I.Thinking

【Case Reflection】

Teacher A is a senior middle school English teacher. He emphasizes presentation of grammar points while omitting the grammar practice activities in the text book. According to how he thinks, activities are not important because they are not the main content of the College Entrance Examination. For example, in the reading part of each unit in the textbook, he just explains new words, phrases and grammar. Which aspects of teaching do you think Teacher A neglects in his lessons, and how do you think he can improve?

II.The Basic Meaning of Teaching Content

Teaching content refers to the combination of language, skills, techniques, ideas, concepts, principles, issues and behavioral habits in a teaching process.

The overall goal of the primary and secondary school curriculum is to help the students understand the purpose of learning English, to develop self-learning capacity, to form effective learning strategie to cultivate a comprehensive language learning ability through compulsory education and to form integrated language proficiency based on language skills, language knowledge, affective attitudes, learning strategies and cultural awareness. Teaching content, therefore, is the combination of the above five aspects of the National Curriculum Standards.

III.The Characteristics of Teaching Content

Teaching content is a special kind of knowledge system which is different from the language itself and daily experience. It is necessary to take into account the English knowledge system, the age of students and their needs. The characteristics of teaching content are as follows:

1.Scientific

Language and content in the teaching must be accurate and focus on the integration of disciplines. English language teaching content must be informed by relevant research. Language use should be as authentic as possible.

2.Ideological

English language teaching content should integrate emotional development, enhance students' moral value, develop patriotism and foster an international outlook. With moral quality, scientific spirit and humanistic qualities, students can have a balanced outlook on life, correct values and a strong sense of mission and responsibility.

3.Basic

Teaching content should provide a common basis for the vast majority of the students. It should include the basic knowledge and skills which are essential for competent citizens of the future.

4.Systematic

The teaching content and structure must suit the learning habit of the students in their country. The content can establish the knowledge system of the students and it should be well organized and combine theory, practice, language skill, function and topics.

5.Suitable

Teaching content must be humanistic, meet the actual needs of the students, pay attention to the students' personalities, diversity and uniqueness, and also enable them to cultivate life-long learning skills within the limited time available for teaching.

6.Forward-looking

Modern foreign language teaching content should be based on the highest quality educational research and be forward-looking to contribute to social development. The development of the relevant science can be reflected in the students' life, and closely connected with their life experiences.

7.Practical

Teaching content should be consistent with teaching practice, which can help students to apply what they have learned, inspire them to think independently, and train them to explore, discover, ask questions, criticize, analyze and solve problems.

IV.The Teaching Content in Elementary and Middle School

1.Language knowledge

English language knowledge is comprehensive proficiency in English, and an integral part of language learning and use. Without solid language knowledge, it is impossible to have good language skills.

During their compulsory education, students should develop English proficiency in many aspects such as pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. When the students use the language, they must have sufficient knowledge of some general topics, and master the language forms in those topics. Only then can they use the language correctly.

2.Language skills

The language skills students need for life-long development should be identified during elementary and middle school according to the needs of elementary education.

Listening, speaking, reading and writing are the skills which students must acquire in order to develop comprehensive language proficiency. Language skills development provides language processing opportunities for students. Listening is a skill to identify and understand discourse; speaking is the oral expression of thought; reading allows access to written language; while writing is used to express ideas in a concrete form. Through practice of reading, writing, speaking and listening, a language learner can lay the foundation for foreign language communication.

3.Emotional attitudes

Emotional attitudes refer to the elements which can influence student learning process and its outcome, such as interest, perception, confidence, will, teamwork, as well as national identity and international outlook built up during the learning process.

Students are often affected by emotional factors such as value, will, sense, motive, perception, teachers' personalities, attitudes, emotional input, and teaching styles. Teachers must pay attention to these factors and cultivate a positive attitude to life in their students. Teachers should stimulate interest and guide students to turn interest into a stable learning motivation. They should also encourage students to overcome difficulties by realizing their strength and weakness and build their confidence and sense of teamwork.

4.Learning strategies

Learning strategies mean actions and procedures that students take to achieve effective learning, including cognitive strategy, regulatory strategy, communication strategy and resource strategy. As discussed above, students with effective learning strategies can more easily attain a capacity for life-long learning. Teachers should first help students to become aware of their current learning strategies, and then to experiment with alternatives. Through this and learning from each other, they may well achieve better results.

5.Cultural awareness

In language teaching, culture refers to history, geography, customs, traditions, lifestyles, literature, art, behavioral norms, and values. Language would lose its essence without culture. With a good awareness of the cultures of English-speaking countries, students may have a better understanding of these countries, and thereby cultivate a more global outlook.

Teachers should include raising cultural awareness into the teaching process, and at the same time encourage students to inherit the core values of their own culture, so that they have the awareness and ability to both inherit their civilization and be innovative in an internationalizing world.