Interactive language teaching which is the improvement on the traditional language teaching, suits the social request that students can communicate effectively in English. This paper aims to explore the theoretical ba...Interactive language teaching which is the improvement on the traditional language teaching, suits the social request that students can communicate effectively in English. This paper aims to explore the theoretical basis, teaching principles and two teaching models, and states that interactive language teaching is an interaction-based pedagogy, in which students are the center of the learning and teaching activities while a teacher is the initiator.展开更多
South Africa is a country of many cultures. Before the first democratic elections in 1994, people of different cultures found it difficult to interact because of legislated racial segregation, which made it difficult ...South Africa is a country of many cultures. Before the first democratic elections in 1994, people of different cultures found it difficult to interact because of legislated racial segregation, which made it difficult for blacks to mix with whites in almost all spheres of life. The only place interaction could take place was in the workplace. As a result, children from different cultural groups had few opportunities to interact. This made it impossible for South African children to learn about the cultures of other racial groups. With the introduction of a democratic government, all segregation laws were relaxed and people mixed freely in all spheres of life. Intercultural communication became commonplace. This new scenario presented a challenge to many South African children, but despite the limits imposed before 1994, children from all racial groups associated successfully. Their ability to cope with this situation with so much more ease than adults was remarkable. This paper seeks to highlight the communication skills used by South African children from all cultural backgrounds to achieve intercultural competence in a relatively short space of time. The paper will further reflect on the impact made on African children by intercultural interaction and competence.展开更多
College English teaching in China has long focused on importing cultures of English countries while neglecting to enhance students’English competence in home culture.The present research aims to investigate Chinese n...College English teaching in China has long focused on importing cultures of English countries while neglecting to enhance students’English competence in home culture.The present research aims to investigate Chinese non-English major undergraduates’competence in translating Chinese cultural items into English and the significant predictors of such competence.With a test and a questionnaire as research instruments,this study was conducted to assess 82 undergraduates’ability to translate three different levels of Chinese culture-specific items into English and explored the factors which might have affected the students’home culture translation ability.The results show that the participants did well in translating the surface layer cultural items,but their performance in sub-surface and deep layer culture translation tasks was far from being satisfactory.It was also found that students had positive attitudes towards Chinese culture and were willing to learn to express Chinese culture in English,but their English learning motivation in general was not strong enough,and they were not given much input on Chinese culture in their English class.Students’Chinese cultural knowledge and their awareness of the importance of learning Chinese culture in English were found to be the two significant factors that can predict their performance in the translation tasks.These findings have implications for the teaching of culture and cross-cultural communications in EFL classes.展开更多
It has been acknowledged by Chinese educators that in teaching English as a second language the center should be put on the improvement of students＇ communicative competence. Communicative approach in teaching Englis...It has been acknowledged by Chinese educators that in teaching English as a second language the center should be put on the improvement of students＇ communicative competence. Communicative approach in teaching English as a second language in China has been accepted as one of the most effective ways of classroom teaching. Based on Hymes＇ theories of communicative competence, the author summarizes personal experiences and practice of the teaching method by examples and concludes that the communicative approach is very effective and helpful for students.展开更多
文摘Interactive language teaching which is the improvement on the traditional language teaching, suits the social request that students can communicate effectively in English. This paper aims to explore the theoretical basis, teaching principles and two teaching models, and states that interactive language teaching is an interaction-based pedagogy, in which students are the center of the learning and teaching activities while a teacher is the initiator.
文摘South Africa is a country of many cultures. Before the first democratic elections in 1994, people of different cultures found it difficult to interact because of legislated racial segregation, which made it difficult for blacks to mix with whites in almost all spheres of life. The only place interaction could take place was in the workplace. As a result, children from different cultural groups had few opportunities to interact. This made it impossible for South African children to learn about the cultures of other racial groups. With the introduction of a democratic government, all segregation laws were relaxed and people mixed freely in all spheres of life. Intercultural communication became commonplace. This new scenario presented a challenge to many South African children, but despite the limits imposed before 1994, children from all racial groups associated successfully. Their ability to cope with this situation with so much more ease than adults was remarkable. This paper seeks to highlight the communication skills used by South African children from all cultural backgrounds to achieve intercultural competence in a relatively short space of time. The paper will further reflect on the impact made on African children by intercultural interaction and competence.
文摘College English teaching in China has long focused on importing cultures of English countries while neglecting to enhance students’English competence in home culture.The present research aims to investigate Chinese non-English major undergraduates’competence in translating Chinese cultural items into English and the significant predictors of such competence.With a test and a questionnaire as research instruments,this study was conducted to assess 82 undergraduates’ability to translate three different levels of Chinese culture-specific items into English and explored the factors which might have affected the students’home culture translation ability.The results show that the participants did well in translating the surface layer cultural items,but their performance in sub-surface and deep layer culture translation tasks was far from being satisfactory.It was also found that students had positive attitudes towards Chinese culture and were willing to learn to express Chinese culture in English,but their English learning motivation in general was not strong enough,and they were not given much input on Chinese culture in their English class.Students’Chinese cultural knowledge and their awareness of the importance of learning Chinese culture in English were found to be the two significant factors that can predict their performance in the translation tasks.These findings have implications for the teaching of culture and cross-cultural communications in EFL classes.
文摘It has been acknowledged by Chinese educators that in teaching English as a second language the center should be put on the improvement of students＇ communicative competence. Communicative approach in teaching English as a second language in China has been accepted as one of the most effective ways of classroom teaching. Based on Hymes＇ theories of communicative competence, the author summarizes personal experiences and practice of the teaching method by examples and concludes that the communicative approach is very effective and helpful for students.
