On Teaching Modes of English Reading for Higher Vocational Education

刘丹

【Abstract】Whatever their majors are， the capability of English reading will benefit students a lot in their future careers. This paper aims to introduce two teaching modes of English reading for Higher Vocational Education and make a comparison between the two modes： the traditional teaching mode based on Discourse teaching theory and the teaching model based on Schema Theory. In the end， the writer suggests that teachers adopt the two modes with flexibility.

【Key words】teaching mode； Discourse teaching theory； Schema Theory

I. Introduction

At present， there are many difficulties for English teaching in Higher Vocational colleges. First， most Higher vocational college students have poor capability in study， especially in English. Second， the equipments are less advanced and sources of English reading are inadequate in Higher vocational colleges. However， these shortages can be improved if teachers and students find scientific ways of English learning.

II. Teaching modes of English reading for Higher Vocational Education

2.1 Traditional teaching mode based on Discourse teaching theory

Discourse teaching theory finds that English reading teaching focuses on the analysis of vocabulary and sentence structure， which asks teachers to introduce the structure of a passage first and then analyze it sentence by sentence. Teaching steps based on Discourse teaching theory include the analysis of the materials at discourse level， syntactic level and lexical level.

The first step is to analyze reading materials at discourse level. Teachers guide students to analyze the structures and summary the main ideas of reading materials by studying the outline of a passage and its beginning and end. The second step is to analyze a passage at syntactic level after knowing its general idea. Teachers guide students on how to analyze the passage sentence by sentence， and teach them understand the logical relations among sentences. The third step is to analyze key words and phrases. The analysis of key words and phrases can be connected with examples that contain cultural information.

2.2 Teaching mode based on Schema Theory

British psychologist Frederick Barlett was the first to adopt “Schema” in the study of reading theories in 1932. Barlett explained the basic principle of schema is to use the stimulated language structure to understand the hidden information in the reading materials. Schema Theory includes three types of schemas： Rhetorical schema， Linguistic schema and Content schema.

Rhetorical schema means readers knowledge on rhetorical structures of the materials. Different themes of materials have different formal schemas. When readers establish a system of Rhetorical schema for themes， it will be much easier to understand materials better. Content schema refers to contents recalling which are related to the materials such as backgrounds and common sense. Linguistic schema indicates the readers storage of the target language， such as vocabulary， grammar， sentence structures and customs of the writer， which is the basic thing for reading.

Schema Theory indicates that reading is a process of dealing information. When readers input literal information into their brains， reading becomes a process of matching between stored schemas and the new information. Thus， the more background information， vocabulary and Rhetorical schemas readers store in their brains， the better they can understand the reading materials.

2.3 Comparison between the two teaching modes

Discourse teaching theory is commonly used in English reading teaching and helps students understand materials word by word but its shortage is teachers are the center and students are passive； while Schema Theory for English reading teaching needs teachers guidance to help students build their own schemas so that they can deal with materials by themselves. Teachers should make full use of the advantages of both modes.

III. Conclusion

Usually， Higher vocational college students have better abstract thinking than Junior High students. Teachers can guide them to learn by themselves under the instruction of the two teaching modes. With the first mode， teachers help students understand the passage easily； with the second mode， teachers help students store more schemas in their brain. Therefore， teachers can adopt the two teaching modes with flexibility.

References：

[1]Carrell，P.L.& Eisterhold，J.C.1983.Schema theory and ESL reading Pedagogy in TESOL Quarterly vol.17.