Abstract

Listening is an essential part of English teaching, as well as the basis of the development of speaking, reading and writing，which is playing an increasingly important role in English teaching. However, the teaching quality of English listening class is far from satisfactory. In traditional mode of teaching listening, teachers pay more attention to the improvement of language knowledge and mechanical practice rather than the input of background information. Students act as passive recipients in the process of listening study and their pre-existent knowledge cannot be activated effectively.

On the basis of prior studies at home and abroad, this paper discusses the application of schema theory in listening teaching in junior middle school. Schema theory holds the view that the process of listening comprehension is the interaction between listeners’ prior knowledge and new input information. The quality of comprehension depends largely on whether the relevant background knowledge can be activated successfully or not.

This paper taking the current situation in English listening teaching into consideration, tries to find out how to apply schema theory to listening teaching. The author expounds some specific application of schema theory in listening teaching, including how to activate students’ existing schemata and construct new schemata effectively, some practical pre-listening, while-listening and post-listening activities suitable for junior middle school students. Meanwhile, the author also designs a teaching plan based on schema theory.

By analyzing, the author proves that schema theory indeed has positive effects on listening teaching in junior middle school. The sufficient activities designed for pre-listening, while-listening and post-listening can activate students’ prior knowledge and pre-existing experience effectively, and are conductive to improving students’ listening ability and make students become positive learners in the process of listening study.

Key Words: Schema Theory; English Listening Teaching in Junior Middle School; Activating Existing Schema; Constructing New Schema

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1    Introduction-1

1.1 Research Background-1

1.2 Research Purpose-2

1.3 Structure of the Study-3

2    Literature Review-5

2.1 The Theoretical Foundation of Listening Comprehension-5

2.1.1 The Definition of Listening Comprehension-5

2.1.2 Three Basic Listening Process Models-6

2.2 Schema Theory-7

2.2.1 The Definition of Schema-7

2.2.2 Classification of Schema-8

2.2.3 Characteristics of Schema-10

2.3 Schema Theory and Listening Comprehension-11

2.3.1 The Function of Schema Theory in Listening Teaching-11

2.3.2 Research on Application of Schema Theory in Listening Teaching-12

3    Application of Schema Theory in Three Teaching Stages of Listening Teaching-14

3.1 Function of Three Stages in Listening Teaching-14

3.2 Specific Application of Schema Theory in Listening Teaching-15

3.2.1 Pre-listening-15

3.2.2 While-listening-18

3.2.3  Post-listening-20

4    Case Analysis-22

4.1  Teachers’ Awareness and Behaviors to Cultivate Students’ Critical Thinking…22

4.2 A Teaching Plan Based on Schema Theory-23

4.2.1 Analysis of Students-23

4.2.2 Analysis of the Teaching Contents-24

4.2.3 Teaching Procedures-25

4.3 Summary and Reflection of the Teaching Plan-29

4.4 Positive Significance of the Teaching Plan Based on Schema Theory-30

5   Conclusion-33

5.1 Implications for Listening Teaching in Junior Middle School-33

5.2 Suggestion for Listening Teaching Based on Schema Theory-33

5.3 Summary-35

Appendix -36

Bibliography -37

Acknowledgements-39