“头脑风暴”在高中英语阅读教学中的应用,本文主要内容关键词为:高中英语论文,头脑论文,风暴论文,教学中论文,此文献不代表本站观点,内容供学术参考,文章仅供参考阅读下载。
Brainstorming(头脑风暴)是一种激发学生创造性思维的方法。其目的是给学生创设想像和思考的时间和空间,以激活其头脑中各种相关的图式,比如,想法、概念、形象和印象等(王松美,2002)。它通常是先由教师提出一个中心话题或一项任务,然后组织学生进行讨论,让学生在讨论中自由发表见解,尽可能多地提出解决问题的建议和途径,最后确定解决问题的最佳方案。在这一过程中,学生运用所学语言表达或倾听,以达到教师预想的教学目的。该方法能展现学生的个性,拓宽学生想像和思考的空间,诱发集体的智慧,激活学生的创意与灵感。
Brainstorming活动不仅可在Warming up教学环节中运用,也可运用于高中英语阅读教学的各个环节.以培养学生的阅读能力。
鲁姆哈特(Rumelhart)在阐述图式阅读理论时指出:阅读能力由三种图式来决定,它们是语言图式(linguistic schemata)、内容图式(content schemata)和形式图式(formal schemata)(李外芬,2003)。语言图式指读者对阅读材料的掌握程度,即语音,词汇和语法等方面的知识;内容图式指读者对文章主题的熟悉程度,即相关的背景知识;形式图式则指读者对文章体裁的了解程度,即读者的篇章知识。在这三种图式中,语言图式是理解文章文字的基础,内容图式是理解文章内容的依据,而形式图式则是调用内容的能力。三者相辅相成,缺一不可(何广铿,1997)。
由此可见,培养阅读能力的过程实际上就是一个由初级图式到高级图式的过程。那么,如何来实现这个过程呢?笔者认为,在阅读课教学中,教师可以利用“头脑风暴”活动,激活学生原有图式,并使其在阅读过程中不断建立和完善新的图式,以提高其阅读能力。
为此,笔者在近几年的教学实践中,尝试把“头脑风暴”运用到Pre-reading,While-reading,Language和Post-reading这四个教学阶段,在引导学生讨论话题和指导学生自主完成阅读任务的过程中激活图式并运用图式。具体做法如下:
一、在Pre-reading中运用“头脑风暴”激活背景知识,丰富内容图式
图式理论认为,读者的背景知识是影响阅读理解的重要因素,新知识的理解和吸收都应建立在读者已有知识的基础之上。为此,在阅读课文之前,教师可以组织学生围绕文章所涉及的背景知识或单元主题等开展“头脑风暴”活动,以激活学生已有的背景知识,把学生的注意力引向课文话题,为理解课文内容作好铺垫。教师在该阶段还可以适当处理文章中的一些语言知识,如教学生一些新的单词、短语或句型,为课文后续阅读活动打下基础。同时,在讨论过程中师生之间和生生之间可以互相填补信息差,学生可以更好地重建不完整或欠缺的背景知识。以丰富头脑中的内容图式。
以教学The Necklace(SEFC 1B Unit 15)为例,学生在阅读课文前可以讨论以下问题:
Q[,1]:What would you do if you were invited to a party or a ball?
(to prepare a present;to get dressed up;to wear my best suit with a well-matched tie and shining leather shoes;to wear a beautiful dress with well-matched jewellery and shining slippers;to wear clean clothes;to wear some jewellery,...)
Q[,2]:What jewellery do you know?
附图
Q[,3]:What would you do if you hadn't any jewellery?
(to wear no jewellery;to appear as I am;to wear something instead;to borrow some jewellery;to buy some jewellery;not to go to the party;...)
Q[,4]:Do you think it is right to borrow jewellery?What's your opinion?
(I think it is right because...;I think it is wrong because...)
二、在While-reading中运用“头脑风暴”建立语篇结构,完善形式图式
初读课文时,教师可以组织学生开展“头脑风暴”活动,让学生说一说从文中获得了哪些具体信息;然后,教师组织学生根据所收集的信息梳理并找出涉及课文主要内容的关键信息,使文章脉络清晰、明了,从而帮助学生理解和记忆。由于每篇文章暗含多条不同的线索,当学生获得具体信息之后,教师可以开展“头脑风暴”活动,让学生以小组合作形式,依据某一线索重组具体信息,提出多种语篇结构图式,并让学生在分析多种文章结构和脉络的过程中相互启迪,从而丰富和完善其形式图式。
以教学Alone In Antarctica(SEFC 1B Unit 17)为例,在学生读完整篇文章后,笔者先让学生分组讨论文章的结构,根据隐含线索整理出本课的各种结构图式;然后各组代表进行汇报;最后全班选出最佳结构图。现将学生整理的部分结构图摘录如下:
结构一:(以自然段为线索)
Part 1(Para.1)-decided to travel alone to Antarctica
Part 2(Para.2-3)-about the weather
Part 3(Para.4)-celebrated her 60th birthday
Part 4(Para.5-7)-had two accidents
Part 5(Para.8)-decided to give up
结构二:(以时间为线索)
TimeWeather What happened to her?
Nov.1st-Nov.2nd fine,icy,
began her journey
not strong
Nov.3rd-Nov.11thstormy
struggled against stormy
weather
The storm
Nov.12thdied celebrated her birthday
down.
Nov.21st
/ fell into a hole,hung on
the ropes
Nov.22nd
cold wind had a sled accident,hurt
her leg
After.Nov.22nd / gave up,went back home
结构三:(以事件发展线索)
began her journey→stayed in her tent→celebrated her birthday→fell into a deep hole→had an accident→went home
结构四:(以人物评价为线索)
附图
结构五:(以事件评价为线索)
The Expedition
Who:Helen Thayer
When:Nov.1st,1997——Nov.22nd,1997
Where:Antarctica
Aim:to celebrate her 60th birthday
Difficulties:no dog team,solo travel,extreme climate
Accidents :①fell into a hole and hung on the ropes tied to the sled
②had an accident with the sled and hurt her leg
Result:had to give up
Evaluation:Helen was brave,calm,self-confident,optimistic,determined and responsible.
三、在Language部分运用“头脑风暴”归纳语言知识,扩充语言图式
在阅读教学中语言点的教学是必不可少的。笔者运用“头脑风暴”先让学生以小组合作形式寻找语言点,或质疑解疑,或完成具有信息沟的语言点练习;然后归纳语言知识,发现语言规律,形成新的语言图式。
例如,教学Franklin’s Famous Kite Experiment(SEFC 1B unit 16)时,笔者让学生寻找并归纳新的或重要的语言现象。以下是部分小组的归纳:
归纳一:非谓语动词作状语
①Having realized that I could use a kite to...,I decided to do...(强调动作的先后)
②To do the experiment you need four things...(表示目的)
③Fix a very sharp piece of metal,pointing a foot or...,to the top...(表示伴随)
④Build the frame of the kite by making a small cross of...(表示方式)
归纳二:“做实验”的表达方式
①conduct an experiment
②do an experiment
③make an experiment
④perform an experiment
⑤carry out an experiment
归纳三:连系动词
①This ribbon,which must not get wet,will protect you from...
②...the silk ribbon does not get wet.
③Fly the kite when a thunderstorm appears to be coming on.
④The experiment proved to be a failure.归纳四:
特殊单词——work,close,high,just,tear,cross,sharp,charge,conduct
四、在Post-reading中运用“头脑风暴”创设实践机会,深化三种图式
学生通过以上Pre-reading,While-reading,Language三个阶段的学习,启动相应的图式知识,补充新的背景、篇章和语言等信息,从而拓宽学生的已有图式,并建立高级图式。但即使建立了高级的图式知识,也未必就具备很强的阅读能力,因为孤立的图式知识并不能自然转化成高效的阅读能力。教师只有进一步为学生创设更多的语言实践机会,开展真实的语言交际活动,引导学生灵活运用新的语言、形式和内容三种图式,并加以深化,才能实现从知识到能力的跨越。因此,在Post-reading阶段,教师应设计一些能调动学生真正参与交际活动的开放性练习,指导学生利用已建立的图式进行复述、改写、观点交流或辩论等“头脑风暴”活动。
以The Necklace(SEFC 1B Unit 15)为例,在 Post-reading阶段,笔者组织学生开展了以下两个活动:
Activity 1.Discussion
Q[,1]:What do you learn from the play?
S[,1]:Mathilde's desire for being attractive and beautiful cost her the best years of her life.
S[,2]:The necklace at first brought Mathilde much pleasure,but later caused her much unhappiness.
S[,3]:Even if Jeanne returns the money Mathilde spent,Mathilde can never regain her youth or the hard-working years she and her husband spent.
S[,4]:Mathilde was a victim of vanity.
S[,5]:Human vanity is dangerous.
S[,6]:If a person shows as he is,we can say he is honest,confident and independent.But if a person pretends to have something but really has nothing,he may be a person of vanity.
Q[,2]:What do you think will happen next in this story?
S[,1]:Jeanne returned the real diamond to Mathilde.Mathilde sold the diamond necklace and got a lot of money.She bought a new house and began to lead a happy life.
S[,2]:Jeanne could have returned the diamond necklace to Mathilde;unfortunately,she had given it to another person as a present.
S[,3]:Mathilde and Jeanne quarreled with each other.Soon they became mad.
Q[,3]:How do you think Mathikle felt after she learned the truth?
Ss:Sad,sorry,regrettable,surprised,disappointed,happy,excited,angry,...
Q[,4]:What would you do if you were Mathilde?
S[,1]:I wouldn't borrow a necklace...
S[,2]:I would borrow a necklace,but I would be careful...
Activity 2.Debate
Pros:It is right for Mathilde to borrow some jeweuery.
Cons:It is wrong for Mathilde to borrow some jewellery.
在这个阶段,笔者为学生搭建了交流的平台,创设了思维空间,强化了新图式的吸收和内化。学生为了完成交际任务,必然会结合主人公所处的时代背景以及个人价值观(即内容图式),运用新学的语言知识(即语言图式),并且联系文章的语篇结构或相关的篇章知识(即形式图式)。这样,学生所建立的三种图式便会在Post-reading阶段的“头脑风暴”活动中得到充分的运用和深化。
综上所述,“头脑风暴”活动运用于阅读教学的各个阶段,可以充分调动学生的学习积极性,激活学生的思维,让不同认知层次的学生参与活动。但是,应该注意的是,“头脑风暴”活动主要作用于说和写的输出,而阅读教学的重点则在于听和读的输入。因此,教师不应让“头脑风暴”占据阅读教学的主要地位。