Reading Skill Enhancement & Quality of Reading
Submitted by XXX
Student ID number W2001A1001BB0010
Supervised by XXX A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of
the degree of Bachelor of Arts
Institute of Online Education
Beijing Foreign Studies University
November 2004
Draft 1
2 Acknowledgement
I am mostly grateful to my supervisor Prof. Jia Lin. Without her support and patience this project would not even have got off the ground. I am also grateful to my fellow workers Zhang Daorong and Jiang Junli for their time spent on brainstorming and panel discussion with me. No amount of thanks will be adequate for my students without whose willing participation in the project implementation it would remained on paper. Last but not least, big thanks to my husband who has shared with my worries, frustrations, and hopefully my ultimate happiness in eventually finishing this project.
3 论文成绩： 导师签名：
论文中文摘要(中文)
论文中文摘要应包括以下内容：研究什么问题？论题介绍，研究方法（研究过程），研究
结果讨论（研究结果的意义是什么？）和论文结论。 字数要求：500 字至 800 字。(Please remove instructions.) 本研究的目的是要有效提高学生阅读技巧，改善英语阅读质量。本研究基 于这样的假设：依照交互式教学法设计的阅读训练课程能够有效提高英语阅读 技巧。 尽管阅读量不小，然而学生的英语阅读理解成绩一直不理想。量变并未带 来应有的质变。显然，学生在阅读中未抓住要领。为改善这种状况，通过从教 学法、课堂教学管理、学生及教师几个方面入手进行原因分析，我发现学生缺 乏足够的阅读技巧是最直接的原因。若能采用更为有效的教学法来提高学生的 阅读技巧，就能够有效改善阅读质量。 本研究理论依据有如下几点：一、具备良好的阅读理解能力非常重要，这 是学生认识世界并与他人交流的最基本方式之一。二、学生应积极参与到 “教”与“学”的每个环节当中，而不只是被动接受灌输并死记硬背。同时， 教师也应灵活变换自己的角色，以求达到最佳教学效果。三、交互式教学法能 克服传统教学法的不足，真正体现‘学以致用’的原则，能够达到更佳教学效 果。 研究方法：针对一组共计 14 人、平均年龄约在 20 岁出头、英语中等水平 偏下的学生展开为期 3 周、分为 5 次的阅读训练课程。每次课程安排一个训练 题目。第一周安排一次课程，第二和第三周分别安排 2 次课程。各种阅读技巧 [特别是略读（skimming）和细读（scanning）]在每次课程当中都涉及到。课程 评估基于以下两方面内容：一是学生在课堂上完成并经过本研究人员批改的课 堂练习成绩，二是学生在课堂训练中的参与程度和与他人的互动能力。 研究结果分别从两个不同角度进行分析：一个是针对每个学生在第一、第 二和第三周的课堂训练成绩进行对比，这样可以清晰地反映出个体情况；另一
4 个是针对所有学生在每次课堂训练中的平均成绩进行对比，这样可以清晰地反 映出整体情况。 根据数据显示，从两个分析角度得出的结论是一致的，并且都证实了本研 究先前提出的假设是正确的。 本研究的意义在于：验证交互式教学法的优点，进而有助于推广这一先进 教学法在中国英语教学中的普及。
5 Abstract (English) The abstract should include the following information: Introduction (What is this project about? Why is this project interesting or important?); Hypothesis (What did you think you would find? Why?); Methods (Briefly explain your procedure.); Results (What did you find when you performed your project?); Discussion (Are your results consistent with your initial hypothesis? Why or why not?); Conclusion (What is your interpretation of what these results mean? Why should anyone become excited about or interested in your findings?).
Suggest length: 200 words. (Please remove instructions.) The objective of this project is to enhance students’ reading skills. It is hypothesized that interactively designed reading activities in accordance with communicative teaching methodology will result in improved reading skills in English reading. It is based on the following rationales: ● Good reading skills are one of the crucial means of knowing about the world and communicating with others. ● Students and teachers should take changing roles actively in English teaching. ● Interactively designed teaching methodology takes advantage of learning by doing over traditional teaching methodology, thus can reach better results.
A three-week project was conducted among fourteen students who are in their early 20’s and with under-moderated English level. Evaluation of classes was based on marked students exercises. The results fell into two categories- comparison of each student’s marks in each week and comparison of average student marks in the five activities. The results showed upward progress of students, individually or as a whole. The data showed that the hypothesis of the project is true. The significance of the project is to testify the advantage of interactive approach over traditional, hence promote the popularity of interactive approach in English teaching in China. Abstract meets word requirement.
6 Table of Contents
Pages I. Introduction To Interactively Designed Reading Activity As A 8 Good Way For Reading Skill Enhancement 1. Evolvement of teaching methodology 8 1.1 Bottom-up and top-down are traditional teaching 8 methodologies 1.2 Interactive is the combination of bottom-up and top- 8 down teaching methodologies 2. Advantages of interactive methodology 8 3. Recent research on interactive methodology 8 4. Interactive methodology helps students with their reading 9 problem 4.1 Problem that students have and significance of solving 9 the problem 4.2 It is hypothesized that interactively designed reading 9 activities can improve students’ reading skills effectively II. Methods Of The Three-week Project 10 1. Procedures and focus of each lesson 10 1.1 There are five classes in three-week’s time 10 1.2 Focus of each class 11 2. Data collection and evaluation of class 16 2.1 Students’ exercises 16 2.2 students’ Students’ performance in class 16 3. Teaching materials 17 III. Results-Comparison Of Students’ Reading Skill Level 18 Before & After The Project 1. Comparison of each student’s mark of week one through 18 week three 2. Comparison of average student mark of activity one 18 through activity five 3. General Results 18 IV. Conclusion 19 1. Analysis of data obtained from comparison of each 19 student’s mark of week one through week three 2. Analysis of data obtained from comparison of average 20 student mark of activity one through activity five 3. General conclusion 21 V. Discussion On Unexpected Results 22 VI. Bibliography 23
7 VII. Appendix I Students’ Handouts 24 VIII. Appendix II Students’ Exercises 32
8 Please write the body of your thesis here: (请在此出撰写论文正文部分。具 体正文部分内容要求及格式要求请见《学士论文写作手册》第六章) (Please remove instructions.)
I. Introduction
1. Evolvement of teaching methodology According to previous studies, models of learning and teaching to read emerged about forty years ago (Goodman,1973; Gough,1985; Rumeilhart,1985; Stanovich,1980). You should describe the models in relation to each reference. These models can be divided into three categories: bottom-up, top-down and interactive models. Anderson (2004) gives detailed explanations to these models in his book that‘Bottom-up models depend primarily on the information presented by the text …they emphasize what is typically known as … word recognition …’. In contrast to bottom-up, top-down models ‘are diametrically opposed to these … is concerned primarily with integration of textual information…’. In spite of difference, both bottom-up and top-down models hold deficiency that it is one-way information flow, lacking purpose of use and context appropriateness. For the past decades, bottom-up and top-down models have been the main practice for English teaching in China. According to Anderson (2004), interactive model ‘combines elements of both bottom- up and top-down models’. Grabe (1991) claims that ‘fluent reading involves both decoding and interpretation skills’. He points out the complexity of reading by stating that ‘a description of reading has to account for the notions that fluent reading is rapid, purposeful, interactive, comprehending, flexible, and gradually developing’ (P. 378).
2. Advantages of interactive methodology With respect to the advantage of interactive model over the others, Stanovich (1980) states that in interactive model ‘processes at any level can compensate for deficiencies at any other level’. Murtagh (1989) emphasizes that the best way of learning and teaching second language is to ‘efficiently integrate’ both bottom-up and top-down
9 processes. Be careful that the number of words contained in quotations does not exceed your own writing.
3. Recent research on interactive methodology Grabe (1991) emphasizes two categories of interactive approaches. The first ‘relates to the interaction that occurs between the reader and the text’ and the second ‘relates to the interaction between bottom-up and top-down processes’.
4. Interactive methodology helps students with their reading problem The problem the researcher had encountered was that students’ reading comprehension had been in a low level. Having conducted a series of cause analysis, the researcher has come to a conclusion that students’ poor reading skills were the primary causes. This was unsatisfactory and unacceptable. First, Good good reading skills are one of the crucial means of knowing about the world and communicating with others. Second, students and teachers should take various roles actively in English teaching. Harmer (2003) stated in his book that ‘in recent years… great emphasis has been placed on learner-centred teaching… In these situations the teacher is no longer the giver of knowledge, the controller, and the authority, but rather a facilitator and a resource for the students to draw on’. The last but not the least, as stated above, interactively designed teaching methods hold many advantages over traditional, thus can reach better results. There are some differences between learner- centred and interactive teaching. As the researcher had observed students in the reading class and reflected on these three models, it was hypothesized that interactively designed reading activities could improve students’ reading skills effectively Good use of sources to support your reasoning.
II. Methods
1. Procedures and focus of each lesson A three-week project was designed and conducted during June and July of this year. A group of fourteen students who are in their early 20’s and with under-moderated (lower intermediate?) English level were selected to take part in the project.
10 There were five classes in total. In the first week, one class was arranged. In the second and third week, two classes were arranged respectively. One activity was conducted for each class. Students’ handouts were prepared as teaching aid (to see Appendix I). The timetable of the project is as follows: Table 1 Date Wee Unit Activit Objectives Functional Time k Topic y Items Topic June 1 Reading AKA Reading for True or false 45 14-18 comprehe Diaz gist, reading selection, mins nsion one for detailed identifying comprehensio meaning of n words and main points June 2 Reading 1.Goin Reading for Summarizing, 40-50 21-25 comprehe g home gist, reading identifying mins ns-ion two for specific meaning of for information words and each main points activity 2.Dicti Reading for Locating onary specific referent, information multiple choice exercise June 3 Reading 1.The Reading for Reordering 40-50 28- comprehe neighb gist, reading jumbled text mins July2 nsion or’s cat for detailed for three information
11 2.Fire Identifying Filling in table each hero topic, reading activity for gist, reading for detailed comprehensio n It’s better to give the day the class took place in your timetable. In each class, reading activity was conducted in three stages, namely pre-reading stage, while-reading stage and post-reading stage. In pre-reading stage, the focus was to motivate students and arouse their interests of reading the text. It could be reached by visual aids, by questions or by brainstorming. Time spent in this stage accounted for about 10% of total class time. In while-reading stage, the focus was on the content and structure of the text. The training of different reading skills were combined in various exercises (to see Appendix II) such as True or False selection, tables, multiple choice, reordering jumbled text and locating referents, etc. Time spent in this stage was on the decline from class one to class five, which accounted for about 46-50% of total class time. In post-reading stage, the focus was on interaction of students with text to reinforce what students learned with their own experience in real life. It could be reached through discussion, summary of main points or role-play exercises. Time spent in this stage was on the rise from class one to class five, which accounted for about 40-44% of total class time. The other teaching aids included teaching notes for each activity. They were as follows:
Teaching notes for week one, activity one Time: 8:30- 9:15 am Date: June 19, 2004 ● Objective: Reading for gist, reading for detailed comprehension ● Topic: AKA Diaz (Based on The Practice of English Language Teaching, Chapter 15, B1, Example 1. “AKA Diaz”)
12 ● Teaching methods: plenary reading, True or False selection, identifying meaning of words and main points ● Order of doing things: in line with Unit 3 of English Language Teaching Methodology (ELTM) course book Pre-reading stage (7 mins): Teacher (T) briefs today’s objective T shows some key words from the text, such as ‘lion’, ‘racial group’, ‘paper airplanes’ to activate students (Ss) and prepare them for reading the text. T gives explanations to some new words: tattoo, spitball, beard, alias While-reading stage (25 mins): T hands out reading papers to Ss, let Ss read the text for themselves and complete the true/false exercise individually T goes around to see if help is needed Post-reading stage (13 mins): T gives feedback of the exercises one by one (along with the tactics of reading), answers Ss questions (with a sheet of standard answer on hand) Ss volunteer to talk about war and prison to the whole class. T summarizes the lesson, sets the date for next class, collect Ss work papers.
Teaching notes for week two, activity two Time: 8:30- 9:15 am Date: June 26, 2004 ● Objective: Reading for gist, reading for specific information ● Topic: Going home (Based on The Practice of English Language Teaching, Chapter 15, B1, Example 2. “Going home”) ● Teaching methods: plenary reading, Summarizing, identifying meaning of words and main points ● Order of doing things: in line with Unit 3 of English Language Teaching Methodology (ELTM) course book Pre-reading stage (8 mins):
13 T briefs today’s objective T asks Ss what they know about journey: where? When? With whom? What experience? What equipment? Etc.
T gives explanations to some new words: picnic, innocent, torrent, grin, rucksack, tatter While-reading stage (25 mins): T hands out reading papers to Ss, let Ss read the text for themselves and find answers to the Qs. T goes around to see if help is needed Post-reading stage (12 mins): T gives feedback of the exercises one by one, answers Ss questions (with a sheet of standard answer on hand) Ss in group of four to talk about journeys they have made, and how they feel if they spend a long time away from home. T summarizes the lesson, sets the date for next class, collect Ss work papers.
Teaching notes for week two, activity three Time: 9:30- 10:15 am Date: June 26, 2004 ● Objective: Reading for specific information ● Topic: Dictionary (Based on Reading Comprehension, Unit 2, Text J. “Recent published dictionaries for learners” ) ● Teaching methods: pair work, locating referent, multiple choice exercise ● Order of doing things: in line with Unit 3 of English Language Teaching Methodology (ELTM) course book Pre-reading stage (4 mins): T briefs today’s objective and topic. No new words introduced. T hands out a worksheet, asking Ss to complete the multiple choice exercise independently, then form group of four to discuss their answers with each other.
14 T gives explanations to some new words: picnic, innocent, torrent, grin, rucksack, tatter While-reading stage (25 mins): T hands out reading papers to Ss, let Ss complete the multiple choice exercise independently T forms Ss into groups of four to discuss their answers with each other. T goes around to see if help is needed Post-reading stage (16 mins): T gives feedback of the exercises one by one, answers Ss questions (with a sheet of standard answer on hand) Ss in groups of four to talk about what dictionaries they have? Their pros & cons? What dictionaries they expect to have in the future? T summarizes the lesson, sets the date for next class, collect Ss work papers.
Teaching notes for week three, activity four Time: 8:30- 9:15 am Date: July 3, 2004 ● Objective: Reading for gist, reading for detailed information ● Topic: The neighbor’s cat (Based on The Practice of English Language Teaching, Chapter 15, B1, Example 5. “The neighbor’s cat”) ● Teaching methods: pair work, reordering jumbled text ● Order of doing things: in line with Unit 3 of English Language Teaching Methodology (ELTM) course book Pre-reading stage (4 mins): T briefs today’s objective
T asks Ss what they know about cat: Do they raise a cat? Do they like cat? What if their cat gets lost or gets ill? T gives explanations to some new words: parrot, ginger While-reading stage (23 mins):
15 T hands out reading papers to Ss, let Ss work in pairs to number the paragraphs to show how they can be reconstructed to make a coherent narrative. T goes around to see if help is needed Post-reading stage (18 mins): T gives feedback of the exercises, answers Ss questions (with a sheet of standard answer on hand) T asks Ss to work in pairs to think about how the story continues: Does the next-door neighbor explain what has happened? Do they tell the Moriartys quietly the next day? How will Mr. Moriarty react? What will the children feel? Then Ss work in pairs to role-play. T summarizes the lesson, sets the date for next class, collect Ss work papers.
Teaching notes for week three, activity five Time: 9:30- 10:15 am Date: July 3, 2004
● Objective: Identifying topic, reading for gist, reading for detailed comprehension ● Topic: Fire hero (Based on The Practice of English Language Teaching, Chapter 15, B1, Example 7. “Fire hero”) ● Teaching methods: group work, filling in table ● Order of doing things: in line with Unit 3 of English Language Teaching Methodology (ELTM) course book Pre-reading stage (4 mins): T briefs today’s objective and topic. T shows a copy of the picture and asks Ss where it most probably comes from, gives brief instructions about this particular genre of text (news ). Then T asks Ss to predict the content of the text. T gives explanations to some new words: amiss, blaze, billow, bungalow, inhalation
16 While-reading stage (21 mins): T hands out reading papers to Ss, letting them read through the text and fill in the table. T forms Ss into groups of four to discuss their answers with each other. T goes around to see if help is needed Post-reading stage (20 mins): T gives feedback of the exercises one by one, answers Ss questions (with a sheet of standard answer on hand)
T arranges Ss into groups of four to role-play interviews with various people
concerned, asking what they would be prepared to risk their lives for. e.g. Student A: The interviewer Student B/C/D: The interviewee – the hero, the neighbor, the firefighter, the station office, a passing traveler, the doctor, etc.
The four students in a group act as the interviewer and various interviewees in turn so that they can learn various possible opinions and viewpoints. T chooses 1-2 groups to role-play their interview to the whole class. When they finish, T gives brief feedback and correction. T summarizes the lesson, collect Ss work papers.
2. Data collection and evaluation of classes Evaluation of classes was based on marked students exercises, which were collected after each class (to see Table 1 in Part III), and teacher’s observations/ teaching diaries on students’ performance/involvement in class (To see Part III).
Evaluation of project was as follows. 1) The problem Was the problem a researchable one? Yes. The researcher had found methods to solve the problem.
17 2) The methods used in problem analysis Were the methods used to analyze the problem acceptable, suitable and properly applied? Yes. The used methods include cause analysis and brainstorming. They were all acceptable, suitable and properly applied 3) The project objective Was the project objective realistic? Yes. Given the time, the resources and the expertise, it could be achieved. 4) The project hypothesis Was the project hypothesis provable? Yes. The researcher found that interactively designed reading activities indeed result in improved reading skills effectively. 5) The project rationale Did the project have a sound basis? Yes. The researcher’s project was based on three theoretical assumptions that were valid and sound. 6) The project design Had the researcher defined the project objective and hypothesis? Yes. Had the researcher stated the project rationale? Yes. Had the researcher worked out the details for project implementation? Yes. Had the researcher planned the stages and timetable for the project implementation? Yes. 7) The stages and details of project implementation Were the stages necessary and complete? Yes. Were the implementation details properly maintained? Yes. The researcher had kept the following implementation details for further analysis: teaching notes, students’ handouts, students’ exercises, teaching diaries. 8) The methods used in project implementation In what way had the project been implemented? The researcher had set up a comparison before and after the project implementation, namely at the beginning and ending stage of project implementation. Some classroom teaching methods were applied. 9) The methods used to obtain the results
18 In what way had the researcher obtained the project results? The researcher had used observations, diary keeping, comparison of data to obtain the project results. They were all acceptable, suitable and properly used. 10) The results obtained from the project implementation Had the project hypothesis been proved or disproved or partially proved or suspended? The project hypothesis has been proved to be correct. Was there any improvement for the project? Yes. There had been unexpected results that needed to be avoided in the future. (Reasons should be given for each of your answers rather than simply making assertions.)
3. Teaching materials One of the teaching materials was The Practice of English Language Teaching by J. Harmer. The other was Reading Comprehension by Zhang X.Y. (Titles of books should be underlined or italicised.)
III. Results
After three-weeks’ implementation of project, the researcher was curious to know what was the result of the project. The researcher had collected all the students exercise papers for further use. The marks students got in the five activities were in the following table. Table 1
Activity One Two Three Four Five
Student
1 46 100 67 92 100 2 55 100 100 98 84 3 37 97 67 80 100 4 55 95 67 80 100 5 55 98 33 100 68 6 55 98 100 100 92 7 46 99 67 80 100 8 37 95 100 80 92 9 73 100 67 100 100 10 55 99 100 96 76
19 11 46 100 67 76 100 12 55 100 100 80 84 13 37 99 67 76 100 14 55 100 67 80 100 Table clearly shows raw data. Teaching diary for Week 1 Attendance: 14 (whole class) Date: June 19, 2004 It was the first activity of my reading activity plan. Ss were curious and excited about what will be going in class. I spent additional 1-2 mins to make them calm down to the text. During Ss working time, some Ss still had difficulties with some words I didn’t mention in the pre-reading stage. Pan Wenlu told me that he didn’t know the meaning of ‘riot’ and ‘syllabus’. Maybe I should pay more attention to new words next time and not overestimate Ss vocabulary.
When Ss working time was over, many Ss hadn’t finished their paper. Apparently, they read very slowly because they didn’t know how to read efficiently. Some Ss did fast. After my explanations at the post-reading stage, Ss seemed to come to understand what was wrong with their reading skills. Good to see you tracked details that can be used in further improving your technique as well as in understanding your students.
Teaching diary for Week 2
Attendance: 14 (whole class) Date: June 19, 2004 I have implemented two activities, namely activity 2 and 3. I found most of Ss could finish reading just in time, doing much better than what they did in the first activity. The results of Ss working paper were improved significantly. I am so glad to see it. It seemed to me that Ss begin to read with reading skills purposely. During Ss working time, there were little problems with new words.
20 In group work, some Ss were reluctant to talk, esp. some boys. In this case, I suggest they form a group with other boys, so that they could feel at ease and open their mouths. I found this works well. Good.
Teaching diary for Week 3 Attendance: 14 (whole class) Date: June 19, 2004 I have implemented the last two activities, namely activity 4 and 5. Ss seemed to be more skillful on how to read efficiently. The results for activity 4 are not so good. Maybe the text I chose for Ss should have been simpler and having (had) a clearer storyline. Activity 5 went very smoothly. All the Ss finished work in time. The results are also satisfactory. It seems to me that most Ss have confidence and get ready to read with reading skills purposely. They have learned and mastered the reading skills. Their quality of reading has improved a lot. There were little problems with new words. I am more than happy with what they have achieved and what I have done .
IV. Conclusion
1. Analysis of data obtained from comparison of each student’s mark of
week one through week three — Data process model 1 Since the five activities were arranged in 3 weeks, the researcher put activity 2 and 3 as the 2nd group, namely week2, and put activity 4 and 5 as 3rd group, namely week 3. In each group, an average mark wais taken as the mark of the group. The result was as following chart.
Chart 1. Comparison of student mark
21 comparion of student mark
120
100
80 week 1 k
r 60 week 2 a
m week 3 40
20
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 student
● It showed that in general, student mark was on the rise gradually from week 1 to week 2 and to week 3. It implied that students got improved gradually. ● It showed that student mark for week 1 was rather low. It was between 40- 60 basically. On the contrary, Student mark for week 3 was rather high. It was between 80- 100 basically. Student mark for week 2 varied dramatically. It implied that students’ reading skills were rather low at the beginning stage. In week 2, students’ reading skills were improved but not stable. In week 3, the last stage of this project implementation, students’ reading skills were high and steady. ● It showed that there was an apparent gap between week 1 and week 2&3, yet a smaller gap between week 2 and week 3. It implied that at the beginning stage, students’ reading skills improved more significantly than later. Good presentation of results.
2. Analysis of data obtained from comparison of average student mark of
activity one through activity five — Data process model 2
22 The five activities were regarded separately. Students were regarded as a whole and their marks were averaged. So there was an averaged mark for each activity. The result was as following chart.
Chart 2. Comparison of average student mark
comparion of average student mark
100 98.6 90 92.6 80 87.0 70 76.4 60 mark 50 50.5 40 30 20 10 0 1 2 3 4 activity 5
● It showed that as a whole, average student mark got improved gradually from activity 1 through activity 5, namely 50.598.576.48792.6. ● It showed that the average student mark for activity 2 was extraordinarily high. It was possibly because the questions were too simple for the students. These simple questions may not be suitable for the students to improve their reading skills.
3. General conclusion The result of above two different data process model had been in line with each other perfectly. Both showed that student reading skills were improved effectively. The researcher designed and implemented the above project on the basis of project hypothesis that interactively designed reading activities would result in improved reading skills effectively. From the results of above data analysis, the
23 hypothesis had been proved to be correct. You should restate the hypothesis here.
V. Discussion
The researcher also found that there was improvement for the activity design. The researcher should have paid more attention to text selection. The difficulties of text and vocabulary should have progressed gradually from the beginning stage to the ending stage. Conclusions are valid, but a bit more explanation would have been helpful.
Overall, your thesis shows fine effort, good development, and competence in formal writing in English. You are to be commended!
24 25 Bibliography （具体格式要求请见《学士论文写作手册》附录二）
● Anderson, N. J. (2004) Exploring Second Language Reading, Issues and Strategies Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press ● Goodman, K.S. (1973) “Psycholinguistic universals of the reading process” in F. Smith (eds.) Psycholinguistics and Reading New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston: 177-182 ● Gough, P.B.(1985) “One second of reading” in Singer. H. & R. B. Ruddell (eds.) Theoretical Models and Processes of Reading Newark: International Reading Association, 661-686 ● Grabe, W. (1991) “Current developments in second language reading research” in TESOL Quarterly 25:375-406 ● Gu, Yueguo (1999) English Language Teaching Methodology Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press ● Gu, Yueguo (2002) Practical Project Design Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press ● Harmer, J. (2003) The Practice of English Language Teaching Beijing: World Affairs Press ● Murtagh, L. (1989) “Reading in a second or foreign language: Model, processes, and pedagogy” in Language, Culture and Curriculum 2:91-105 ● Rumeilhart, D.E.(1985) “Toward an interactive model of reading” in Singer. H. & R. B. Ruddell (eds.) Theoretical Models and Processes of Reading Newark: International Reading Association, 722-750 ● Stanovich, K. E. (1980) “Toward an interactive-compensatory model of individual differences in the development of reading fluency” in Reading Research Quarterly 16:32-71 ● Zhang, Xinyou (2003) Reading Comprehension Hu Bei: People’s Press of HUBEI Book titles should be in italics rather than bold font.
26 Appendix I Students’ Handouts
● Activity 1 The text ‘This is it,’ Rick said, in a cheerful voice. Through the windows of the classroom I could see the men. They were not in their seats; instead they were circling the room restlessly, like lions in a cage. ‘Is there going to be a guard in the room while I teach?’ I asked. I realized that this was something that should have been straightened out earlier. Rick looked at me with deep concern. ‘I will come by a bit later, see that you’re OK, ’ he said. I walked through the door into the classroom. My students barely looked human. The desks were arranged in no special order, except that some of the men had got into racial groups. Many of them were smoking, and under the glare of the lights I could see their tattoos. One man with a pointed beard and a long black hair circled behind me and around the other side of the desk. He was easily the tensest man I had ever seen. I thought of telling him to sit down but wondered what I would do if he refused so I kept the suggestion to myself. I placed my leather bag on the desk and faced the class. Nobody paid any attention to me. The conversation grew louder, I wanted to cut out and run. I had volunteered for this. Every teacher has these moments of panic. We worry about rebellion: our moral authority lost, the students taking over. I had a teacher in high school, a Miss Hutchinson, who after taking roll would turn towards the board and be followed by a burst of paper airplanes and spitballs, sometimes even the bodies of students flying forward, a prepared riot. I unpacked my bag and began the roll. A few names down, I called out ‘Diaz.’ No answer. ‘Diaz,’ I said again. ‘Ain’t my names,’ a man in the front row volunteered. ‘Why did you answer?’ I asked.
27 ‘I’m here under another name, ’he said. ‘An alias. I could tell you my real name, but then I’d have to kill you.’ ‘We’ll count that as “present”,’ I said. Several members of the class laughed: at least that slowed down the conversation. I finished the roll and handed out the syllabus for the class. I read it aloud and when I got to the end I looked up. ‘So any questions?’ I asked. The paper trembled in my hand. ‘yeah, I got a question,’ AKA Diaz raised his hand. ‘I want to know what the *&!* it means.’
Instructions: With the key words in mind, you need first read the text carefully, then do the true/false/ uncertain exercise. Write a letter T before those you think it true, a letter F before those you think it false, and a letter U before those you think it uncertain. When the teacher finishes explanations, you ask questions about the text and exercise. Finally, you talk about war and prison in front of the whole class.
● Activity 2 The text 19-year –old Penny Elvey and her project partner Anna are going home after six months as volunteers in a school in Nepal. But then the rain starts, and the roads are folded. This is part of their story.
At the village of Meestal there is a huge river blocking our path. We came here a few weeks ago with some students for a picnic but the innocent little stream that we sat by had now become a raging torrent. Across the water we can see a truck. On our side a man approaches us. ‘That is my friend,’ he says gesturing to a man standing by the vehicle. ‘You go with truck.’ Anna and I smile enthusiastically. But our guide steps forward. ‘It is too dangerous. We must wait. The river will become smeller.’
28 Anna and I glance at each other. Ii is a curious philosophy since the rain is still falling steadily. The truck driver’s friend grins at me. ‘We help. You give me 600 rupees.’ 600 rupees is far too much but we are desperate. He knows. He knows I know he knows. Our eyes lock. People are watching us curiously to see how we are going to react. I fold my arms and force a laugh. ‘Then we will stay the night here.’ For a terrible moment I think he is going to walk away, but then he smiles nervously. ‘I mean 300 for you; 300 for your friend.’ He calls two of his friends and they hold our luggage above their heads as they step into the water. Slowly and steadily they cross the river and reach the other side safely. Suddenly a man taps my shoulder. ‘For you too dangerous. You must stay here. ’ my rucksack and walking boots are now sitting on a rock across the water. In the pocket of my rucksack are all my papers and money. Where my passport goes I follow. Maybe the current is not that strong. ‘You can swim?’ A small crowd of people gathers on the other side. Anna goes first. Four men take hold of her and lead her safely across. Now it is my turn. I step forward gingerly but catch my ankle on a rock. The water pulls my legs away from under me. But the men drag me to the safety of the far side. Anna and I pick up our things and climb into the old truck. The people there stare at us in amusement. We are wet through, covered in mud, our clothes in tatters. But as the truck shudders to life, we look at each other and smile. We are going to make it to Kathmandu in time for breakfast!
Instructions:
29 You bare the questions in mind, read through the text carefully, trying to find the answers to the questions. Do not discuss with your partner. When finished, turn to Worksheet C to match the words from the text with their definitions. Do it independently. When the two exercises are both finished, you turn to teacher for the answers and explanations, ask questions. Then in groups of four you talk about journeys you have made, and how you feel if you spend a long time away from home.
● Activity 3 The text Title/ Author(s) Publisher Pages Level Notes Date Longman Language Longman 1600 4-6 Production dictionary. Accessed Activator 1993 through 1000 key words/phrases familiar to intermediate learners. For vocabulary expansion and an aid to precise selection Oxford Advanced OUP 1081 6 Based on OALD+ encyclopedic Learner’s 1992 entries on people, places and events; Dictionary over 90 articles on aspects of British encyclopedic life and institutions; maps. 65,000 edition words and phrases. AS Hornby and AP Cowie Longman Longman 1560 6 Based on LDOCE+ 15,000 cultural Dictionary of 1992 references to people, places, events English Language and institutions Maps, Further and Culture cultural notes 80,000 words and phrases. Oxford Wordpower OUP 746 4+ Includes 32-page study section. Dictionary 1993 Appendices include irregular verbs,
30 expressions with numbers, common names of people and place names, abbreviations. Oxford Dictionary PUP 518 6 Organized alphabetically by main of Phrasal Verbs 1993 verb. Also Index of nouns used in AP Cowie and R head phrase. Over sixty pages of Mckin explanatory notes at the back. Collins COBUILD Harper 140 4+ Related to the Dictionary of phrasal phrasal Verbs Collins Verbs from the same publisher. 300 Workbook 1993 verbs in detail approached through Malcolm Goodale particles. Oxford Dictionary OUP 492 4-6 Include coverage of accounting, of Business English 1993 banking, computing, import and Peter Bromhead export, finance, international trade, law, management, sales, shipping and the stock exchange. Clearly laid out with separate column for language information.
Instructions: You look through the text table, select one correct answer from the multiple choices, then work in pairs with your partner to discuss your answer with him/her. If you two have different answers, turn to the teacher for the correct answer. Then talk with your partner about what dictionaries you have and how you feel about your dictionaries.
● Activity 4
31 The text 1. The Moriarty family moved into a house two doors down the road one sunny Wednesday in July. They seemed like nice people. We invited them for a drink for the following Friday. 2. Our next-door neighbor (Jane) loves animals. She has a pet rat and two parrots. He knocked on our door on Thursday morning. ‘Is this your cat?’ she asked. She was holding an old, thin ginger cat with a little green collar. ‘No,’ we replied. ‘We’ve never seen it before. Why?’ 3. ‘How are you getting on in our new home?’ one of us asked. 4. ‘I don’t’ think it’s very well,’ Jane said. ‘I’m going to take it to the vet.’ We agreed with her idea. She cares about animals a lot. But when we saw her again that evening she was looking sad. 5. ‘Oh fine,’ said Mrs. Moriarty looking happily at her husband and her two young children. ‘But there’s just one problem. Our cat’s gone missing.’ 6. ‘You know that cat? ’ she said, ‘the ginger one with the green collar? Well the vet said it was very old and very sick. So he gave it an injection. Put it to sleep. It’s in cat heaven now. Well, what else could he do? We didn’t know whose cat it was.’ 7. On Friday evening the Moriartys came for a drink. So did Jane and two other friends from across the street.
Instructions: You look through the text, work with your partner to reorder the jumbled paragraphs into coherent narrative. Discuss with your partner. If your answer is different from his/hers, give your reasons to reach agreement with him/her. When you finish checking with the teacher, you work with your partner to think about how the story continues: Does the next-door neighbor explain what has happened? Do they tell the Moriartys quietly the next day? How will Mr. Moriarty react? What will the children feel? Try thinking imaginatively and then work with your partner to role-play.
32 ● Activity 5 T he text HERO PULLS NEIGHBOUR FROM BLAZE
By DAN GRIMMER
A COURAGEOUS villager battled through a burning bungalow to carry his neighbor to safety. Hero Laurence Broderick rescued Jean Buiter after a fire tore through her home in High Street, Wednesday, destroying much of the roof. Around 30 firefighters tackled the blaze, which broke out at about 10am on Saturday. While crews using breathing equipment were fighting the flames, the roof caved in and one firefighter needed hospital treatment after being injured. Mr. Broderick of Vicarage Road, said he realized something was amiss in the normally quiet village when he heard a car beeping its horn. The driver was his son Graeham, who had spotted smoke billowing from the bungalow on his way to visit his father. Mr. Broderick, a sculptor, rushed to the bungalow because he knew Ms. Buiter, who is in her 50s, had been ill. He said: ‘The whole place was smoking. At first I ran around like a headless chicken. But once I had calmed down I rushed in and there she was in her nightdress with no shoes.’ ‘My first reaction was to get her out. I got her out of the door and it was a gravel drive so I picked her up and carried her clear of the house. I felt remarkably in control. ’ A passing motorist took care of Ms. Buiter while Mr. Broderick returned to the house in case anyone else was there. He found the smoke so dense he could not get in. After the dramatic rescue, fire crews from St.Neot, Gamlingay and Potton, along with the command vehicle from Huntingdonk, spent an hour bringing the fire under control and then making the building safe. Station officer Mike Church said: ‘The flames were through the roof. It was a very serious house fire. The middle section of the roof is gone so we have had to make it
33 stable. ’ John Archer, of Manor Close, a cousin of Mrs. Buiter, said she had moved into the house just before Christmas. He said: ’We got a call saying the house was on fire and came down here. The house is in a terrible state but at least she is all right.’ Ms. Buiter is being kept in Hinchinbrook hospital for observation after treatment for smoke inhalation. The injured firefighter received stitches after cutting his hand.
34 Appendix II Students’ Exercises
Activity 1 Questions: True, false or uncertain? a. The class is in a prison. b. There’s a guard in the classroom. c. Robert O’Connor had offered to teach the class. d. There are white, black, Hispanic and Asian students in the class. e. The class has both sexes. f. Robert O’Connor was frightened. g. The men threw paper airplanes at the teacher. h. The men wanted to take the class. i. Diaz is the man’s real name. j. AKA means ‘also known as’. k. The class was going to be a great success. (Answers: F, F, U, T, U, T, F, F, U, T, F )
Activity 2 The questions to answer: 1. What is the text about? 2. Who was it written by? 3. Who was it written for? 4. What is the writer’s intention? 5. Do you like the text?
Activity 3 Multiple choice (only one answer is correct): 1. A dictionary with the greatest number of words for advanced students is a) Oxford Dictionary of phrasal Verbs. b) Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture. c) Longman Language Activator. d) Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary. 2. The author who published two dictionaries for the same publisher is a) Peter Bromhead b) AS Hornby
35 c) AP Cowie d) Malcolm Goodale 3. A dictionary that is organized alphabetically by main verb is a) Oxford Dictionary of Business English b) Collins COBUILD phrasal Verbs Workbook c) Longman Language Activator d) Oxford Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs (Answers: b, c, d)
Activity 4 Reorder the jumbled sentences The correct order is as follows:
(Answers: 1,2,4,6,7,3,5)
Activity 5 Fill in the following table:
Name of hero
Address
Occupation
Number of firefighters Number of injured people
36 北外网络教育学院学士论文评分表
（Thesis Assessment Criteria of Beiwaionline）
注：阴影部分用*标明的评价指标为一级评价指标（critical items）, 一级评价指 标任何一项不及格，整篇论文不及格。一级评价指标的得分只限于满分或零分 两种情况。
评价项目 评价指标 分值 打分 (Assessment Items) (Assessment Criteria) (Points) （Points Given） 指导教师评阅参考 (For tutors to assess students’ theses)
选题（20 分） 1 所选论题具有实际意义、一定的挑战性和创新性； 10 7 (Topic Selection) The writer has chosen a genuine, challenging and innovative topic; 2 论题表述清楚，论点鲜明，具有可操作性。 10 7 The topic has been well defined and justified; the topic is researchable. 项目设计（30 分） 1 围绕论题，设计了科学的研究方法； 10 7 (Project Design) The writer has designed one or more scientific methods pertinent to the topic; 2 设计步骤清晰，有条理； 10 8 The research project has been well planned and logically designed; 3 项目按计划开展了研究工作。 10 9 The research project has been followed to the end according to the 论证与研究结果 1project提供了调 plan.研过程中 收集的所有原始数据（如回收的调查问卷、访谈记录、日志等）， 2* 2 （30 分） 以便汇总进论文档案文件包； (Discussion & All research data has been provided in order to be put them into the 2 原始数据准确可靠; 8 8 Result) All research data are authentic and reliable;
3 论证充分，具有较强的逻辑性； 5 3 The main argument is logically and sufficiently presented;
4 研究结果论述清晰，支持论点； 10 7 Research results are clear and fully support the hypothesis;
5 对所研究结果有个人创建性的见解。 5 4 The writer has shown a good balance between known and accepted viewpoints and his/her own conclusions. 文献综述 （5 分） 1 查阅文献数量符合相关要求，有一定广泛性； 2 2 (Literature Review) The literature review is extensive enough to meet the quantity requirement; 2 文献综述撰写规范； 1 1 The format meets the requirement;
3 文献综述与研究课题密切相关。 2 1 The literature review is closely related to the topic.
37 语言（10 分） 1 行文流畅，语句通顺，整体论文撰写质量较高； 5 4 (Language) The general standard of language is such that the paper could be published in a college journal with little editing; 2 字数符合要求（4000 字不包括摘要、目录、参考书目和附录）。 5 5 Word-length is about 4000 words, not including abstract, table of contents, bibliography and appendix. 结构与格式（5 分） 1 论文格式符合规范； 2 1 (Organization & The format is professional and consistent with general publishing Format) practice; 2 论文结构完整，包含了论文的必要组成部分。 3* 3 The writer has provided a complete thesis that includes all the necessary components. 总计 Please writer your overall comment here: 100 79 (Total points) 请将您对学生的意见和评语填写在此处并拷贝粘贴到平台的“指导 教师对论文的意见”文本框中。中英文皆可。中文字数要求不超过 200 字，英文不超过 150 字。The student has shown competence and dedication in completing her thesis project. Although minor language errors are present, her main points are clear. A fine effort!
学生成绩(Good, Good, Pass or Fail: Pass or Fail) 请在此处填写学生的成绩：Good.
Footnote（脚注）: 论文评估标准按 100 分制计算满分为 100 分，100-85：优秀；84.5-75：良好； 74.5-60：及格；60 分以下：不及格.
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