Abstract: Since the year of 2001, Ministry of education in China issued a policy, scamming way of teaching in which students passively receive knowledge should be replaced by students-centered way. In order to implement the ideas of “New Standard”,most of English teachers in elementary schools adopt popular teaching methods, such as task-based language teaching, total physical response, and add various activities at class. In recent years, among these teaching methods, scaffolding instruction attracts much attention of English teachers in elementary schools. As a teaching theory, scaffolding stems from Lev Vygotsky’ s social-cultural theory of the Zone of proximal development, which refers to the assistance given by peers, teachers or experienced adults who are more competent at the process of learning. Under this method students are able to finish tasks they cannot be done independently. Scaffolding instruction concludes the five fundamental links: setting up a scaffold, entering the situation, exploring independently, collaborative studying, assessing effectiveness.

Scaffolding instruction has been greatly applied in many areas and subjects in teaching. However, applications of scaffolding in English are mainly in higher education, while in elementary English teaching is little involved, EFL teachers are not so familiar with this teaching method. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the characteristics of EFL teachers’ application of scaffolding instruction and give some advice to applying this method in practical English teaching in elementary schools in China.

Based on reviewing a amount of literature review, implementing questionnaire, classroom observation, personal interview and data analysis, conclusions are drawn:EFL teachers, exemplified in three primary schools in Chengdu, possess little knowledge of scaffolding instruction theoretically and in practical application of this method, many problems still exist. EFL teachers are suggested to update their teaching conceptions and equip themselves with advanced teaching theories. 

Key words: scaffolding; English teaching in primary schools; English foreign language teachers; characteristics

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1  Introduction-1

1.1 Research background, purposes and contents-1

1.2 Significance of the study-2

1.3 Structure of the study-3

2  Literature review-3

2.1 Review of related theories-4

2.2 Review of related empirical studies home and abroad-7

3  Methodology-10

3.1 Research questions-10

3.2 Participants-11

3.3 Research methods-12

3.4Methods of data analysis-14

4  Findings and discussion-15

4.1 Findings of questionnaire-15

4.2 Findings of classroom obsevation-16

4.3 Findings of interview-17

4.4 Discussion-17

5  Conclusion-18

5.1 Implications-18

5.2 Limitations-19

5.3 Suggestions for future research-19

Appendix-21

Questionnaire-21

Bibliography-23

Acknowledgements-24