The Application of the Whole Language Teaching Approach in College English Teaching and Learning

The goal of College English is to cultivate leamers＇ linguistic competence. There are quite a lot of approaches to make it, if properly applied. This paper intends to present one approach --- the whole language teaching approach in college English teaching. By applying this approach, the emphasis should be laid on the use of language rather than knowledge learning. Also, this paper will present in detail the application of this approach in teaching New Horizon College English.

WRITING TO LEARN THROUGH THEME-BASED MODULES/UNITS IN THE WHOLE LANGUAGE PHILOSOPHY

In the context of Chinese learning English writing to learn and length approach is one of the highlighted concepts and practices. It entails sufficient comprehensible input and active interaction. It is found that the theme-based modules/units, if organized and performed meaningfully and closely related to the learners' life and experiences, will best integrate these three elements in the process of the second language learning, which is geared in some major aspects to the whole language philosophy. 'Writing to learn' is a product of reverse thinking. In a theme-based module/unit, a writing task of the same theme is put at its end with some requirements for language enhancement. It serves as an engine to learn other skills. In reality, it is not writing alone that functions in the SLA, but writing at the final stage that requires comprehended input and good qualitative interaction together to fuel SLA. An experiment of 20 weeks shows the positive results for the model.

WHOLE LANGUAGE APPROACH IN EFL CLASSROOMS

Whole language, a relatively new approach emerged in theNorth America about more than thirty years ago, has becomeone of the two major philosophies (Phonics and WholeLanguage) in teaching and learning language. "The future ofwhole language is the future of education." (Goodman, 1992).Whole language is gaining its popularity all over the world andhas found its way into various language settings. It has also beenushered into the field of second language education. Whole lan-guage entails whole learners, whole teachers, whole texts, wholemethods, whole skills and whole environments. This paper at-tempts to introduce its definitions and explore its implications inteaching and learning English as a foreign language (EFL). Italso analyzes its limitations so that instructors, when imple-menting this approach in EFL classrooms, could make necessaryadaptations by taking into consideration the characteristics ofEFL learners, including their linguistic proficiency, sociocultur-al variables, and career orientations, and at the same time makesure that EFL classroom activities reflect wholeness of the majorcomponents underlying this approach.

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.

Developing Learner＇s Integrated Skills in College English Multimedia Classroom

Based on critical thinking of the relevant literature, the study has been carried out to investigate to what extent Whole Language Approach contributes to better results and motivates students to acquire the English language faster and more naturally in the multimedia language lab. A tentative model of whole language teaching comes into view, and an eighteen-month experimental project is designed and implemented in Hebei University, China. Research evaluation in both the qualitative and quantitative approaches is conducted and analyzed to ensure validity and reliability of the research.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A BALANCED READING INSTRUCTION IN TAIWAN

The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of the balanced reading program on the elementary school students in Taiwan. The participants were 36 fifth graders in Taiwan. The researchers chose suitable picture books as teaching materials and made use of them to design a balanced reading program. The program combines the ideas of whole language and phonics rules. Whole-part-whole structure was used in the teaching process. The teaching of the balanced reading program lasted for nine weeks. The questionnaire of learning feedbacks, the questionnaire of reading activities, the teacher's journal, interviews with teachers and students were used to gather data. Six facts were found after the analysis of the data: (1) Among the picture books, 'Seven Blind Mice' and 'Snow' were chosen by the students as their favorite. (2) Most students liked the reading activities for this semester. (3) The students made progress in reading ability and reading techniques. (4) The frequency of the students' reading English storybooks increased. (5) Most students were willing to read English storybooks after the program. (6) The table of self-evaluation didn't work well. Some suggestions have been provided according to the findings.