A Study on the Values and Strategies of English Picture Book Reading for Improving Pupils’ English Reading Literacy

Reading is one of the core skills in English learning.It is indispensable for EFL learners to develop good English reading literacy in primary schools.English picture books are consistent with pupils’cognitive and thinking modes,which is valuable to improve their English reading literacy.However,at present,most Chinese pupils have some problems in English reading.The paper aims at analyzing the current problems in Chinese pupils’English reading and digging out the values and strategies of English picture book reading,so as to stimulate their reading interests,cultivate their intercultural awareness,and improve their English reading literacy.

How the ICT Development Level Influences Students’Digital Reading Literacy:A Multi-level Model Comparison Based on PISA 2018 Data

The purpose of this study is to systematically showcase and evaluate how students’,schools’,and countries’Information and Communication Technology(ICT)development levels influence students’digital reading literacy by using the data of the Program for International Student Assessment(PISA)2018 and the multi-level model approach.It is found that the ICT development at each level has a significant positive effect on students’digital reading literacy,and there is a significant interactive moderating effect between different levels.The gap in ICT development levels between the countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI)and developed economies has a“Matthew effect”in widening the digital reading literacy gap in the short term,but in the long run,the faster growth of the countries participating in BRI in ICT development levels will narrow the gap and alleviate the effect.China should make use of its advantages in ICT development to engage in global education governance,facilitate the co-development in both the ICT development level and the digital reading literacy for the countries participating in BRI,and contribute to the development of global education by opening up a new way of development.

Using critical thinking activities as tools to integrate language skills

Every day communication is an event in which there is an interactional relationship between interlocutors. This interaction needs whole language in which language skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing; associated knowledge of vocabulary, meaning, syntax, etc.; and also, thinking skills are interwoven. This means that language should be kept whole and ＂if language isn＇t kept whole, it isn＇t language anymore＂ （Rigg, 1991, p. 522, cited in Richards ＆ Rodgers, 2001, p. 109）. In English as a Second Language/English Foreign Language （ESL/EFL） learning settings, improvement in one skill can affect the development of other skills. A particular course may highlight certain skills, but if the teacher is creative or specific tasks and problems are used in language learning settings, learners are provided with the opportunity to improve multiple, integrated skills. This paper aims at elaborating on critical thinking approach to language learning and introducing practical ideas for helping teachers to integrate language and thinking skills. It introduces 3 critical thinking activities （Dialogue journals, reading logs and literacy portfolios）, and also discusses how implementing them can serves as a way to integrate language skills. It also maintains that engaging learners in these activities helps them use authentic materials and solve problems of their own interest that in turn has a positive effect on student＇s motivation.