摘 要

随着全球化程度的加深，英语口语在国际交流中的地位日益显著，然而在应试教育的大背景下，中学英语教学中的口语教学问题一直没有得到足够的关注，这也直接导致了大部分中国学生在英语口语表达上的困难。话题选择在口语教学中的地位举重若轻，但长期以来其重要性未能引起重视，主要问题在于话题选择的主题性不明确、所选话题无法引起学生兴趣以及过于依赖课本内容等方面。本文立足于当前我国中学英语课堂的实际情况以及英语口语教学的现状，着重研究了英语口语教学中的话题选择问题，指出了话题选择的三大标准，并从教学效果和考试表现两方面，通过案例具体分析阐明话题选择在中学英语口语教学中的重要性, 必要性及其对教学的影响。在此基础上，本文针对现有问题, 从学生与教师的角度提出了改进方法。

关键词：中学英语；口语教学；话题选择

Abstract

With the deepening of globalization, oral English has become increasingly prominent in international communication. However, under the context of exam-oriented education, the problem of oral English teaching in middle school English teaching has not been given enough attention, which has led directly to the difficulties in oral English expression among most Chinese students. Topic-selection plays a decisive role in oral English teaching, but its significance hasn’t been noticed for quite a long period, and the main problems are lacking specific theme in topic-selection, failing in arousing students’ interest, relying too much on textbook contents, etc. Basing on the current situation of English class as well as oral English teaching in middle schools in China, this paper focuses on the topic-selection in oral English teaching and has pointed out three standards of topic-selection. Also, from the aspects of teaching effect and test performance, this paper illustrates the importance and necessity of topic-selection in oral English teaching in middle schools and its impact on teaching with a specific case. Basing on this, improvements aiming at existing problems are introduced on the aspect of both teachers and students.

Key words: Middle school English; Oral English Teaching; Topic-selection

Contents

1. Introduction 1
2. Literature Review 2
   1. Domestic research on oral English teaching methods 2
   2. Foreign research on teaching methods of oral English 3
3. Topic-selection and Oral English Teaching in Chinese Middle Schools 4
   1. Types of topics in oral English teaching 4
   2. Standards of topic-selection 5
      1. Being interest-oriented 5
      2. Being teaching-oriented 6
      3. Being correct-value-oriented 6
   3. Influence of topic-selection on both teachers and students 7
      1. Influence on students 7
      2. Influence on teachers and teaching process 8
4. Case Study—Topic-Based Methods in Oral English Teaching 10
   1. Topic-selection and teaching methods 10
   2. Teaching effects and rethink 12
5. Methods to Enhance the Effect of Topic-Selection in Oral English Teaching 14
   1. Students’ aspect 14
   2. Teachers’ aspect 14
6. Conclusion 16

References 17

Appendix 18

Acknowledgments 20

Topic-Selection and Oral English Teaching in Middle Schools

Introduction

It has been over several decades since English was introduced into Chinese middle schools as a subject, which has contributed greatly to the popularity of English in China and promoted China’s foreign communication to a certain extent. However, as a compulsory course included in both senior middle school entrance examination and the college entrance examination, test score has once become the only measure of teaching. There’s no doubt that such a single standard will lead to the deliberate disregard of problems in English teaching in middle schools, among which the most significant one should be the teaching of oral English.

Actually, after the education reform in recent years, English teachers in Chinese middle schools have been teaching oral English during class time more or less as a supplement to the content of textbooks or just for interest. However, it probably needs more time before former teaching concepts have been changed than teaching methods. Such asymmetry in time obviously amplified those existing problems in middle school oral English teaching, for instance, the issue of topic-selection. Topic is the foundation of an oral English class, as it serves as both inspiration and limitation. Most Chinese middle school English teachers don’t have the awareness of selecting proper topic for oral classes or just relying too much on textbooks instead of giving students freedom. Improvements on topic-selection should be made immediately to enhance the quality of oral English teaching in Chinese middle schools.