The Application of Interactive Teaching Method in Higher—vocational College English Teaching

【Abstract】This paper explores the effect of interactive teaching on studentscooperative ability，competitive ability，positive emotion and creativity as well as their integrated language capability，thereby promoting the effective implementation of interactive teaching method in higher-vocational college English class.

【Key words】Interactive teaching； Higher-vocational college students； English teaching

1.Introduction

The teacher-centered，text-oriented and grammar-translation method are dominant in English class to a great extent，which limits students development of English integrated language capability.Such traditional teaching methods cannot have students join in real interactive activity to get their language integrated capability cultivated.But college English interactive method，which features the interactive cooperation between teachers and students，and among students themselves，can correct traditional teaching methodsshortcomings.

2.An introduction to interactive teaching

Interactive teaching is a teaching method，in which the teacher and students interact and communicate harmoniously with each other and give impetus to each other，and in which an interactive situation is developed between the teacher and students，among students，or between learning individuals and teaching mediator，thus，helping to improve teaching efficacy （Rivers，1987）.

Both teaching side and students should interact fully in order to create the atmosphere of initiative study，exploration and innovation，which can help students develop intellectual potential，improve overall quality and cultivate their creative spirit.Interaction needs both the teacher and his students to have the interest of communication and concentrate their attention on information they are receiving and conveying （Ma Dongmei，2004）.

Interactive teaching is different from traditional teaching method.The former makes students centered and their initiatives given full play in class.Through various forms of interaction，students can gain knowledge，improve their integrated language capability and cultivate their ability of cooperation and competition，as well as the positive attitude.

3.The application of interactive teaching method

A text An Interview with David Copperfield is chosen from Section 2，Unit 1 of the textbook Fun with English Book 2，published by Beijing Normal University Press.Here the author takes this passage as a sample plan based on the interactive teaching method to show how to apply this teaching method to higher- vocational college English teaching.

3.1 Goals of the teaching plan

（1） Knowledge objectives：

To know about Chinese and Western arts and culture；

To master the key language points and grammatical structures in the text；

（2） Skill objectives：

To foster studentsreading comprehension ability；

To cultivate studentscooperative and competitive ability.

（3） Affective objectives：

To develop students interest in reading comprehension.and

To cultivate students positive emotion and creative spirit.

3.2 Contents of the plan

There are five steps in this plan for the text，and each step explains the operations in detail during the teaching process.

Step 1 Creating context

The teacher requires each group to show their achievements prepared before class on the background information of the text，or the famous magicians at home or abroad they like best to create context for leading to a new lesson.This step aims to arouse studentslearning interest in class.

Step 2 Autonomous learning

Given sufficient time and around teaching goals，students are required to learn new words and phrase independently，then read the text fast in order to get the general idea and get through the related exercises.While doing these work，they can take note on problems met in learning，and the teacher observes their learning act and gives guidance when necessary to keep their autonomous learning run smoothly.This step aims to make students construct their knowledge automatically，cultivate their sense of initiative learning and lay a foundation for cooperative learning.

Step 3 Cooperative learning

The ways of learning this text is to carry out interactive activity which makes students teach each other.The teacher is the guide，supervisor，booster and judge in this section.

Group discussion

The teacher divides the whole text into several parts and assigns one part for each group.There are some requirements for conducting this activity according to the teaching goals.First，the content of explanation should include language points，translation，main idea and so on.Second，the forms and methods of explanation can be decided freely such as acting，translation，asking and answering questions，demonstration，and so on.Third，explanation should be made clear and interesting.In order to win and get higher marks，creative ideas are welcome.Fourth，explanation should be made in English as more as possible.Fifth，the showing group should act as teachers，be confident and be natural in front of other groups.Last，the division of labor is clear-cut.All members in the group are charged with specific responsibilities.In addition，a leader is needed in each group to organize and take the full responsibility of this activity.The difficult questions can be collected by this leader and he can ask the teacher for help.The explanation of the text will be started after thirty minutes.Within the given time，the member can discuss with each other，determine the best plan and cooperate to complete the task with a clear division of labor.

Intergroup communication

First，each group takes turns to report on the platform according to the order of the text.In the meanwhile，other groups should listen carefully and take down the important points，difficult parts and try to find out their strengths and weakness.

Second，after the performance，each group takes turns to answer questions raised by other groups.The teacher makes some supplement and correction when necessary.

This step aims to help students construct their knowledge by teaching themselves，and cultivate their integrative，cooperative，competitive，creative ability.

Step 4 Assessment and induction

Each group and the teacher vote for three excellent groups.The teacher gives comments on each groups performance，and decides that excellent groups get 5 marks and other groups get 3 marks.

Inducement

According to the knowledge objectives，the teacher guides students to induce the main idea，language points，structure of each paragraph in the text.

This step aims to make students feel the justice and fairness of assessment，and bring their subjective initiatives into full play in the learning process.The teacher should give more encouragement for them and point out their deficiencies at the same time.

Step 5 Extension and expansion

The following forms of tasks are only for reference.Each group can choose one of them to finish or use other forms of creative activity related to the topic of this text.The achievements will be shown in the next class.

To retell the whole text.

To make an interview using the words and expressions in the text.

To perform magic tricks.

…

This step aims to consolidate knowledge learned in class，develop students strengths，and broaden their horizon.

4.Conclusion

On the whole，interactive teaching method can be very positive and functional in improving students integrated language capability of using English.It can also make students sense the importance and cultivate their ability of cooperation.In order to win in the competition，students will try to create new ideas to make their achievements distinctive and characteristic.Thus，their competition ability and creative ability are cultivated tremendously.Their confidence increases and happiness are brought out.And this can make an important contribution to their formation of positive emotion.

References：

[1]Rivers，W.Interactive Language Teaching[M].Londo： Cambridge University Press，1987.

[2]韓时琳.注重师生互动提高教学效果[J].中国高教研究， 2003，（4）：90-91.

[3]马冬梅.影响互动性交际中意义磋商的主要因素——二语习得研究[J].外语与外语教学，2004，（7）：35-36.

作者简介：廖旺兰（1984-）女，湖南长沙人，硕士研究生，教师，研究方向：英语教学。