Chapter One Introduction
1.1English LDs from Migrant Workers’ Families
In this thesis, the author attempt to help improve the English learning problemsof English LDs from migrant workers’ families in School H. English LDs refers tostudents who have learning difficulties in English learning. Learning disabilities have been researched since the beginning of the nineteenthcentury in the field of medicine. There are several terms for this, some of which are‘learning disability’, ‘learning difficulty’, ‘learning underachiever’, etc. In this thesis,the author uses the term ‘learning disability’ as the subjects investigated.There are several definitions about learning disabilities in schools in China. Onekind of LDs contains those who always get the lowest scores in school examinations.Another kind of LDs refers to students that have poor performance or improperbehavior at school. The third group of LDs is made up of students who get both pooraccomplishment evaluations and poor educational evaluations from teachers andparents.English LD means English learning disability; it is a widespread phenomenon ineducation. English LDs have a strong barrier in the learning and that is a lack ofinterests in English learning, anxiety and inhibition, less-confidence, feeling ofinferiority and desire for friendship and care. There are clear distinctions betweenEnglish high-achievers and English LDs.
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1.2Status Quo of English LDs from Migrant Workers’ Families
With the development of the urbanization process, more and more migrantworkers come to Shanghai. The children of the floating population have to enterschools near their parents’ work places. Many factors have impacted on the studentwhich has resulted in different learning levels. Local students have learnt English byusing the Shanghai edition of English books since primary school students of migrantworkers may have learnt English since Grade Three or they have never spokenEnglish before they enter high school. It makes this a difficult place to start furtherEnglish teaching. This phenomenon prevents the development of their Englishlearning. Worse still, as more English LDs gradually appear at schools this makes theissue even more problematic.According to statistics, there were 501,700 children from migrant workers’families attending compulsory schools in Shanghai. Speeding up the pace of theconstruction of suburban schools, Shanghai has achieved the target to let 368, 900migrant students attend public schools (上海教育，2012). The local governmentpromotes schools which have many migrant students in their suburbs and assists inteachers doing more research. This research is on education and edification of migrantstudents. Teachers should explore the effective way of their psychological andcultural fusion and then narrow the gap between schools. Teachers should alsopromote a comprehensive and initiative development of migrant students.Accordingly, it will help to improve the overall quality and level of compulsoryeducation.
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Chapter Two Literature Review
2.1 Related Theories on the Task-based Approach
The materials teachers provide for the students should be a littleharder than the students current learning level. Students can understand the languageby seeking information from the other part of the context and internalize the syntheticinformation into their own but new knowledge. Learning by doing various tasks is themost efficient way of mastering a language. Communication between learners in thetarget language can put enhancement to learners’ language proficiency.English learning for students from migrant workers’ families is related to theSecond Language Acquisition. One of the definitions of the Second LanguageAcquisition is the ‘learning of a second or foreign language’. Constructivism is a philosophy of learning founded on the premise that, byreflecting on our experiences, we construct our own understanding of the world welive in. Constructivism is the basis for task-based language teaching in terms ofphilosophical psychology. One can gain knowledge through cognizing the world.Students construct the language knowledge in their brain with the teacher’s help butthe input of knowledge is just part of the learning, while the major knowledge isgained by students themselves. This reflects the Chinese saying that “teachers openthe door, but you must enter by yourself” (Chen, 2011). Social constructionistsclaimed that there are four major factors affecting the recognition, which are students,teacher, tasks and environment. The Teacher and students in the learning processes arethe most important factor. Knowledge is connected to the experience.
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2.2 Previous Researches on the Task-based Approach
A large number of researches on the task-based approach have been studiedcarefully since the TBA was adopted in the 1980s. Predecessors have experimentedand have made improvement in teaching and learning through the TBA approach. Inthis chapter, the author will compare the rational researches at home and abroad.Literature reviews about recent studies on the TBA will be related. It is very important to learn from the previous studies that a great number ofscholars have focused their attention on the task-based approach. One of thesetheorists was Prabhu who endeavored to verify the hypothesis that the improvementof a foreign language capability does not need the systemic language input. He carriedout enough planned exercises through the experiment study mode (Prabhu, 1987).Prabhu emphasized that the communicative activities organized by the teachers arenecessary for success. Teachers pay a lot of attention to grammar accuracy. However,it is the communicative skills that are most important.
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Chapter Three Implementation of Task-based Approach........15
3.1 Orientation of the Study....15
3.2 Empirical Research .....20
3.2.1 Purpose of the Study .....20
3.2.2 Subject of the Study ......21
3.2.3 Instruments of the Study .....22
3.3 Process of the Experiment ......23
Chapter Four Analysis of the Study Results .......41
4.1 Comparison and Analysis of the Pre-test Questionnaire.41
.1.1 Comparison and Analysis of the Pre-test Questionnaire ....41
4.1.2 Analysis of the Experimental Class Interviews ......42
4.2 Comparison and Analysis of the Result of the Pre-test ....42
4.3 Comparison and Analysis of the Result of the Post-test.........45
Chapter Five Conclusion.......49
5.1 Major Findings......49
5.2 Limitation of the Study .....50
5.3 Suggestions for Further Research .......51
Chapter Four Analysis of the Study Results
4.1 Comparison and Analysis of the Pre-test Questionnaire and Interview Data
The questionnaire was carried out at the beginning of the experiment. Theexperimental class and the control class did the questionnaire during theirself-learning time at noon break simultaneously. This has oversight by the author andhis colleagues. The aim of the questionnaire was to investigate the students’ level oftheir interest, attitude and methods in English learning. The author thought that thequestionnaire should be designed according to English LDs’ cognitive strategy andself-identity. After careful consideration and reference to other scholars’ that havesimilar questionnaires, the author designed the questionnaire carefully. The author use5-point scale in the questionnaire which results can be pided into three levels. Oneor two points represent the negative attitude of the students; 3 points shows that thestudents have no clear answer to the problem or are indifferent. The scores of 4 and 5points illustrate students who have performed better. There were participates and 40papers issued and gathered in Class A, the recovery rate was 100% while among 40papers issued and 40 papers gathered in Class B.
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Conclusion
This thesis is focused on making an attempt to improve in the assistance ofEnglish LDs from migrant workers’ families. This experiment attempts to find waysto help improve the English LDs learning ability. One of the main findings is thatwhen teacher uses the task-based approach it is very helpful and effective to design aset of special tasks that will assist in improving the English LDs’ from migrantworkers’ families.The teachers constantly reflect and evaluate their teaching experience and takemeasures to improve the achievements of students with learning difficulties.Most of the topics the teacher depicts in class are chosen to portray real lifeexperiences but do not always connect with lifestyles of students from migrantfamilies. This makes it more difficult in language learning. Teachers can design taskswhich are also close to the real life of English LDs from migrant families. Thesestudents will have the same feelings and are ready to respond, using scenes fromeveryday life of these students. This assists in resonating with the students and aids ina good thought process and helps them get in the mood for class. Then students willhave much to say and will be kept occupied effectively in class. Eventually they willexperience and participate into the tasks and acquire the language by themselves.
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Reference (omitted)