Hu Xiao-yu

(No. 161 Middle School Beijing, China)

Introduction

In this article, I will focus on 3 aspects of my teaching experiences with the New Senior English for China:

1. Some feedback from students (Ss) about their opinions on NSEFC Students' Book (SB) and my impression on the new series.

2. Some approaches used in my NSEFC learning classes with some sample lesson plans.

3. Experiences of teaching literature and having drama classes in using NSEFC

Survey results conducted with my students:

·94% of the Ss think that the materials in the NSEFC are more enjoyable and instructive than the old ones.

·76% of the Ss say that the ideas given in the NSEFC make them think more deeply about life.

·98% of the Ss believe that the knowledge about Western cultures provided in the NESFC helps them to understand and tolerate cultural differences.

From the figure above, we can see that the great majority of Ss are favor of the new textbooks, especially its rich humanistic themes. It is known that the NSEFC has brought in many more learning resources. As for the amount of its new words, reading, and writing exercises.

·72% of the Ss think that there is no problem with the number of the new words; 17% among them even think there could be more!

·91% of the Ss believe that the amount of the reading in the NSEFC is just the right amount; 19% of them even hope they could read more!

·96% of the Ss say that they don’t think the writing tasks are a burden to them, but a good way to develop their logical thinking and imagination.

My overall impression on NSEFC

·Its greater use of graphic or visual aids helps Ss interpret information, and develop the habit of learning language by creating images in their minds.

·Its clear instructions, models, learning strategies & self-performance assessment make it easier for Ss to learn autonomously and to become independent learners.

·Those integrated-skill designs also help Ss see the connections between language skills.

·Its exercises or activities are easy for Ss to have cooperative & discovery learning and easy for teachers to do task-based teaching.

All these distinguishing features can easily be noticed when you look through the NSEFC SB. As a teacher, the quality of the reference book is also important. Every time when I am preparing lesson, I know I will learn something and my imagination will be sparked if I read the guided and suggested teaching notes in the TB.

·It provides specific suggestions on how to implement effective ELT methodology, educational psychology and theories.

·It is a good resource for helping teachers to become teacher-researchers.

·It is a real guidance on how to achieve language enrichment, and to avoid language-skills burnout.

Integrated-skill training, cooperative learning & task-based teaching in using NSEFC

As a teacher with ideas, I try to keep in mind not only the aims stated in the NSEFC Teacher's Book (TB) but also my own. Regardless of which approach I use, I try to involve my students in small groups with different tasks or activities.

Here below are 4 types of classes that I use in my NSEFC classes:

1. Text-based reading (class):

—ideas analysis

—text organization

—content summary

—class report

2. Grammar discovery & language learning (class):

—sentences models

—rules & usages discovery

—class report & summary

Instead of directly explaining the grammar rules or language structures, the new textbook provides many interesting and meaningful activities with model sentences for Ss to induce, to summarize, to find out rules themselves. So in grammar learning class, Ss have group work to discover and learn rather than to be taught about the grammar first.

3. Peer / group writing & correction (class)

—ideas re-organization

—writing clues discussion

—paraphrase

—peer / group reading

—pair /group presentation

4. Topic discussion or project presentation (class)

—revision of vocabulary & prior knowledge

—visual materials & handouts

—brainstorming, story telling, role-play, interview, debate, discussion

—project presentation (advanced Students)

Sample of using NSEFC

One of the remarkable characteristics of the New Senior English for China is the idea of carrying out integrated-skill language practice. Guided with this principle, I commonly used the content-based language instruction and task-based instruction. The first kind of language practice is reached by learning content through language, while the second that I have been using focuses on doing tasks that require language communication.

1. Task-based learning and teaching:

Before discussion or doing tasks, I often design some activities in the form of word brainstorm with visual aid to make sure that students have some prior knowledge and basic language construction.

After such a warm-up preparation, students will come to the stage to practice and develop their language skills by finishing tasks related. All the tasks should be intended for improving their abilities to comprehend the information they receive from authentic language. In the course of carrying out the task-based instructions, pair work and group work are often used to increase their interaction and collaboration. During this process, teachers should ask students to express their ideas in English as much as possible.

Sample: NSEFC Module 1 Unit 3 Travel journal

Task 1: A plan for a trip to different places with a certain purpose:

After Students have word reviews (peer work & class work) about “geographic words / places for trips / tools for bike trip, for camping and for searching for treasure”, they are given missions to create group talk about taking trips to different places.

Task 2: Measures taken to handle the problems of trip litter

The whole class is given a task of thinking how to deal with trip litter and have litter recycled. Have group talks before the group reports.

2. Content-based learning and teaching:

On the way to perform content-based learning, students practice all the language skills in a highly integrated, communicative fashion. While talking about the field of science, mathematics, and social studies, students will naturally integrate the language skills into the study of a theme. Since NSEFC is designed with certain relevant themes, while students are communicating, they will be well supported by the sources provided. It not only provides materials for varieties of language skills to be practiced, but also in a large scale arouse the interest of those students who used to have less motivation to English learning.

Sample: NSEFC Module 5 Unit 1 Great scientist

(1) Words & information preparation:

·Name some famous scientists you know at home and abroad.

·List some commonly used words touching upon the fields of these scientists’ discoveries, work and life.

·Go through different scientific subjects including community medical care, space science, astronomy, the classification of plants and animals and some familiar ones.

(2) Themes discussed from the reading materials:

·science of public health

·the spread of infectious disease

·the pretentious approaches to infectious diseases

·the process to collect and analyze the data

·shared characteristics of scientists

·the qualities of some example scientists, practicing using adjectives

·qualities, skills and education students need for future careers.

My experiences：Teaching the play

I had wanted to teach a play in my optional class time, but until the NSEFC textbooks came out, there was not a suitable edited play for middle school students to use or good advice for middle school teachers. In my preparing for the drama class, the tips at the back of the TB reference helped me a lot. Though it took up most of the optional class time, by doing the real play on the stage, students benefited in the following ways:

·Understood whatever they want to achieve, time and patience are always needed.

·Felt what characters feel, and better understood people of different social backgrounds.

·Learned some stage-acting knowledge, such as expressing their ideas through face expressions, gestures and tones.

·Felt more confident about speaking English aloud to the public on the stage.

·Developed their ability to cooperate with others and to have team work.

·Learned to enjoy English from an artistic point-of-view.

Besides all of these benefits, here are some other good points from the survey on Students' reading literature:

·100% improved in character analysis & culture understanding

·90% enlarge vocabulary & arouse motivation to learn English

·70% develop critical thinking

·50% sparks imagination

·30% do Creative Writing

Summary

Advantages of using integrated-skill approach, cooperative learning strategy in NSEFC

As contrasted with the segregated approach and the passive learning habit formed while using the old textbooks, the integrated-skill approach exposes English language learners to authentic language and challenges them to interact naturally in the language. It gives learners chances to rapidly gain a true picture of the richness and complexity of the English language. Employed for communication, this approach makes English become a real means of interaction and sharing among people. With this approach and the series of NSEFC, teachers can not only track student's progress in multiple skills at the same time, but also promote students' participation in real life.