Chapter One Introduction
1.1 Research Background
Grammar has been occupying a vital position in the history of foreign language teaching.However, there has still existed considerable controversy over the function and role ofgrammar among researchers, language teachers and students up till now. Some of themadvocate grammar teaching and learning and make a positive response to the importance ofgrammar in English Language Teaching (ELT); while others hold negative attitudes in respectof the matter. In the meantime, the overall status of grammar has undergone dynamic andconstant changes with the predominant pedagogies over a specific period of time. In theinitial period of ELT, the traditional Grammar-Translation Method has rather prevailed for along time, which regards grammar teaching as the central teaching task, translation as themain teaching means and systematic explanation and mechanical drills of grammatical rulesas the typical classroom activities. Although learners spend years of time studying grammarunder the direction of Grammar-Translation Method, many of them still can’t transformgrammatical knowledge into grammatical competence quite well for accurate and appropriatecommunication in English, which mirrors one major drawback of this pedagogy. Then by the1970s, the overwhelming dominance and absolute authority of grammar have been greatlychallenged with the introduction and development of Communicative Language Teaching(CLT). It pays great attention to the cultivation of learners’ communicative competence butcompletely neglects the status and role of grammar teaching and learning, which asserts asignificant influence on English Language Teaching in China. The firm opposition and strongcriticism of grammar in the 1980s and 1990s may be mainly affected by the argument ofKrashen (1982) that grammar can be acquired naturally from meaningful input andopportunities to interact in the classroom.
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1.2 Purpose and Significance of the Study
By adopting the research methods of literature analysis, questionnaires, grammar testsand interviews in combination with an analysis of the currently used English teachingmaterials, this thesis aims to make an empirical investigation on English grammar learningefficacy of junior high school students in China in order to reveal the current situation andexisting problems in English grammar learning at the junior-high-school level in the hope ofproviding some valuable References for foreign language teaching in China. Learning efficacywhich is defined in the thesis combines the subjective concept of “affective state” with theobjective notion of “academic achievement” and “learning outcomes”. Based on the newdefinition of learning efficacy and acquisition order, concrete research contents of the thesisare identified, including: (1) junior high school students’ motivation, attitude and anxiety inthe English grammar learning process and in what way the affective factors influencestudents’ grammar learning; (2) students’ overall English academic achievement and grammarlearning outcomes at the stage of junior high school; (3) students’ mastery degree of all thegrammar points prescribed in the New English Curriculum Standards for junior high schools.
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Chapter Two Overview of Research on English Grammar Learningin China over the Past Three Dec，英语论文范文，英语论文题目
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