教师话语在英语课堂教学中的支架作用_英语论文

Teacher Talk As a Scaffold in EFL Classroom Teaching

摘要

“建构主义学习理论”指出学习是在教师的引导下通过课堂师生互动主动建构意义的过程，二语习得理论也强调了师生互动不可替代的作用。由此可见，在外语教学中交互式课堂更加有利于学习者英语学习的过程。教师话语（包括提问和反馈）作为实现互动最重要的途径，在外语教学中的作用日益受到重视，对课堂教学具有不可或缺的潜在功能。教师在英语课堂上通过有效的教师话语搭建脚手架实现师生互动，促进英语学习的过程。在实际教学过程中学习者英语习得的过程深受教师话语的影响。然而，当今英语课堂教师话语在实现课堂师生互动的有效性这个方面和理想有一定的差距，尽管教师从理论上来说了解支架教学模式，但没有真正运用于课堂实践来提高课堂教学效率。教师应当充分认识到支架教学作为一种教学手段的宝贵价值，利用其对教师话语对学习者英语学习过程的建构作用，分析学习者的特点及其对支架教学的需求并据此积极反思教师话语在日常教学实践中所存在的问题，从而利用更为有效的教师话语，给予学习者更为适当的支架作用，最终促进学习者的英语学习。

关键词：二语习得；英语教学；教师话语； 支架式教学； 课堂互动 

Abstract

Constructivism learning theory points out that learning is an active process of constructing meaning involving teacher-student classroom interaction guided by teachers. Also, second language acquisition theory emphasizes the irreplaceable role of classroom interaction. Thus, in EFL classroom it is much more conducive for EFL learners who are involved in interactive classroom teaching to promote their EFL learning. Teacher talk, including questioning and feedback, as the most important means to realize interaction is attached great importance day by day and has indispensable potential functions in EFL classroom. Effective teacher talk instructed by teachers in class can provide scaffoldings aiming at realizing classroom interaction and promoting learners’ English learning process. Teacher talk has deep impacts on the efficiency of English learning process in practical classroom teaching. Nevertheless, there is a gap between reality and ideality from the view of realizing teacher-student interaction. Even though many teachers have a basic understanding of scaffolding instruction in a theoretical view, it isn’t made practical use in EFL classroom to improve language teaching efficiency. Scaffolding instruction is supposed to be highly valued as a teaching method, with whose constructive functions of EFL learners’ language acquisition teachers should seriously analyze learners’ characteristics and needs and according to them positively have reflections on the problematic issues in teachers’ actual classroom teaching. Therefore, more effective teacher talk should be made the most to provide needed scaffoldings for learners , ultimately contributing to learners’ EFL acquisition.

Key words: second language acquisition; EFL teaching; teacher talk; scaffolding instruction; interactive teaching

Contents

Introduction 1

1.Basic understanding of second language acquisition 2

1.1 The nature of second language acquisition 2

1.2 The role of interaction in second language acquisition 4

2.Positive effect of teacher talk on classroom interaction 4

2.1 Teacher talk playing multiple roles in EFL teaching 5

2.2 Teacher talk facilitating learners’ language learning process 5

2.2.1 Scaffolding learning process from the constructivist view 6

2.2.2 Promoting classroom interaction with authentic language 7

2.3 Applying effective teacher talk to maximizing learners’ potential 8

2.3.1 Teacher talk as linguistic scaffoldings 9

2.3.2 Teacher talk as communicative scaffoldings 10

3. Problems with teacher talk in current EFL teaching 11

3.1 Imbalance between TTT and STT 12

3.2 Absence or near absence of interaction 12

3.3 “False” interaction 14

3.4 Overemphasis on the forms of learners’ output 15

4. Specific suggestions to improve teacher talk to facilitate EFL learning 16

4.1 Asking proper questions and giving suitable feedback 16

4.2 Making a major shift of teacher’s role from lecturers to facilitators 17

4.3 Creating an appropriate context for authentic communication 17

4.4 Building a supportive community to lower affective filters 18

Conclusion 18

References 20