在高中英语课堂中捕捉深度学习契机
2020-02-22朱成明
朱成明
引言
深度学习这一术语源于机器学习领域,是指机器领域中一系列试图使用多重非线性变换对数据进行多层抽象的算法(孙志军、薛磊,等 2012)。当这一术语被引用到教学领域,国内外许多教育专家学者对其作出多种分析解读。美国学者马顿和萨廖(Marton&Saljo 1976)在《学习的本质区别:结果和过程》一文中阐述了深度学习的内涵,强调对内容的整体认知。我国学者何玲、黎加厚(2005)从认知结构、知识迁移、能力培养等角度对深度学习进行分析与解读。张浩、吴秀娟(2012)对深度学习的核心特征进行了界定。
长期以来,在高中英语课堂教学中存在这样一种现象:过度注重知识的讲授而缺乏启发学生进行知识的有效融合,以致学生成为学习的“容器”,而没有进行知识的有效建构;缺乏自己的思考,不能认知与理解文本内在的逻辑关系;缺乏将文本知识与自己生活实际有效结合,没有运用知识清晰表达自己的见解与思想;在赏析西方文化时,没有对比本土文化,从而难以理解西方文化的真正内涵。
深度学习是指借助英语文本,促进英语学习深度与广度得到提升与发展的过程。具体来说,深度学习是帮助学生融合文本知识,重组建构;借助文本话题,发展运用;理解思想内涵,提升思辨;解读西方文化,对比赏析等。预设是学生进入深度学习的重要保证,是在动态的、充满生命力的课堂中生成的。教师在充满活力的课堂中善于捕捉深度学习的契机是教学的关键。
“英语课堂是向求知方向挺进的旅程,随时都有可能发生意外的通道和发现美丽的风景,而不是一切都必须遵循固定线路而没有激情的行程。”(多尔 2009)这种英语课堂,一定是充满不确定性因素的,注定不会平铺直叙,这些不确定因素是引发学生投入深度学习的契机。当教师敏锐地察觉到学生对深度学习的极度渴望时,就应捕捉这些稍纵即逝的深度学习契机,立即调整教学安排,重新设计或引导,与学生一起进入深度学习。
一、捕捉以点带面契机,激活重组建构
预设是课堂教学正常开展的重要保证。英语课堂是动态的,当学生融入英语课堂教学时,课堂一定会充满活力和灵性,学生的思维会随着课堂教学的进展而闪烁智慧的光芒。当预设的内容或环节不符合学生学习的实际要求时,教师就要适时作出改变。
例如:在教学译林版高中《英语》Module 2 Unit 2 Wish you were here Reading部分时,在学生熟悉文本结构和内容后,教师提出问题:“Can you conclude the phrases to describe in Morocco?”原打算让学生说出从出发地London到目的地Morocco和the Sahara Desert,以及活动的相关词汇、短语等,以帮助他们积累与归纳与旅游相关的词块与句型等。但是,发现学生对碎片化的知识概括与积累毫无兴趣。在这种情况下,教师将这些知识点与学生的生活结合,构成一个有意义的语篇,从而激发他们进一步构建知识的热情与智慧。于是,随即提问:“Could you introduce one of your favourite places to your favourite teacher?”问题一抛出就激发了学生的热情。有的学生回答:“Last summer holiday my parents and I travelled to the Sahara Desert in Africa.It took me almost a week there.I travelled through the desert by camel,which were so friendly to all of us,even though riding them was very uncomfortable.We had traveled with local guides,camping in tents and sleeping on the ground.Obviously,so dark was there at night that I couldn’t see anything whatever I wanted to do,so I brought a flashlight with me.The scenery was so fantastic that I hope you would have a chance to visit it.”
这位学生一说完,掌声就响起来了。可以看出,学生创造性地用自己的语言融合文本中所学的词汇、短语巧妙而深情地表达,教学效果较好。
总之,教师抓住契机,巧妙设问,让学生把碎片化知识进行有效组合,以语篇的形式进行有意义的输出,能够调动学生参与课堂的积极性,提高课堂教学效率。
二、捕捉文本话题契机,实践拓展延伸
课文不仅是学生学习英语知识的载体,还是他们走进深度学习的阶梯,更是培养其核心素养的重要资源。教师的眼光不能仅停留在课文所提供的语言知识、逻辑结构、文化素材及情感表达上,而要借助课本话题,帮助学生捕捉契机,进行深度学习,让他们在知识层面、文化层面、情感层面及思维层面得到最大发展。
例如:在教授译林版高中《英语》Module10Unit1 Building the future Reading部分 Teach a man to fish时,教师预设教学完这篇课文后,学生能够从话题角度认识与理解课文的中心:Give a man a fish and you feed him a day.Teach a man to fish,and you feed him for the rest of life。教师借助Reading部分提出以下问题:“If you have already learned how to fish,what kind of spirit should you have?”预设的答案是从环境保护的角度思考与拓展知识。但是,一名学生回答:“The craftsmanship spirit.”比预设的答案更贴合课文中心思想,也更贴合学生的生活,能更好地引导学生。于是,教师在肯定该学生的答案后,继续提问:“How do you understand the craftsmanship spirit?”学生瞬间投入积极思考并给出答案:“Personally,the craftsmanship spirit refers to being dedicated to work heart and soul.Whatever a trivial task in hand,one will invest his time and endeavor to perfect it.It stands for seriousness and responsibility.In addition,the craftsman spirit is a reflection of self-pride and self-fulfillment.He prides himself on his craft and does his part to make contributions to the community.”,对 the craftsmanship spirit进行了诠释。教师趁热打铁追问道:“Can you say some significance of the craftsmanship spirit?”把学生引入更深层次的思考。此时,教师决定让每一个学生都发表自己的观点。于是,先将学生分成小组,相互讨论,而后以小组为单位进行汇报。其中一名学生的汇报如下:“The craftsmanship spirit is of overwhelming significance.To begin with,it plays a significant role in increasing the products’quality,which benefits consumers at home and abroad.Moreover,emphasis on the craftsmanship spirit can help our country turn into a powerful manufacturing country,contributing to the economic flourishing.Most importantly,it’s traditional Chinese culture to take everything seriously.By promoting craftsmanship spirit,we are in a better position to inherit the cultural legacy and spreading Chinese values.”
总之,只要抓住契机,围绕相关话题,恰当地设问与引导,就能激发学生无限的想象,进行深度思考,做到学以致用,让课文阅读成为发展思维的载体。
三、捕捉思想内涵契机,激发批判验真
在英语课堂教学中,当师生共同完成课文知识内容,理清文章的逻辑关系和情感脉络之后,往往会忽视批判性思维训练。只有将课文内容与实际生活及社会状况相结合,经过适当点拨,才能把学生引入深度阅读,从而深化他们对文本的理解,提升其批判性思维能力。
例如,在教授译林版高中《英语》Module10Unit1 Building the future Reading部分 Teach a man to fish时,在师生共同归纳课文的中心思想后,一名男生突然说:“Give a man a fish and you feed him a day.At last you will raise an adult babies.”这似乎与课堂教学毫无关系,但是是一个引发学生深度思考的契机,不仅可以深化他们对课文的认识与理解,而且可以拓展他们的批判性思维。于是,教师提问:“Why do adult babies now spring up?”学生经过认真思考后给出答案:“The reasons why adult babies now spring up can be complicated.To begin with,as China’s economy has developed dramatically,many parents feel it affordable to deny their children nothing.Plus,the previous one-child policy may add fuel to the flames,making the whole family unconsciously show excessive love,care and concern for the only child,the apple of their eye.”很明显,学生的回答并没有结束,于是教师追问:“Can you give some advice on the solution to the problem?”学生再次进入思考,并给出答案:“It is never too late for parents to reflect on their educational ways and make adjustments.At home,parents should grant their children opportunities to go about daily routines in person.For children,they should stop hiding under the parents’protection and move forward by assuming the responsibility of themselves.”
在课堂上,教师开发偶然性资源,抓住时机,巧妙引导,能为学生批判性思维的发展创造条件。
四、捕捉文化碰撞契机,提升文化素养
英语课本不仅是学生学习英语知识、发展思维的载体,还是学生认识与了解英语国家文化,传播祖国文化的载体。高中生积累了许多文化知识,形成了一定的文化素养。在高中英语课堂教学中,如果能充分利用挖掘课文的文化因素,加以巧妙引用和开发,引发学生的知识和智慧产生强烈的碰撞,让他们自由发表观点,不仅能促进其对知识的理解与掌握,还能激发其在对比中西方文化的同时,更好地认识与理解祖国文化,形成文化自信,提升文化素养。
例如,在教授译林版高中《英语》Module 9 Unit 1 Other countries,other countries 的 Project部分时,学生通过共同努力已形成共识“Australia is really a sporting nation.”突然,一名学生提出疑问:“Australians’loving sporting reflects Australian culture.What about our Chinese classic culture?”很明显,他是想比较两国文化,于是教师提问:“As one of the four ancient civilizations,China has a long history and has created many splendid cultures,which once had a great influence on the world.Which one impressed you most?”学生通过积极思考,给出答案。以下是一名学生的答案:“Personally,the Spring Festival reflects the culture of our country.It is more than a vocation but a tradition we must value and pass down from generation to generation.Every time I go home,I will have a heart-to-heart talk with my parents to learn whether things are getting well along with them.And I also enjoy the ceremony like making jiaozi and appreciating lanterns.”教师继续提问:“Why do young people have various plans for their Spring Festival rather than go home?”本以为会难住学生,没想到他们对这种现象的理解与认识充满新意。通过讨论,学生说得头头是道,而且用了一些刚学的短语与表达。以下是一名学生的汇报:“What lies behind the phenomenon is not difficult to find.What comes first is that as different cultures are blending with each other worldwide,young adults nowadays have a weak consciousness of the importance of traditional festivals.Additionally,with pressure of living and working building up,quite a few young adults choose to work extra hours during the Spring Festival to make the ends meet.So crowded journey and expensive tickets are bound to lead to their reluctance to go home.Also the Internet provides considerable convenience for people to reunion at any time,making people’s reunion during the Spring Festival of less significance.”从学生的回答可以看出,学生思维活跃,与时俱进,不局限于传统的、狭隘的文化范畴,体现了其尊重与包容的人文情怀。
结语
在高中英语课堂教学中,教师应立足学情,以语篇为基础,专注课堂教学发展,关注学生的学习状态,捕捉瞬间闪现的生成性资源,并巧妙加以开发与利用,引发学生深思。这样的英语课堂是充满灵性、活力、思考的,是精彩纷呈的,有助于培养学生的核心素养,为其终身学习打下扎实的基础。