背诵法与交际的结合在口语中的运用(1)

[Abstract] Nowadays English plays an important role in China as well as in the world. Oral English especially counts for its own linguistic features. Luckily many teaching methodology and relevant theories provide strong basis for oral teaching and learning. There are several factors influencing English speaking, for example, most Chinese can only learn English without language atmosphere. So we need to solve the problems that come with it. This paper firstly suggests recitation as a speaking learning model. We have to choose materials carefully by some standards. But it is not enough for the goal of using English for communication. So the paper then suggests combining communicative approach with recitation. Only in this way can the function of language be fully performed and communication be achieved.
[Key Words] oral English; recitation; communicative approach

谈背诵法与交际法的结合在口语中的应用

【摘 要】当今社会英语在中国乃至世界都起着至关重要的作用。英语口语由于自身语言特点在英语显得尤其重要。幸运的是许多教学流派与相关理论给口语教学提供了强有力的支持。口语学习受到多种因素的影响，如多数中国人学习英语缺乏语言环境，我们必须克服由此带来的相关问题。本论文首先建议了背诵法作为一种口语学习模式，要根据几个标准选好背诵材料。但这与达到语言交际的目的还有差距。因此本论文之后又建议将交际法配合背诵法。老师须认真设计各种交际型活动以激发学生真实的交际能力。只有两者结合才能发挥语言的功能并达到交际的目的。最后还须注意一些细节操作问题如控制教学材料难度，持之以恒地练习，才能学有所成。
【关键词】 口语；背诵法；交际法

Contents
Abstract………………………………………………………………...…………... (I)
摘要…………………………………………………………….…….......................(II)
1. Introduction.…………………………………………………………..…………(1)
1.1 Need of era…………………………………………………………..…….…….(1)
1.2 Importance of English………………………………………………….………..(1)
1.3 Theoretical condition…………………………………………………..…….….(1)
2. Factors influencing English……………………………………………………..(1)
2.1 The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis……………………….…..……………... (1)
2.2 Difficulties in speaking…………………………..………………..……………..(2)
3. Recitation…………………………………………………………………………(2)
3.1 The method of reading and reciting……………………………………………..(2)
3.2 Theoretical conditions of reading……………………………………..………...(2)
3.3 Choosing materials……………………………………………………………...(3)
3.4 Problems of oral teaching and learning………………………………………...(4)
4. Communicative approach………………………………………………………(5)

4.1 Criteria…………………………………………………………………………..(6)
4.2 Task-based approach……………………………………………………………(7)
5. Tips for attention ………………..………………………………………………(8)
5.1 Controlling the difficulty of materials…………………………………………...(8)
5.2 Practice making perfect…………………………………………………………(8)
6. Conclusion………………………..………………………………………………(8)
Bibliography……………………………………………….………………………. (9)

1. Introduction
1.1 Need of era
The basic function of language is communication. Under whatever circumstance, being capable of fluently and confidently expressing one's thoughts is the essential need of human beings. The lack of ability to express a language in a free way cannot be considered to have been in command of the language. English is no exception. There is no doubt, with its appearance and evolution, English plays a significant role in every field under the sun. Moreover, after China's open-door policy and comparatively recent entry into the WTO, English has become more important and urgent than ever, which in turn brings Chinese the opportunity and challenge as well. Though Chinese are given the platform to learn English, more exactly, to communicate in English, the problem is that, though China's middle schools have set up English courses in every level and attach great importance to it in the University Extrance Examinations to increase awareness, the defects in English teaching and learning cannot be neglected. Most Chinese middle school teachers lay emphasis on grammar for the sake of written exams, while on the other hand ignore the students' development of speaking ability, leaving so many people getting high scores in paper but unable to speak English out.
1.2 Importance of spoken English
Not only is the teaching and learning of spoken English important in today's society, but also it is useful to other facets in terms of linguistics. Speaking, together with listening, the other fundamental tool of communication, underlies other abilities development and the English study as a whole. By way of this, it helps enlarge vocabulary scope and understand language structures, quickens the reaction of listening, and strengthens instinctive feel of reading. The efficiency of teaching depends, to a great extent, on students' oral proficiency. Cultivating a certain oral fluency is primary. However, it is a great pity that speaking was neglected for a long time under China's existing educational system. Fortunately, with the popularization of communicative approach, speaking and listening receive more and more attention in education circles, and the study of teaching and learning of speaking climbs in large numbers.

1.3 Theoretical condition
Furthermore, a variety of English teaching schools and educational psychology lay the theoretical foundation for teaching strategies. Each one has both the advantages and shortcomings. Every school claims their own is the best. In the face of so many opinions, many teachers are in two minds not knowing what to do with the teaching reform. They still stick to the tradition according to their own light for fear of making a mess of teaching. Why shouldn't we have a comprehensive analysis of all those, and pick up the advantages. The following would be some suggestions of a model for English teaching and learning, as well as their basis.
2. Factors influencing English speaking
Before talking about the model, we need to know something about English learning and speaking teaching.
2.1 The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis
Krashen maintains that adult second language learners have at their disposal two distinct and independent ways of developing competence in a second language: acquisition and learning.[1]
Acquisition is the way we acquire our mother tongue when we were young. We learn to speak unconsciously by imitating those around us. Whereas, we are now studying English in the classroom, that's to say, we are learning instead of acquiring.
For Krashen, it is conscious attention to rules that distinguishes language acquisition from language learning.[2] For lack of language atmosphere, the learning of English, our second language can only be acquired by learning without regard to some exceptions. So the possibility of learning in native surroundings is ruled out. Another realistic problem is that middle school students have to handle several subjects during limited time. They do not have time to concentrate on English. Even though some of them focus on it, it is just on grammar and examination that has little connection with speaking. As a result, teachers should offer them as many chances as possible to improve their oral fluency.
2.2 Difficulties in speaking

The learning of speaking includes pronunciation, vocabulary, phrases, grammar and sentence patterns. It is related to language systems. If learners develop an ability to put these all together in a right way, they have mastered the linguistic competence. But this is never enough. Speaking is the most obvious form of communication between people. The objective of speaking is that students participate a great deal of oral communication, meanwhile through which foster linguistic competence, social linguistic ability and strategic capability, such as ability through speaking, ability to grasp language’s communicative function, thinking ability in the social intercourse and qualifications as a fluent reader and so forth.[3] This double characteristic places English speaking in the unique position and creates quite a few barriers for teaching. For example, teachers’ own level of proficiency should be guaranteed. There are lots of materials to cover. What they face is usually a large class, so getting most students to speak is not a piece of cake. They also have to design various activities and choose what to use and how or when to perform. Therefore, teachers should improve themselves in English speaking and teaching methodology. In addition, several factors influence speaking such as expressive motivation, size of vocabulary, communication strategy, atmosphere and interaction mode. So finding a way to improve students’ comprehensive ability is the key.
3. Recitation
3.1The method of reading and reciting
This method is quite popular today, but still, it is of great importance. Though many people know about this way of learning well, most of them turn a deaf ear. More probably they never think why it is advocated, not to mention to have a try. They consider the "rote learning" not clever and a waste of time. Another reason for their not trying is their lack of perseverance because it needs relentless practice. As it is, though demanding, it can be of big help.
3.2 Theoretical foundation of constant reading

Why should ask students to read several times first? It is common rule that reading aloud is the basis of remembering. What makes different is how many times are required by different persons. Reading helps develop an instinctive feel of the English.
Behaviorism believes learning is the cooperation between stimulus and response or reinforcement and transformation of behavioral habit. Thorndike put forward "law of practice" and "law of effect" to directly explain human's behavior. He thought repetition and its favorable results would unceasingly stimulate and reinforce behavior until the forming of stimulus----response result.[4]
Wittrock said the brain is not a passive consumer of information. The stored memories and information-processing strategies of our cognitive system interact with the sensory information received from the environment, selectively attend to this information, relate it to memory and actively construct meaning for it.[5] That is why when reading over and over again, readers can understand it a little more every time, provided a little thinking is invovled. It can be called "comprehensively reciting". According to Chomsky, language is an intricate rule-based system and a large part of language acquisition is the learning of this system.[6] Cognitive theory suggests that people have potential linguistic competence to disintegrate complicated grammatical rules. While reading, human brains begin to think out the constitution and sentence patterns. Therefore, if the chosen sentences are of the same structure or grammar, it is easy to perceive the similarity thus to keep it in mind.
We know how the brain works in the process of receiving information, based on the assumptions of cognitive theory that the memory system is an organized processor where the processed information are stored in long-term memory.[7] Through this, the information is transferred into knowledge. Constructivism also raises that learning is a process in which learners actively compose the meanings of knowledge. It contains the composition of new information and restructure of previous experience as well.[8] p234 So when speakers use the knowledge to create new sentences, they already developed the ability of speaking. It can be called "creatively reciting". How does the creation happen? In the light of form-practice theory: transfer is the result of psychological factors (including attention, memory, mind and imagination, etc) being trained thus improved. When students read materials countless times, all those factors work together to practice your creative sentence making.

3.3 Choosing materials
Saying "read and recite" doesn't apply in all the articals you have met, but in some materials specifically designed for reciting. There are many examples of this kind. For instance, Li Yang's Crazy English advocates regarding sentence as a unit of speech. Liu Yi's "One Breath English" requires memorizing nine sentences in one minute. The following nine sentences of the same meaning are listed in his book.
(1) Great to see you.
(2) So good to see you.
(3) What's going on?
(4) What's up today?
(5) What are you doing?
(6) Anything exciting?
(7) You look great.
(8) You look high-spirited.
(9) You look like you are ready for anything.[9]
All the nine sentences perform the same function of greetings. People will admire you for using so authentic greetings and you can choose whatever you like to speak without worrying about the possibility of going into blank about what to say.
Hu Ming's Learning Through Reading uses a cluster of phrases to make up a story for the convenience of memorization and it is also more interesting. Let's see one paragraph of Hu Ming's story. Pay attention to the phrases beginning with the letter "f". (10)"When Jay's alarm went off, it was still dark. He had to feel his way around room to even find the light switch. As he moved about Jay groaned. He could feel in his bones that today wasn't going to be a good day. And he didn't feel up to going to university at all." [10] If students recite this paragraph, they not just know the meanings, but how they were used. Those are all reasonable with regard to human's memory. The process of memorizing is pided into three stages: recognition and remembering, retentiveness, reemergence.[11] Reciting methods are in line with these stages. When students read aloud, begin to understand and gradually get the feel, their brain exists in the stage of physical sense and receiving information. When students read something a lot of times to the point of recitation, it is in the process of maintaining the information. When they are able to speak in a new way, it is picking out and reconstructing the information.

There is no denying that repetitive drill plays an indispensable role in learning. It is especially true in speaking a language. But pure practice limits students in certain procedures. In the meantime, teacher's role is largely weakened. Never mind. The choice of reciting materials can make up for the weakness of negative Behavioral effects. For teaching and learning English, reciting materials should be carefully chosen. There are at least three standards for choosing speaking materials.