Chapter One Introduction
1.1. Background of the Research
According to the author’s observation, though most modern language textbooks, especially at theelementary level, including at least some grammar exercises designed to allow students to use grammar indifferent situations. Most teachers still give priority to the Grammar Translation Method in which theteachers use native language to explain the grammar and they lay emphasis on grammatical rules, dowritten exercises and translate the text. Their focus is on the forms and structures in isolation, so thestudents lack the ability to speak English fluently. From this we can see many instructors and students thinkthe grammar learning is often associated with the dry memorization of rules and the equally dry prospect ofapplying these rules in fill-in-the-blank, pattern practice, substitution, transformation, and translationexercises. Though with the help of this method, the students can have a good performance in examination;their spoken language and communicative competence are in a low lever which may be the disadvantagesof this teaching theory. But many teachers have the tendency of adopting this method. As this stereotypicalview of grammar study, many scholars consider it is partially true.Larsen-Freeman (1991) holds that grammar has three connected dimensions: form or structure,meaning or semantics, and use or pragmatics. That is to say, grammar has not only something to do withform, but also with meaning, function and use. From this scholar’s view, we know the grammar learning isrelated with many factors. To pay attention to the structure only is not enough because it is the literalmeaning of the structure. The teachers should cultivate the students’ ability to choose appropriate structureswhen the situations change. So in order to develop the three aspects of the language, the author tries todiscuss a new grammar teaching method-teaching grammar in contexts.
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1.2. Objectives of the Research
The research takes Xinxiang No.2 Middle School as an example for research. Based on the contexttheory, the research has the following objectives.
(1) Based on the analysis of the teachers’ and students’ questionnaires and the classroom observation,this study aims to investigate the present situation of the application of the context theory to the teaching ofEnglish grammar in Senior High School.
(2) This research attempts to find the major problems of the application of the context theory to theteaching of English grammar in Senior High School and the main causes which lead to these problems.
(3) Based upon the analysis of problems and causes, the present study puts forward some suggestionsfor the teachers to improve their teaching in English gradually. As a result, the effective teaching of Englishgrammar through the context theory can help the students have a better master of the knowledge.
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Chapter Two Literature Review
2.1 A Historical Overview of Grammar Teaching
As it showed in history, in the western world, “foreign” language learning was the learning of Latinand Greek and the teaching of Latin was what has been called the Classical Method. In the 19thcentury theClassical Method was replaced by Grammar Translation Method (H. Douglas. Brown 2017:52).It was once the most popular method of teaching foreign language, even today som，英语论文题目，英语论文
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