Section 5 Integration Strategies

---

I.Thinking

【Case Reflection】

Recall your own language learning experiences. What aspects of teaching (e.g. language skills, textbooks, teaching resources, language learning and affective factors) do you think should be integrated? Explain your answer.

II.Integration of Teaching Resources

1.The concept of teaching resources?

Teaching resources refers to the resources that can be used when preparing and conducting lessons, including text resources, electronic resources and human resources. Text resources consist of teachers' books, student workbooks, assessment books for students, pictures, journals, newspapers, and simple English readers. Electronic resources include discs that accompany textbooks, audio-visual materials related to textbooks, web resources, as well as other audio-visual materials and teaching software. Human resources refer to the knowledge and experience of both teachers and students.

2.Integration of teaching resources

We should no longer just use textbooks in our teaching. We should make the best and full use of all available teaching resources. Take the topic of “Natural Disasters” as an example. When we are preparing for this module, we can use a lot of teaching resources at different stages. Firstly, we can use pictures or audio-visual materials downloaded from the Internet about natural disasters as the lead-in to arouse students' interest and stimulate discussion. We can share with them our experiences and they can talk about theirs, so that they can relate what they are learning to their own lives. We can also find articles about natural disasters from newspapers and ask them to do further reading after class. The vocabulary that they have learned in the text may reappear in those articles, which may enhance their memory and recognition. Furthermore, we can require our students to search for audio-visual materials about survival techniques and protective measures during natural disasters, and then ask them to make posters about natural disasters, making them realize once again that what they are learning relates to their own lives.

III.Integration of Textbooks

If the textbook we are using is not completely suitable for our own students, then we may need to adjust the way we use the textbook according to the proficiency and learning styles of our students. We may decide to do the following things. Firstly, we may change the sequencing of the content. Secondly, we may omit some lessons. Thirdly, we may add our own materials to supplement what is in the book. Fourthly, we may replace the textbook lesson with our own materials. Finally, we may adapt what is in the book. These suggestions are in accordance with the recommendations in the National Curriculum Standards for English in Senior Middle Schools in China : Teachers can change the language, content and sequencing of the textbook based on their own students' levels. Take Student's Book 1 published by Foreign Language Teaching and Researching Press as an example. There are six modules in it, with most modules following the sequence of introduction (vocabulary and speaking) , reading and vocabulary, grammar, listening and vocabulary, pronunciation, speaking, writing, everyday English and function, cultural corner, task and module summary. When we are teaching, we may integrate the textbook according to our own needs and time available. Take “Natural Disasters” as an example once again. Let's see how we can integrate the textbook into our lesson.

●Teaching sequence. We need not follow the sequence of this module. Firstly, we can make use of the audio-visual materials to do some listening exercises, which acts as the lead-in. Then we can organize discussion for students to practice speaking. The next part may be reading. After reading comprehension, we may study vocabulary. Finally, we can teach the grammar rules of this module and end the lesson with a writing task. By following this sequence, our students can get an engaging impression of the scenes in natural disasters by watching or listening to the audio-visual materials, which may arouse their interest in discussion. When they are discussing, they may find that they need more language (e.g. the vocabulary for natural disasters) to express their ideas, and they may find this in the reading section. They are thereby encouraged to focus more on the reading part because it can help them in their speaking. The recalling of vocabulary may help them further in the memorization of the words. When they understand the text and have sufficient vocabulary, it is easier for us to go on to teach the grammar points of this unit and to do the writing task.

●Omit some parts of the module. There is a lot of content in this module and some of the vocabulary is difficult, so we cannot cover all of it in class. We may omit the pronunciation part and ask students to practice after class. We can combine the teaching of language functions with writing and leave the cultural corner part for students to read after class.

●Integration with other modules. Some modules may have similar topics and content, so we can integrate them.

IV.Integration of Language Skills

Textbooks always include parts for developing different language skills (e.g. listening, speaking, reading and writing) . We can integrate the development of these skills in ways that include the following:

●listening and speaking;

●listening and writing;

●reading and writing;

●reading and speaking;

●listening, speaking and writing; and

●reading, speaking and writing.

In the example of “Natural Disaster” mentioned above, the audio-visual materials in the lead-in are good for a listening activity, and the discussion after that is a useful oral activity. This is followed by reading comprehension, which improves reading skills. The final assignment is writing, such as a composition or a poster which can develop students' writing skills.

Wen summarized Brown's (2001) ideas on integration of language skills and stated that English teaching in the past identified the four language skills as of paramount importance and treated them as separate segments of a curriculum. But there is a recent trend to integrate these skills. A whole language approach is adopted in which one skill is taught with other interrelated skills. There are five models. The first is content-based instruction, which integrates the learning of subject-matter (content) with the learning of a second language. The second model is theme-based teaching. The third is experiential learning in which students have opportunities to use the target language. The fourth is the episode hypothesis in which students learn through the language presented in an easily-followed story line. The last model is task-based teaching.

V.Integration of Learning Objectives

The National Curriculum Standards for English in Senior Middle Schools in China (2003) states the objectives of English teaching in senior middle schools. Firstly, we should help students clarify their reasons for learning English. Secondly, we should foster their autonomy and cooperative learning. Thirdly, we should develop their learning strategies. Fourthly, we should develop their competence in language usage (which is based on the development of language skills) , language knowledge, attitudes to learning, learning strategy and cultural awareness. These objectives are also suitable for elementary school and junior middle school English teaching. We should integrate these objectives in our teaching.

Figure 5-6 Integration of learning objectives

(Selected from the National Curriculum Standards for English in Senior Middle Schools in China (2003) )

We can take “Natural Disasters” as an example again. When teaching this module, apart from developing our students' language skills and language knowledge, we should also aim to foster students' positive attitudes. We can foster our students' national identity or care for others by highlighting examples of people helping each other. We can develop their cooperative spirit and care for what is happening around us by asking them to make posters about disasters. After studying this module, our students will not only acquire language knowledge, they will also learn how to behave in the face of adversity, and how to help others, which is the objective that we want to achieve.

VI.Integration of Educational Technology and Classroom Teaching

1.Integration of teaching mediums

Teaching mediums can be divided into traditional and modern teaching mediums. Traditional ones include blackboards, realia, tape-recorders, wall charts, pictures and models. Modern ones include overhead transparencies, projectors, videos, TV, multimedia software and websites. We should not neglect the use of traditional teaching mediums despite the rapid development of modern ones. We should make the best and most appropriate use of the different teaching mediums.

Lu and Kang (2008a: 176) pointed out three principles for using teaching mediums. The first is the student-centred principle, which means that we have to take the students into consideration, including their age, language proficiency and cognitive level. For elementary school students, we can use teaching mediums such as overhead transparencies, projector, models, tape-recorder and pictures to arouse their interest and curiosity. For junior middle school students whose cognitive level has increased, we should guide them to use language and develop their logical thinking, so the teaching medium that we can use is a combination of audio and visual mediums, such as projector, video and multimedia. For senior middle school students we should use teaching mediums which are more complex, such as TV and the language laboratory.

The second principle is that teaching mediums should be effective. “To make them effective, we have to pay attention to two aspects. The first is that the teaching medium should be suitable for the specific purpose of teaching. The second is that it should be suitable for the teaching method and teaching content” (ibid., 178) . For example, in teaching “Natural Disasters”, we can use TV and videos to show our students examples of natural disasters.

The third is that they should be accessible, which refers to “whether teachers have easy access to the teaching medium, and are capable of using them” (ibid., 180) . When we teach “Natural Disasters”, we can use multimedia if we have access to it. If we don't have access to multimedia teaching medium, we can use pictures or tapes.

2.Integration of information technology

Great changes have taken place in teaching content, techniques and methods because of the use of information technology in teaching. The integration of technology and class teaching is an inevitable trend in current teaching reform. “The essence of this integration is using information technology to stimulate students' autonomy, motivate them and create a rich teaching environment. These tools should be used in teaching different subjects. All kinds of teaching resources, objectives and stages should be selected, combined and integrated to completely reform the traditional teaching method. The goal is to evolve from a teacher-centred approach to developing students' creativity and ability to use the language” (He Kekang) .

Both teachers and students can help integrate information technology into the lessons. As teachers, we can use the following options: the first option is task-driven, which requires students to finish the task by using information technology (e.g. collecting information and audio-visual materials to finish the task) . The second option is to use information technology to create a language environment for students to acquire knowledge and skills. The third is to increase language input and language use for students by using information technology (Lu & Kang, 2008a: 196) . Information technology provides new ways of learning, as mentioned in the National Curriculum Standards for English in Senior Middle Schools in China (2003) “Computers and the Internet create conditions for individual study and autonomous learning. Students can choose their own learning content and learning methods according to their own needs. Computers and the Internet with an interactive function can provide immediate feedback for students, and enable them to help each other and share learning resources”.

VII.Integration of Subject Matter and Language Knowledge

Integrating subject matter with language knowledge is similar to “content-based language teaching”. For example, from “Natural Disasters”, students can not only acquire knowledge about natural disasters, but also use language and improve their language skills as well.

VIII.Chapter Summary

This chapter introduced management strategies, questioning strategies, presentation strategies, assessment strategies and integration strategies. The management strategies include seating arrangements, instructional strategies and strategies to organize activities. Questioning is a very important part of classroom teaching. Questions can be categorized into different types according to the content, form, level of difficulty, relation to the text and degree of freedom. Questions should be suitable for students' cognitive levels and language proficiencies. They should be thought-provoking and arouse students' interest. We should allow wait-time after a question and then offer feedback. We should pay attention to different types of presentation, and adopt self-assessment, peer-assessment and teacher-assessment to evaluate classroom learning. We should also integrate different aspects of teaching, such as teaching resources, textbooks, language skills, learning objectives, information technology, and subject matter with language knowledge.