS)among Chinese EFL teachers and attempts to explore their current level and the possible reasons for it.For this purpose,questionnaires were distributed to 29 Chinese elementary school English teachers,and the results from the questionnaire showed that the IS level of these teachers is satisfactory,scoring high in five dimensions:interaction engagement,respect for cultural differences,interaction confidence,interaction attentiveness,and interaction enjoyment.The follow-up interview suggested that the high IS level may be a result from intercultural communication training.Moreover,this research found that Chinese teachers were more engaged and enjoyed less in view of scarce opportunities for communication in authentic cross-cultural contexts.Several suggestions and implications for further research have also been included in this article.

INNOVATION IN TEACHING ADVANCED WRITING TO EFL TEACHERS

1.IntroductionWriting is a productive skill of the language,which usually comes at the end of the four languageskills.Many learners find it difficult when they writeeither because they don’t have anything to writeabout or because they don’t know how to write.As aresult,they are daunted by any writing tasks.Teach-ers also find it difficult when they teach the writingcourse either because there aren’t enough teaching re-sources to go to or because the sheer marking of thecomposition poses as a monster of some sort.Theseproblems have hindered the effective teaching andlearning of writing.

TOWARDS A REALIZATION OF AN HOLISTIC MODEL OF TEACHING READING IN THE EFL CLASS IN CHINA

The teaching of reading in the EFL class in China is supposed to be the most important course forEnglish learners in colleges and universities because it is expected to fulfil two tasks:the develop-ment of reading skills and the development of language skills.The former set of skills is assigned tothe course called Extensive Reading,which is top-down oriented,and,like the top-down model be-fore 1980’s,its emphasis on the language competence such as syntax and vocabulary often leads to"wild guessing"and misunderstanding.Another reading course,Intensive Reading,is supposed to beresponsible for the latter set of skills.This bottom-up manner of reading often results in word-to-word reading and also causes miscomprehension.The Holistic Model of Reading,as developed on thebasis of interactive models with particular concern over the Chinese learning environment,attemptsto combine the two courses into one and the result,as our studies show,turns out to be promising.