An Empirical Study of the Socratic Method in Nongraded English Teaching in Senior High School Under the Background of the New National College Entrance Examination

With the reform of the New National College Entrance Examination(Gaokao),the nongraded education will become an inevitable trend.In senior high school,the traditional test-oriented education is popular.The knowledge is mainly taught by the teachers,and the students passively absorb it.This study examines a problem-oriented Socratic experiment in nongraded English teaching in senior high school.The teachers seek output from students,who respond by interpreting questions,fostering critical thinking,and enhancing problem-solving skills.This teaching experiment indicates that the Socratic method has a significant positive effect on cultivating nongraded senior high English students’critical thinking under the New National College Entrance Examination.

China National College Entrance Examination brings New Changes to High Schools

China National College Entrance Examination(NCEE)reform originates from the thirst for innovative talents in China's economic development.In the past,the NCEE only focused on the level of students'admission to the school without paying attention to students'personal preferences,which led to many people not interested in their major and caused a waste of human resources.The new NCEE gives students an early start in thinking about their college majors and future careers.The new NCEE directly bring about a series of new changes in high schools.

The School Reform Under the Background of the New National College Entrance Examination Reform

Since the promulgation of the new plan for the national college entrance examination reform in 2014,all provinces have been gradually promoting the new college entrance examination reform.In this context,schools are actively carrying out various reforms to improve the quality of education and teaching.However,can school reform only aim at the national college entrance examination?Facing the new national college entrance examination reform,what can schools do?

INVESTIGATION ON MYOPIA RATE OF STUDENTS IN MINHANG DISTRICT OF SHANGHAI

ObjectiveTo investigate the myopia rate of students in Minhang District of Shanghai and to take effective measures in preventing and controlling myopia. MethodsA total of 5 809 students (2 904 boys and 2 905 girls) from 41 schools (29 middle schools and 12 high schools) who were going to take National College Entrance Examination of China (NCEE) and High School Entrance Examination of Shanghai (HSEE) in 2012 in Minhang District were included in this investigation. The eyesight data of the students, including myopia rates, the disturbing of myopia degree, the differences of myopia rate between different schools, the relationship between the myopia rate and sex, and the relationship between myopia rate and right or left eye, were analyzed. ResultsMyopia was found in 80.3% of the total students. The rate of myopia in high school was 84.0% (90.2% in key high school and 85.1% in general high school with significant difference between them). The rate of myopia in middle school was 78.2% (78.5% in key middle school and 77.9% in general high school without significant difference between them). The myopia rate of high school was higher than that of middle school (P<0.001). In high school, the myopia rate of girls (86.8%) was higher than that of boys (80.8%) (P<0.001). Among all students, the right eyesight (4.361) was lower than the left (4.389) (P<0.001). ConclusionThere is a poor situation in the eyesight of middle school students. The government should take effective measures to publicize the importance of the eyesight health. The education departments and the hospitals must establish the termly examination to decrease the occurrence rate of myopia.