report2

Description Report 2on Lesson 72, unit 18, J2, Class A

The observer: student teacher: Zhou Yongyan, Group 3-1 , Class05-3

The problem for description: The teacher’s view of language learning.

The conclusion

It seems that the teacher’s view of language learning is not very clear. Both the view of transmission learning and the view of experience-based learning are involved. However, the teacher seems to inflect more on the view of transmission-based learning.

The related theories

The first one is behaviourist theory. According to the behaviourist theory , learning is a process of “stimulus-response ”procedure including three main stages as “stimulus ”, “response ”, and “reinforcement ”. The view of transmission-based learning reflects the theory. In this view, language learning focus on repetition and drilling of vocabulary and grammar rules that are memorized through text-driven and teacher-centered “transmission”of the knowledge about the language from the textbook to student.

Another one is cognitive theory. According to cognitive theory, language learning is not a simple process of “stimulus-response-reinforcement”of forming the “habit” but a more complex cognitive process of developing in language learners the “linguistic competence”. The view of experience-based learning reflects the theory. In this view , language learning is a process of learning to use the language for real communication purposes , learners apply and practise the language as naturally as possible to implement some purposeful “task ”, by which vocabulary and grammar rules are noticed , discovered, and internalized through the learners’ personal testing out how the language rules work in real-life world . Learn have to be provided with comprehensible input and sufficient opportunities for output.

T he reasons

From the observations above, it is not very difficult to see the following factors in the two views of language learning

In the class, the teacher emphasized repeated practice of new words (e.g., Ss learn “fat”and “thin”by saying repeatedly in the sentences. The teacher explains “ate”, “instead of”, “on problem”etc.) and the drilling of the structure (e.g., Ss are asked to give advice for Mrs. Fat with “If …have/has to …”). The teacher present the language knowledge according to the textbook to Ss one by one, Ss just follow the teacher (e.g., first of all, presents two new words to Ss, Ss practise them. then presents a structure of a sentence, Ss also do practice. and the next is asks Ss to read the

dialogue of the textbook, the teacher explained the word “problem”phrase…). Ss learn language mainly by memorizing (e.g., Ss listen to and imitate the dialogue, then perform it with some hints given by the teacher when they can not remember the sentences). By this way, Ss just are provided limited and controlled “input”. However, the teacher also emphasized the use of language (e.g., Ss imitate the dialogue and act out it . the teacher instructs Ss to do blank-filling with key words). Obviously, the teacher noticed that Ss should apply and practise the language as naturally as possible to implement some purposeful “task” (e.g., the teacher asked Ss to write a letter to Emily for giving advice after the class).

In the whole course, the teacher emphasized drilling and pratice too much, Ss don’t have enough opportunities to search & deal with the information on their own. The teacher wishes Ss know how to use the language, but Ss will feel difficult to do it without personal experience of using language.