培养学生的思维品质既是当下义务教育新课标对英语教学的要求,也是落实学生核心素养培养目标的重要途径。思维品质的提升有助于学生学会发现问题、分析问题和解决问题,对事物做出正确的价值判断。初中英语课程要实现在语言学习中发展思维,在思维发展中推进语言学习的总目标。然而,我国传统英语教学往往更加注重语言知识的传授和语言技能的训练,过分强调模仿和死记硬背,却忽视了学生学科思维能力的培养。本文以外研社群文阅读八年级上册John Carpenter课外阅读教学为例,探讨阅读课中教师如何利用语篇素材,结合文本及学情需要,培养学生的思维品质,从而更好地提升学生的英语学科核心素养。
一、教学基础
(一)教学内容
本文选自群文阅读八年级上册Module1 Hold Your Ground “发挥所长” 中的John Carpenter的第一篇文章,其主要讲述了约翰将儿时爱好发展成职业的故事。约翰从小喜欢做玩具,他享受亲手制作玩具所带来的快乐。一天,玩伴汤姆向他展示了一个很精美的小马,约翰对此很羡慕,便下定决心自己制作一个。但在制作过程中,他遇到了困难——没有合适的材料做轮子,于是他动脑思考并主动寻求木匠的帮助,最终木匠帮他做好了木马轮子。经过多年努力,约翰成为一名娴熟的工匠。
本文是一篇记叙文,共16个自然段,篇幅较长,大致按时间顺序进行。开头介绍约翰和汤姆对于玩具的不同态度(1~2自然段),语言较为正式,句子虽长,但容易理解。中间部分讲述约翰制作木马玩具的经历(3~15自然段),语言则呈现出了不同特点。在请求木匠帮忙的过程中,约翰的措辞礼貌而谦卑;汤姆与约翰的对话轻松活泼,而汤姆在言语间则透露出骄傲、漠视的语气,更加衬托出约翰踏实稳重的性格。结尾部分介绍约翰的个人成就(第16自然段)时,语言简洁明了,直接点明约翰勤学努力的品质。从不同的语言描述中,读者可以进一步品味出约翰的优秀品质。
本文属于“人与自我”主题语境下的“生活与学习”“做人与做事”等子主题。作者用约翰做木马的经历来比拟人们的生活和学习。做任何事情都会遇到一定的困难,但我们要有坚强的意志,不能轻易被困难打败,要积极面对困难并勇于探索,努力寻求解决办法。同时,作者也强调了兴趣的重要性,告诫读者要把自己的爱好坚持下去,并不断尝试,努力成为自己希望的样子。
(二)学情分析
已有基础:八年级学生已学习一般过去时态,有一定的英语基础和语言表达能力;学生在生活中均有手工制作的经历,本课时语篇内容贴近学生生活,有助于学生基于文本理解形成结构化知识,深入文本体会主人公的经历及感受。
存在问题:学生对记叙文体裁较为熟悉,具备在阅读过程中获取大意、提取关键信息和简单总结的能力。但学生阅读后往往只知道文章大意,停留在浅层信息理解上,在概括与整合、批判与评价、想象与创造方面还有所不足。
解决措施:教师借助文章插图预测故事内容,展开问题链教学,帮助学生快速理清故事内容及逻辑;通过故事情节发展引导学生透过文本语言剖析人物情感及心理变化,对人物行为及品质展开分析,理解故事主题;通过小组合作发挥想象,深化主题;联系实际,迁移创造,培养批判性和创造性思维。
(三)教学目标
1.通过语篇阅读,在语境中识别生词词义(delight,admire,satisfaction,mane)。
2.梳理文章结构、获取文章主要内容。通过提取关键信息,分析约翰的优秀品质。
3.通过独立思考、合作探究等方式,让学生学会表达自己的看法,学会批判性地看待问题,并思考如何才能更好地实现个人目标。
二、教学实践
根据以上教学内容及目标设定,笔者设计了以下教学步骤,具体阐述如何在课外阅读课中培养学生的思维品质。
(一)插图导入,培养思维的敏捷性
Look and answer
教师向学生出示文本插图,提问学生图1中的小男孩正在做什么,图2和图3分别是什么,并由此猜测文章可能是关于什么内容的。
Question 1:What is the boy doing in the first pict-ure?
Question 2:What can you see in the second pict-ure?
Question 3: What can you see in the third picture?
Question 4: What might the passage be about?
(设计意图:通过呈现语篇插图,激发学生的好奇心和阅读兴趣,激活学生的知识经验,导入新课,使学生从整体上预测文章内容,形成阅读期待。)
(二)建构知识,增强思维的逻辑性
1. Number the paragraphs of the passage.
2. Match the main idea of each part.
3. Use key words to summarize each part.
(设计意图:本环节旨在通过速读文本,简单梳理文章内容,理清文章结构,建构知识间的联系,培养逻辑思维,为精读环节做准备。)
(三)精读文本,发展思维的深刻性和批判性
活动一:获取约翰和汤姆对于玩具的不同观点,完成表1
Read para.1~2 and focus on the two boys’ different opinions of toys.
活动二:获取约翰做木马的原因
Read para.3~4 and focus on the reason why John decided to make a horse.
Question 1: Why did John decide to make a horse?
S1: John was soon admiring his friend’s horse。
T:What’s the meaning of admire?If your friend is showing off his toy to you,how would you feel?
S1: 羡慕……
Question 2: What did John do next?
S2:He examined it carefully,to see how it was made. The same evening he began to make one for himself.
Question 3: What do you think of John from this part?
S3: I think he is a careful boy.
活动三:获取约翰做木马所需的材料,借助图片辅助学生理解生词词义,为下文情节开展做铺垫
Read para 5~6 and focus on how John made a horse.
Question 1: How many parts does a horse have?
Question 2:What materials did John use to make the horse?
Question 3: How long did it take John to shape the horse?
S1: It took him two or three days to shape them to his satisfaction.
Question 4:What kind of boy can we see in this part?
T: Such a long time. What do you think of him?
S1: I think he is very patient.
活动四:获取约翰做木马过程中遇到的问题及其解决途径;通过文本细节描述,体会约翰的优秀品质
(1)Read para.7~10 and focus on the problem John met and how he solved it.
Question 1: What was the problem?
S1: He didn’t have any wheels.
Question 2: How did John solve the problem?
S2: He asked a carpenter for help.
(2)Read para.7~10 again and focus on what kind of boy John is.
Question 1: What do you think of John?How do you know that?
S1:He is clever,because at last he thought he would go to a carpenter to see if he could get some round pieces of wood which might suit his purpose.
S2: He is an honest boy,because John went to the carpenter with his horse as he promised.
S3: I think he is also brave,because he could ask the carpenter for help when he met difficulty.
...
Question 2: If you were John,how would you feel hearing the carpenter’s words?
S1: Happy and excited.
S2: I will have a feeling of satisfaction.
活动五:从约翰和汤姆的对话中体会人物的心理感受并展开讨论——约翰的手工木马究竟花费了什么
Read para 11~15 and focus on the conversation of John and Tom.
Question 1: How was Tom’s feeling when he saw John’s wooden horse?
S1: Tom was surprised.
S2: Unbelievable.
Question 2:“Mine cost a dollar, and yours didn’t cost anything.”Do you agree?What did John’s wooden horse cost?
S1: The wooden horse cost a lot of time.
S2: 花费了大量的精力。
T: Great. That is energy.
S3: It cost lots of things,such as wood,leather and fur.
T: Yeah,I agree. It’s a hard job. Do you think it’s a creative idea?
Ss: Yes.
T: So the creativity is also a very important part.
活动六:通过体会约翰做木马的不易,引导学生表达自己的观点——喜欢自己亲手制作玩具还是买玩具,培养学生的思辨能力
Discussion:Which one do you prefer,making some-thing by yourself or buying it?Tell out your reasons.
活动七:获取约翰的个人成就,结合文本内容及故事经历分析人物品质
Read para.16 and focus on John’s personal achievement.
Question 1: What does John become?
S1: He is now a master workman,and will soon have a shop of his own.
Question 2: How did John become a master work-man?
S2: He is now a master workman,and will soon have a shop of his own.
Question 3: What do you think of John from this paragraph?
S3:He is a hard-working man.
在文本信息的获取与梳理过程中,不断引导学生结合自身情况发表看法、给出建议等,培养学生的信息提取、分析论证和推理判断能力,从文章细节中感受约翰的优秀品质,增强思维的批判性和深刻性。
(四)对话创编,提升思维的创造性
1. Interview
John became very famous after years of hard work. Today he is invited to our school to give a speech. The school reporter is very interested in John’s story and wants to have an interview.
2. Further thinking
(设计意图:本环节旨在引导学生深入语篇,上升到与作者对话的层面,深刻理解故事主题。通过采访的形式,检测学生对文章内容的概括和总结能力,实现对所学内容的迁移运用,完成新情境下的交际任务。)
(五)归纳总结,强化思维的灵活性
Think and fill (Summarize what we have learned in this class)
________ is the best teacher. 兴趣是最好的老师。
Where there is a ____there is a way. 有志者事竟成。
Nothing is ________ to the man who will try. 世上无难事,只要肯攀登。
(设计意图:通过耳熟能详的谚语归纳课堂所学,实现探究语篇价值及意义的目的,告诫学生兴趣、意志及拼搏的重要性,引发学生反思,达到育人目的。)
三、教学反思
本文故事情节简单易懂,主题意义清晰,但有些词汇对于八年级学生来说难以理解。本设计读前利用语篇配图直观鲜明的特点,引导学生从图片中解读出新信息,通过对信息的识别、分析、整合,故事脉络逐渐显现,文本概念得以建构,阅读障碍也得以化解。笔者按照约翰做木马的故事经历开展问题链教学:学生在文本信息的获取与梳理过程中,结合自身情况发表评价并给出建议,从文本语言中提炼、总结约翰的优秀品质,培养学生的批判性思维能力。读后引导学生根据新情境整合运用相关语言表达及创造思维,完成交际任务,培养学生的创造性思维能力。
本文在深入语篇的活动设计中,学生虽能体会到约翰的优秀品质,但在新情景对话创编中仍然存在思维层面及语言表述上的困难,导致本课的亮点没有很好地呈现出来。这也是本节课值得反思的地方。教师在日常教学中除了加强学生的知识和能力培养外,更要注重学生思维层面的培养,促进能力向素养的转化,把核心素养的育人目标落到实处。
四、结语
总之,英语阅读课在培养学生语言综合运用能力和思维能力方面发挥着不可替代的作用。语言是思维的工具,教师要以语篇为依托,以目标语言为媒介,通过语言与思维的融合促进学生思维品质的有效提升。在日常教学中,教师应深刻认识到思维品质培养对学生英语学科核心素养提升的重要意义,科学、合理地设计各类教学活动,不断探索、优化阅读策略,逐步培养学生的逻辑思维、辩证思维和创新思维,助推学生英语综合素养的提升。
(作者单位:北京景山学校曹妃甸分校)
编辑:赵文静