The New Curriculum Standards (NCS) for Middle Schools require students to complete certain amount of English reading as extra-curricular practice at Junior and Senior high levels respectively. Such standards encourage...The New Curriculum Standards (NCS) for Middle Schools require students to complete certain amount of English reading as extra-curricular practice at Junior and Senior high levels respectively. Such standards encourage independent and collaborative learning but may pose a challenge to the test-oriented English teaching in China. Pressed by the graduation and enrollment rates, do teachers still care for organizing extra-curricular reading If yes, are the methods they use effective and scientific To answer these questions, our research team conducted a two-year research in Beijing middle schools. The results show that extra-curricular reading has been implemented differently at different levels to different degrees. Some teachers have worked out feasible, successful methods in accord with international practices, some schools are just starting their experiments, and some have not made plans yet. By analyzing the favored organizing and monitoring methods, and evaluating their benefits and limits, this paper hopes to offer some implications to the researchers with the same endeavor.展开更多
文摘The New Curriculum Standards (NCS) for Middle Schools require students to complete certain amount of English reading as extra-curricular practice at Junior and Senior high levels respectively. Such standards encourage independent and collaborative learning but may pose a challenge to the test-oriented English teaching in China. Pressed by the graduation and enrollment rates, do teachers still care for organizing extra-curricular reading If yes, are the methods they use effective and scientific To answer these questions, our research team conducted a two-year research in Beijing middle schools. The results show that extra-curricular reading has been implemented differently at different levels to different degrees. Some teachers have worked out feasible, successful methods in accord with international practices, some schools are just starting their experiments, and some have not made plans yet. By analyzing the favored organizing and monitoring methods, and evaluating their benefits and limits, this paper hopes to offer some implications to the researchers with the same endeavor.