新课标下高中英语阅读课堂词汇有效教学的实践

2014-06-05 10:21高鸿雁
考试周刊 2014年19期
关键词:语境词汇核心

高鸿雁

一、引言

词汇对阅读理解的重要性不言而喻。Wilkins说:“没有语法,就不能很好地表达,而没有词汇,则什么也表达不了。”词汇是影响阅读的第一要素,离开了词汇,阅读就等于纸上谈兵。《高中英语课程标准》(实验稿)中语言知识目标的八级词汇要求是:(1)运用词汇理解和表达不同的功能、意图和态度等;(2)在比较复杂的情况下,运用词汇给事物命名、进行指称、描述行为和特征、说明概念等;(3)学会使用3300个左右的单词和400~500个习惯用语或固定搭配。《课程标准》中要求的词汇“量”大,在“质”上不仅要求我们掌握词汇的音、形、义,更要掌握词汇在具体语境中的运用。

高中阅读课词汇教学普遍存在两个极端:一是阅读与词汇教学割裂,甚至在阅读的第一课时没有词汇教学,到第二课时的Language points才满堂灌词汇。二是在阅读过程中,教师深入讲解词汇,脱离文本,对其所有用法进行拓展训练,忽略语言在某种特定情境中的含义和用法。通过阅读教学,学生应该在语篇中感知目标词汇,在文本的不同语境中理解目标词汇,在话题拓展中初步运用词汇,让词汇在阅读课堂内得到有效实践。笔者以Module1 Unit3的阅读课堂为例,探讨阅读课中的词汇有效教学。

二、阅读课堂词汇有效教学的实践

(一)阅读前——选择和处理词汇

在阅读教学中,不要盲目地把文章中出现的所有生词都当做重点词汇处理。新版教材词汇量的增加,主要是识记词汇及专有名词的增加,与语言输出没有必然联系,没有必要花大量时间。教师要根据课标,研读文本和学情,对词汇进行筛选和分类,在教学中有的放矢,重点突出。笔者把本单元的词汇分为认读词汇和核心词汇。

1.认读词汇处理要为阅读扫清障碍,为理解和表达服务。

对篇章分析后发现,文章的前两段是叙述性段落,只要克服了语言上的问题,学生理解起来就不会太困难。第三段中渗透着跨学科、跨文化的语言信息,会引起学生的畏难情绪。笔者采用图像、语言、问题等手段创设教学情境,使知识融于情境之中,扫除地理专业术语的词汇障碍,把学生的注意力集中到语言表达和运用上。学生再读第三段时,能将篇章的语言信息和脑海中的图片信息有效结合起来,加深对文段的理解,口头表述湄公河的相关信息。

What the atlas tells about the Mekong:

The Mekong River begins in a ?摇?摇 ?摇?摇 on a Tibetan mountain.It becomes ?摇?摇 ?摇?摇 as it passes through deep ?摇?摇 ?摇?摇,traveling across western Yunnan Province.Sometimes the river enters wide ?摇?摇 ?摇?摇 and becomes a ?摇?摇 ?摇?摇.After it leaves China and the high Altitudes,the Mekong becomes wide,brown and warm.As it enters southeast Asia,it travels slowly(its pace slows)through hills and low ?摇?摇?摇 ?摇,and the ?摇?摇 ?摇?摇 where rice grows.At last,the rivers ?摇?摇 ?摇?摇 enters the South China Sea.

[说明}教师作为整合教材的主导,要非常清楚学生的已有水平、情感动机、思维特征、认知规律。依据教学需要调整教学顺序,根本目的在于促进学生有效学习。所填词汇只要求认读即可,重点放在文化意识目标的实现上。

2.核心词汇要为文本解读服务,为语言输出做准备。

核心词汇对文本理解起关键作用,不仅要识记音、形、义,还要掌握其用法。在本节课学生的语言输出活动中,所需要用到的词汇为核心词汇,在教学设计中要给予充分关注,并适时穿插于各个语言输入环节的学习中,以实现有效教学。以下为本堂阅读课要掌握的核心词汇:dream,ever since,persuade,get sb interested in cycling,graduate,finally,schedule,be fond of,stubborn,insist,organize,detail,determine,make up ones mind,give in。其中dream和detail虽不是本文的生词,却是理解文章的关键词,get sb interested in cycling和insist的语言特性也是学生要掌握的,故列为课堂阅读核心词汇。

3.读前核心词汇的初步感知。

确定好核心词汇后,教师要采取不同方法凸显核心和话题词汇,以提高课堂教学效率。

(1)Free talk语境中导学新词。

Free talk不是天马行空地任意发挥,教师要围绕阅读话题,结合生活实践,创造性地创设教学情境,综合运用多种词汇教学策略,尽量把核心词汇及其用法展示给学生,帮助学生理解、记忆、运用词汇。

T:When I was in middle school,I was fond of travelling.I liked it so much that being a guide became my dream.To be a guide,one must pass many tests,including a face-to-face interview.So I tried to persuade my best friend to do it together.But I couldnt get her interested in travelling because she was determined to(made up her mind)be a teacher.As a person of great determination,she is not easy to be persuaded.Instead,she persuaded me to work hard to be a teacher in the future.Finally,I gave in.I had a tight schedule.I was so busy that I did not get the chance to realize my dream.And as you see,after graduating from college,I became a teacher instead of a guide.Ever since my graduation from college,I have dreamed about it for 13years.

[说明]笔者在依托语境导入核心词汇时,侧重新词教学策略的多元化设计,如用同义词like it so much替换解释be fond of;用work hard to be a teacher,I was so busy的语境帮学生理解had a tight schedule;构词法,如派生graduate/graduation,determined/determination,如转化dream作为名词和动词的用法搭配;例句补充如a person of great determination is not easy to be persuaded.教师要采取有效的词汇学习策略,帮助学生掌握有效的词汇学习和记忆方法。

(2)插图谈论中激趣增知。

教材插图是穿插在课文中为文章提供背景信息的图片,隐含很多知识点。教师不能满堂灌,应引导学生自主发掘,充分调动学生的主动性和积极性。在问答中适时引入新词,激发学生阅读期待。

T:Look at the map and we can see that Mekong River flows through.China,Laos,Thailand,Cambodia,Burma,Vietnam.

改进后:

T:Look at the map and what information can you get?

S:The river goes through China,Laos,Thailand,Cambodia,Burma,Vietnam.

T:It flows so many countries.

S:Two rivers are mentioned.

T:One or two? Find the proof in the passage?

S:In China it is called Lancang River.

T:Are you satisfied with the information.Boys and girls,read and try to find more details about it.

S:It starts in Qinghai Province at an altitude of more than 5,000meters.

T:Yes.The source is Qinghai.So can you understand the word“down”in the title?

S:From a high altitude to some place low.

T:Very good.Lets start our journey down the Mekong.

在笔者的引导下,学生积极挖掘图片信息,并主动通过快读阅读获取更多信息。结合之前plains平原的信息,就很容易理解标题,激发进一步阅读的兴趣。

(3)英语释义寻找生词。

挑选一些新词汇,要求学生根据英文释义和提示,从课文中找出生词。用学生学过的词汇解释新词,有利于词的记忆和提取,为文本阅读进一步扫清障碍。

cycle,schedule,be fond of,shortcoming,altitude,pace,bend

①to travel by bicycle.

②a plan that lists all the work that you have to do and when you must do each thing.

③have a great love for sb or sth.

④a fault in ones character.

⑤the height above the sea level.

⑥a speed sth runs or moves.

⑦to change direction to form a curve or an angle.

(二)阅读中——理解核心词汇

对文本的理解是阅读课堂中词汇教学的有效前提,贯穿阅读过程的词汇教学应有效促进学生对文本的理解。阅读设计过程中要自觉强化核心词汇意识,设计任务时要考虑语言输出,通过任务的解决,实现词汇目标。在活动设计中,体现足够的对新学语言的“凸显性”(salience)和“复现率”(frequency),通过活动使学生对语言形式产生猛然的醒悟作用或者反复的再现与关注。

1.Skimming。

标题解读能帮助学生预测内容,迅速获取文章的结构图式和内容图式,让学生更清晰、准确地理解文本。

T:Look at the title “Journey down the Mekong” and predict what it is about.

S:Who?Why travel?

T:What else?

S:Route?Where?What to see?When?How?

T:These are what is called schedule.

T:Look at the subtitle.Part1:the dream and the plan.Go through the three paragraphs quickly to check your former guess and find the main idea.

S:Para.1:Wang Kun and Wang Weis dream.Para.2:Wang Weis plan.Para.3:Preparations for their trip.

从标题预测到快速阅读进行核实,学生的注意力高度集中,且思维被积极调动。在预测阶段再次理解schedule的含义,在核实阶段涉及众多核心词汇。

2.Scanning。

第三段在读前已做处理,此阶段主要围绕dream和plan(preparations),就一二两段进行细节阅读和理解。设计的问题和任务既要帮助学生理解文章内容,又必须再现之前呈现的核心词汇。

Para1:考查学生细节,问答均再现核心词汇,促进对新词汇的理解。

(1)What was their dream?

(2)What was their plan?

(3)When did they realize their dream?

(4)Who suggested the trip and who planned the trip to the Mekong?

答案如下:

(1)They dreamed about taking a great bike trip.

(2)To cycle along the entire Mekong River from where it begins to where it ends.

(3)After graduating from college,they finally got the chance.

(4)It was Wang Wei who first had the idea and she planned the schedule.

T: So they are scheduled to cycle. The journey is scheduled after graduation.The scheduled journey covers the whole river.

Para2:要求学生阅读Wang Kun旅行日志中的描述,除了显而易见的stubborn外,总结出描写Wang Wei性格的adjs。在核对中既出现了核心词汇,又深入理解了文本信息。结合旅行日志这一文体特征,让学生为Wang Wei辩护,再次研读文本,体会作者的措辞。

T:Is it a difficult journey along the Mekong River?

S:Yes.The journey begins at an altitude of more than 5,000 meters,where it is hard to breathe and very cold.

T:What kind of person is Wang Wei according to Wang Kuns description? Read and find adjs.

T:Do you think Wang Kun is fair in his description of Wang Wei? For example,Wang Wei insisted that they start the journey from the source although Wang Kun insisted that it would be a difficult journey. We can say Wang Wei is stubborn or she is a person with great determination. Do you think Wang Wei would agree with his description of her? What is your idea about Wang Wei?

(三)阅读后——巩固运用词汇

学生至少需要与词汇接触5~16次,才有可能真正掌握一个词汇(Nation,1990)。判断学生掌握词汇的主要依据在于能否准确、得体地运用词汇。教师要设计多种读后任务,增加词汇巩固的环节,提高核心词汇的复现率,以帮助学生理解并灵活运用所学词汇。

读后活动设计要以学生的语言发展为中心,体现目标语言、话题语言的运用。通过在一定的语境下重组阅读文本的语言,巩固和运用阅读材料中的新学词汇和语言结构。笔者设计归纳了以下活动,可根据学生和教学实际有选择地使用。

1. 课文语境下的核心词汇巩固。

以课文内容为情景语境,能加深对课文的记忆和理解,让学生更有信心巩固核心词汇。

(1)补全重点词挖空的课文缩写。

Wang Wei and I had ?摇?摇 ?摇?摇 about taking a great bike trip ever ?摇?摇 ?摇?摇 middle school.After ?摇?摇 ?摇?摇 from college,we ?摇 ?摇?摇?摇 got the chance to make our come true. Wang Wei was very ?摇 ?摇?摇?摇.Once she had made up her mind,nothing could change it.She ?摇 ?摇?摇?摇 that we find the source of the river and begin our ?摇 ?摇?摇?摇 there.

Before the trip we found a large atlas in the library,from which they knew clearly about the Mekong River. We planned our ?摇?摇 ?摇?摇 according to the atlas.

(dreamed;since;graduating/graduation;finally;stubborn;insisted;journey;schedule)

(2)提供词和框架改写课文。

Retell the passage in the third person referring to the chart.

给出清晰的文章框架,让学生根据所提供的关键词和短语,用自己的话复述课文。这是一个很好的帮助学生回忆课文内容的形式,也是一个提高学生运用语言能力的方法。

(3)发挥想象,设计情景对话。

Imagine that you are Wang Kun and Wang Wei. Make up a dialogue using information in the first two paragraphs.

以课文一二段为题材创造对话环境,学生必须重新组织语言。对话不是对文本内容的简单重复,而是对文本内容的衍生和拓展。可极大地激发学生用英语的热情,巩固和活用本堂课的核心词汇。

2.读后写作中的词汇运用。

(1)词汇分类后进行写作运用。

对词汇进行分类,有助于学生更好地理解这些词汇运用的情景。笔者在读后环节要求学生分组讨论,按所给要求找出文中新学的词,在讨论中实现目标词汇的运用和提升。在写作输出时能运用目标词汇,真正运用所学语言知识。

Activity1:Find out new words and expressions and categorize them into the following groups.

New words indicating “say”:persuade; insist.

New words indicating “attitude”:be fond of; care about; change ones mind; make up ones mind; give in.

New words describing peoples personality:stubborn; determined.

New words indicating “geography”:altitude;valley; glacier; rapids; waterfall; delta; meander.

New words indicating “preparation”:schedule;organize.

Activity2:Choose some words to finish your own travel journal.

说明:对词汇的分类任务,可以按需要安排在阅读的各个阶段。如在阅读前,先解决文章重点部分语言问题,也可以安排在阅读教学过程中。教师只提供分类标准,标准的制定与学情密切相关,如针对学生轻视词性的学情,按词性对生词进行分类。

(2)深化读中任务进行文体写作。

学生在阅读文本后,能从谋篇布局、作者的遣词造句、人物刻画、行文中的字句斟酌等角度挖掘文本的深度。写作内容基于读中讨论和文本,侧重于新词的运用。

T: This passage is written as a personal entry in a travel journal. So it is informal but informative.What do you think of the purpose of the passage?

If you were Wang Wei,what would you write in your journal?

[学生作展]My name is Wang Wei.My brother Wang Kun and I have dreamed about taking a great bike trip.After graduation,we decided to cycle along the Mekong River.Although I didnt know the best way of getting to places,I insisted I organize the trip properly. When I knew that the journey would begin at an altitude of more than 5,000 meters,I seemed to be excited about it.When I was told the air there would be cold and hard to breathe,I thought it would be an interesting experience.Once I have made up my mind,nothing can change it. So Wang Kun had to give in.Because I wouldnt change my mind,someone says I am a little stubborn,but I think I am just a person with great determination.

点评:很开心学生能在读后输出环节有意识地运用本课所学新词(画线),并能恰当运用词汇的形式,如graduation和determination。

三、结语

阅读课堂的词汇教学要立足扎根于文本,通过设计相关问题、图表、话题等搭建支架,引导学生深入推进自主认知活动,在阅读各环节始终做到阅读教学和词汇教学的有机融合。教师要充分挖掘学生已有的认知经验和生活经验,并最终回归现实生活,让学生在语境中学习词汇,在语篇中理解词义,在实践中提高语用能力。要采取有效的词汇教学策略,帮助学生掌握有效的词汇学习和记忆方法,真正激发学生的学习兴趣,促进词汇的有效习得,加深对文本的理解。

参考文献:

[1]中华人民共和国教育部.普通高中英语课程标准.人民教育出版社,2003.

[2]潘云梅等.英语阅读教学中的词汇处理:循环与提升.浙江大学出版社,2011.

[3]王小红.多管齐下,提高初中英语阅读课词汇教学的有效性.中小学英语教学与研究,2013年专刊.

[4]郑焕华.例谈高中英语词汇教学中的问题及对策.中小学英语教学与研究,2013.12.

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