昝亚娟
众所周知,语法课是高中英语教学的重要组成部分,也是日常教研的一项重要内容。美国社会语言学家Dwell Hymes认为,交际能力不仅包括对一种语言的语言形式的理解和掌握,而且还包括对在何时何地、以什么方式对谁恰当使用语言形式进行交际的知识体系的理解和掌握。由此可见,正确地理解和掌握语言形式是具备交际能力的基础,研究英语语法教学策略是英语教师的当务之急。
目前,“3P教学模式:Presentation(演示)—Practice(操练)—Production(成果)”仍是语法课堂教学的主导教学模式。主要教学步骤包括:教师首先讲解语法规则,学生初步理解这些规则;其次,学生做各种语法练习来牢记语法规则;最后,让学生使用语法规则来进行交际活动。但是,由于一些教师缺乏课堂教学设计的技巧,而且教学资源有限,学生在课堂上以机械训练为主,因而使语法课比较单调枯燥,很难完成预期的教学目标。笔者认为,如果教师能够充分挖掘各种教学资源,丰富课堂教学的内容,为学生创设使用所学语言的情境,就能增强语法教学的实效性。
一、挖掘教材资源,丰富语法学习情境
现行的高中英语教材,是按照语法项目和交际功能的主线进行编排的。每一单元围绕一个语法项目进行训练,因此,英语教师应充分挖掘教材资源,更好地利用教材来教授语法项目。
以人民教育出版社编写的《高中英语》(New Senior English for China)为例。在每个单元的第一篇阅读材料中多处出现本单元的语法结构,然后在课后的Discovering Useful Structure部分,让学生主动探究这些语法结构,再做练习,巩固所学的语法知识。由于篇幅所限,教材中提供的练习较少。针对这种情况,教师应针对阅读材料进行再创作,借助课文提供的交际语境,为学生提供优质的练习题。
《高中英语》第三册 Unit 3 的两篇课文是美国著名作家马克·吐温的小说《百万英镑》(The Million Pound Bank Note)改编的剧本。本单元的语法项目是名词性从句,课文中多次出现名词性从句的例句。由于学生对《百万英镑》的剧情非常熟悉,这为教师挖掘教学资源提供了良好的条件。以下是笔者根据课文改编的课堂练习题:
根据短文内容,在空格上填出所需的连接词。
In the summer of 1903 ,two wealthy broth-ers, Roderick and Oliver made a bet on a man could survive a month in London with a million pound bank note. When they saw Henry Adams , a homeless American, wandering in the street, they invited him to their house and asked him some questions they were interestedin. To their joy, they discovered the fact Henry landed in Britain by accident and he was penniless at that moment.So they drew a conclusion he was the right person to carry out the experiment. That was they gave Henry an envelope with a million pound bank note in it.Now they were eager to find out was Henry would survive without any relatives or friends in London.
这篇短文的设空处既有定语从句,又有宾语从句、同位语从句、表语从句和主语从句,对学生的定语从句和名词性从句知识进行了全方位的考查。通过语篇填空,学生一方面把本单元所学新知识付诸实践,另一方面复习了已学知识,收到一石二鸟之效。
二、挖掘网络资源,为语法教学添活力
为了提高语法课的趣味性,教师应积极开发各种网络教学资源。我们在网上搜索到的精美的图片、清新活泼的视频、优美动听的英语歌曲、英语诗歌和引人思考的名言警句都是语法教学的宝贵资源。
常言道“A picture is worth thousands of words(一幅图画胜过千言万语)”,精美的图片是语法教学中最为常见的资源。例如,在学习非谓语动词时,笔者精选了这样一幅图画,然后和学生一起进行看图对话。
T:What can you see from the picture?
S:We can see some people staring at their smart phones while walking or riding in the street. What is worse, we can see a driver using his smart phone while driving a car.
T:How does the picture impress you?
S:It serves as a warning to us. Some people are so addicted to playing with smart phones that they totally ignore their safety in the street.
T:What lesson should we learn from the picture?
S:Being addicted to smart phones is very harmful and even dangerous. It is time to reflect our way of life. We should make better use of high technology to serve us so they wont ruin our life.
通过师生对话,学生使用不同形式的非谓语动词形式来表达对社会热点话题的看法,把所学知识付诸实践,不仅培养了语言技能,而且发展了批判性思维的能力。
三、借助英语原著阅读,使学生感悟语法知识
英国语言学家Henry Widdowson指出,语言学习的最终目的是获得交际能力。而语法能力是交际能力的基础,正确使用语法规则能使人们顺利开展交际活动。笔者发现,阅读地道的英语原著,可以让学生在阅读过程中感悟知识,体验学习的快乐。笔者让学生阅读英语小说《秘密花园》,并关注里面的非谓语动词形式。然后,笔者针对这个故事进行了缩写,让学生用非谓语动词形式填空。下面是笔者编写的练习题:
Fill in the blanks using the suitable forms of the words given:
I like The Secret Garden very much. I was deeply impressed by the heroine Mary. She used to be a selfish, unhealthy and badtempered girl, but after (playing) with her friends in the secret garden, she changed a lot.She became healthy, helpful and caring.The little master Colin was Marys cousin. (stay) in bed for a long time, he was too weak (walk) properly. However, Colin gradually improved his health by (take) physical exercise outdoors with his playmates Mary and Dickon. The story tells us that (spend) more time in nature with our good friends is beneficialto us physically and mentally. When (face) with difficulty and challenges in life,we should always develop a positive attitude.
在课后,我布置学生写读后感和故事摘要,在写作中尽量使用非谓语动词形式。由于这部小说趣味性很强,情节跌宕起伏,学生非常喜欢,所以,他们高高兴兴地做练习,学习效果非常好。
四、挖掘写作资源,巩固语法知识
实践证明,只有反复使用,学生才能牢记语法规则,逐步提高语言技能。如果学完某个语法项目后,弃之不用,学生很快就会忘记。教师要经常挖掘英语写作资源,在学习某个语法知识后,鼓励学生使用所学语法知识进行写作。例如:要求学生每天尽量用英语写日记,记录发生在校园中和日常生活中的事件,在写作中应用所学语法知识。
总之,在课改背景下,教师是教学资源的开发者。如果教师能根据教学需要,充分开发教学资源,就能丰富语法教学的内容,提升语法教学的趣味性,调动学生学习语法的积极性,从而大大优化教学效果。
(本文为河南省教育科学“十二五”规划2015年度立项课题《英语语法课教学设计策略研究》(课题编号〔2015〕-JKGHZD-0042)的阶段性成果。)
(责 编 再 澜)