寫作是英語教學中語言輸出的重要體現,也是學生非常薄弱的環節。特別是在中等職業學校,由于學生英語基礎薄弱,又缺乏學習興趣與合適的學習方法,常犯錯誤,主要有:語病太多、語言不得體、連貫性差、結構松散、表達單一、形式不豐富等。
中職英語教學大綱要求學生能寫常用應用文以及讀后感、申請等應用文。由于職業學校承擔著把學生教育成適應市場和社會需求的新型人才的任務,我們的英語寫作教學應該始終和專業聯系在一起,突出實用性和實踐性。在教學實踐中,將預制語塊的理念運用于寫作教學,經過兩年多的實驗,我們已有些許收獲。
一、預制語塊的含義、作用與分類
預制語塊概念最早由Becker和Bolinger提出,是指英語一種特殊的多詞詞匯現象,介于傳統的語法和詞匯之間,通常是固定或半固定的模式化了的塊狀結構。預制語塊作為一種兼具形式與功能性質的語言構件,是一種較好的語言教學單位。
英語寫作中會出現大量的短語、俗語和句型。根據預制語塊的結構特點,可分為四類。
1.多元詞語塊
此類語塊一般是固定的短語,用于話題轉換、事物列舉等。如:by the way(轉換話題);generally speaking(概括)等等。
2.習俗語語塊
習俗語語塊通常包括諺語、格言、警句及社交會話的套話等。如:How do you do?(問候); A watched pot never boils.(勸告)等等。
3.短語架構語塊
短語架構語塊主要是短語,語塊中可用有聚合關系的同類詞語填充。如:1.a ____ ago:a week ago; a long time ago; a minute ago.2.Good _____: good morning; good afternoon; good evening.
4.句子組構語塊
此類語塊為整個句子提供一個框架,有一個空槽。可以填充一個從句或動名詞、不定式等,表達完整意思。如:1. I think (that)…: I think it’s interesting.2. It seems (to sb)(that)… : It seems to me that we have to go home on foot.
二、預制語塊教學在寫作教學中的應用
1.教材中所涵蓋的語塊
在筆者的寫作教學實踐中,對現行英語教材每個單元的語塊都進行了歸納和整理,以便學生能更好掌握本單元的詞匯、短語和句型,理解語塊的作用。現以英語第二冊UNIT 5 SELLING CLOTHES為例,將本單元的語塊進行展示,如下表:
UNIT 5 SELLING CLOTHES
多元詞語塊Well ,not really
習俗語語塊Can I help you?You’re welcome. Thank you.
短語語塊go upstairs fit sb well go well with sth
turn leftlook beautiful offer help to sb
look good on sb introduce sth to sb advise sb to do
句子語塊Try it on? I’ll take …
I prefer … I think
How much is it? How can I get to
Which one do you like?This is your size.
It’s on sale for... She is trying to do
2.預制語塊教學應用實踐
預制語塊包含常規性的日常語言和語言學習者還不能自我生成的表達。如果學生能夠熟練掌握這些語塊,把預制語塊作為整體儲存在大腦中,一旦有表達需要,便可以整體提取。現以英語第二冊UNIT 5 SELLING CLOTHES為例,展示預制語塊教學的實例。
(1)課前預習,初辨語塊。首先要讓學生讀懂課文,其次,結合預習表格,填表并標明語塊含義。學生在預習時歸納的語塊,如下表:
Name DepartmentThings they are doing at the moment
Ben
Wang Yang
Li Xiaonian
預習歸納的語塊,如下表:
Pa.1: part-time, at a department store
Pa.2: in the women’s department, fashion items, get her a red one, both…and…, looks beautiful, both of
Pa.3: struggle to decide, looks better on him, advise him to take… Pa.4: enjoy their part-time jobs
如表所示,學生能夠較好的把詞匯方面的語塊辨明,基本都能列出來,加以記憶。在對句子方面的語塊識別上欠缺一些。這一點將在課堂上教師給予幫助和指導。
(2)課堂講解,提取語塊。學生呈現預習時找出來的語塊,教師進行必要的補充,并對重要的短語和句型應用進行講解。讓學生在記憶、理解的基礎上能改寫或仿寫。
教師課堂補充語塊,如下表:
Pa.2: introducing the fashion items to customers, The red skirt goes very well with the white blouse, offering help to a young mother, showing her the way to…
Pa.3: a 15-year-old boy
把握重點,精講語塊,如下表:
Pa2.:1.They are introducing the fashion items to customers.
2.The red skirt goes very well with the white blouse.
Pa3.:1.a 15-year-old boy
2.He is struggling to decide which one to buy.
通過以上第3、4、5表的比較,我們可以看出學生對短語語塊比較敏感,較句子語塊更容易把握,因此教師在講授時應該詳略得當,詞匯類短語主要理解意思,重點難點落在句子的理解和應用上。注意句子和詞組的語用功能和可變形式。
(3)課后練習,內化語塊。一是語段背誦,鞏固語塊。經過預習的準備,課堂的精講,學生對預制語塊已經初步掌握。二是隨堂聽寫,掌握語塊。從感性理解到內化輸出,強化對語塊的掌握。三是句子改寫,運用語塊。句子改寫和造句可以促使學生動腦子活用某個短語或者句型。讓學生聯系新舊知識,加強記憶效果,提高語塊運用的準確性和靈活度。如下表:
a. She is trying to choose a suit for herself.—She is trying to pass the exam./ They are trying to make it better.
b. Wang Yang is showing her the way to the children’s department.—He will show me the way to my seat./ Let us show the visitors to our classroom.
c. Wang Yang is offering help to a young mother.—The company offered this job to him./ He was offered this job by the company.
(4)寫作訓練,活用語塊。在作文生成練習時,筆者采取從易到難,從半獨立到獨立應用預制語塊的階梯式步驟,讓學生能把所學語塊較為自然、順利的應用起來,到達鞏固語塊的目的。寫作練習的內容都是關于課文中李曉年社會實踐的經歷,從填表式到報告式,最后是改寫成對話式。
a.填表式作文,如下表:
Read the chart and help Li Xiaonian finish the practice report.
The Practice Report
Date: From August 21st to 31st, 2009
Reporter: Li Xiaonian
Department: children’s department
What to say when the customers come in: Hello!/ May I help you?/ What can I do for you?
Experience: offer his help to the customers, discuss what colors are good for them and what clothes fit them, advise customers to choose the better items, learn to get on well with others, etc.
劃線部分的語塊都是來自課文,以填空形式讓學生整體提取大腦中的語塊,強化記憶,為靈活應用作鋪墊。
b.報告式作文,如下表:
Li Xiaonian will report his part-time job to his teacher and classmates. Help him write a passage about his practice experience.
The Practice Report
I have done part-time job in the children’s department at a big department store from August 21st to 31st . When the customers come in, I would say “hello” to them. Sometimes, it would be “May I help you? ”or “What can I do for you?”
I usually offer help to the customers. If they struggle to choose which items to buy, I will discuss with them about what colors are good for them and what clothes fit them. I often advise customers to choose the better items, not expensive but in good quality. And I have learned to get on well with others since I took this part-time. I am now more patient and kind to others.
I enjoy this job. I think it’s a good experience for me. I will do part-time again during my vacation.
這份實習報告要求學生能夠根據課文,組詞或者組句成段成文,將李曉年的社會實踐經歷以報告的形式展現出來。學生在這個環節需要將課文的語塊進行梳理,將語塊資源進行合理配置。語塊本身具有的語法功能又能夠避免很多語法錯誤的發生,使學生能提高英語語言使用的準確性和行文流暢性。
c. 改寫作文(對話),如下表:
(At the children’s department)
Li Xiaonian: What can I do for you?
Customer: I’d like to buy a jacket.
Li: Well, how about the black one? Try it on!
C: Yes, it’s nice. How much is it?
Li: It’s on sale for only 2OO yuan. Here is a blue one. Would you like to have another try?
C: Great, I like it!
Li: It fits you very well. I think it is much better than the black one.
C: Is it higher in price?
Li: It is 350 yuan, but it’s better in quality. What’s more, it goes pretty well with you.
C: Ok, I’ll take it. Here is the money.
Li: Thank you.
C: You’re welcome.
三、預制語塊在寫作教學中的效果及實踐反思
1.語塊教學效果
在語塊教學過程中,學生作文畏難情緒得到很大緩解。在最近的高三模擬考試中的作文“How to Be A Popular Vocational School Graduate?”,提示內容在英語教材中都出現并學習過,只要把內化了的語塊利用語法和語用功能生成新的短語和句子,寫作就得以順利進行。比如專業技能(professional skill)、工作努力(hard-working)、對某事負責(be responsible for)等等。從作文卷面來看,英語基礎扎實、語塊掌握較好的學生能寫出較好的語篇。而實驗班比非實驗班的作文成績平均分高3分以上。
2.語塊教學總結
筆者采用預制語塊教學,首先學生經過自己的預習找出語塊,經過教師的補充、講解與練習,再進行記憶、整理,內化于大腦中,這是輸入過程。接著便是輸出階段,即學生要在寫作中能夠提取出語塊,根據寫作要求和預制語塊的構造原則進行組合與變形,生成句子。
3.教學實踐反思
在預制語塊教學的實施過程中,要想取得預期的效果,筆者認為應做好幾點:一是注重預習,加深語塊印象。中職學生英語基礎大多比較薄弱,重視預習,鼓勵學生自己去發現出現的語塊,弄清楚短語或者句子的意思,對課文有個大致的理解,為課堂上的精講語塊做好準備。二是注重練習多樣化,內化語塊。背誦重點語段和聽寫語塊是強化學生記憶預制語塊的有效方法,句子改寫和造句練習訓練學生對語塊進行組合和變形的能力。三是還學生獨立思考空間,培養自我學習能力。還學生獨立思考的空間,培養學生一種自主學習的能力和習慣是更長遠的目標。除了定期復習檢查課本語塊外,筆者整理了高中英語300句供學生課余學習,為學生提供了豐富的語塊資料庫。
中職生學習英語需要信心,語塊教學法為學生寫作提供了豐富的語塊材料,“手中有糧,心中不慌”,讓學生“胸有成竹”地寫作,在寫作中提升學習英語的信心,增強英語語言應用能力。
(作者單位:浙江省杭州市臨平職業高級中學)
注:“本文中所涉及到的圖表、公式、注解等請以PDF格式閱讀”