Abstract

In order to adapt to the social development, more and more people put English learning in a very high position. English reading is the most important part in English learning and it gets great emphasis in English teaching. Reading ability helps students to develop and integrate other English skills ( including listening, speaking, writing and translating. ) It is the premise and foundation to acquire other language competence. Especially for Chinese students, because of the lack of language environment, English reading ability is not only one of the language skills that students should acquire but also an important way to develop other language competences and get a large number of information. Teachers have spent lots of time in teaching English reading, however, English reading is the most difficult part for most Chinese students. Then, what are the reasons that keep students out from improving English reading competence? And what are the ways to solve the problem? What’s more, different students have different reading obstacles. The writer believes that only find the real problems that students have can they get helped and improved. 

The writer mainly uses questionnaire and informal interview as the research methods and takes grade 1 students in Xindu No.1 middle school in Chedngdu, Sichuan Province as the research participants to find out the problems that students have in English reading. The writer found that most grade 1 students in Xindu NO.1 Middle School had problems in two areas, namely language obstacles and non-language obstacles. The writer analyzed these problems through research, observation and previous studies and finally came up with the countermeasures from the perspectives of language obstacles ( including words, grammar, syntax obstacles and so on ) and non-language obstacles (including personal interests and culture language and so on ) . The writer suggests that students should cultivate good English reading habits and use skimming and scanning skills. Meanwhile, English teaching methods should be renewed. English teachers should try to make English reading classes more interesting by using new and good teaching methods and ask students to read more interesting and useful authentic reading materials. Students also have to learn more to enlarge their background information and so on.

Key Words: High School Students；English Reading；Countermeasure 

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1  Introduction-1

1.1 Study Background-1

1.2 Purpose of the study-2

1.3 Significance of the Study-3

2  Literature Review-4

2.1 Current Researches in China-4

2.3 Current Overseas Researches-5

2.4 Comments of Previous Researches-6

3  Methodology-8

3.1 Research questions-8

3.2 Participants-8

3.3 Research Method-8

3.3.1Questionnaire-8

3.3.2 Informal Interview-9

4  Finding and Discussions-10

4.1 Situation and Problems Existing in English Reading-10

4.2 Causes of English Reading Obstacles-13

4.2.1 Lack of Interest-14

4.2.2 Wrong Reading Habits-15

4.2.3 Lack of Reading Skills-15

4.2.4 Insufficient Language Knowledge-15

4.2.5 Lack of Background Information-16

4.3 Countermeasures-17

4.3.1 Stimulating Students’ Interest and Motivation-17

4.3.2 Developing Scientific Reading Habits-18

4.3.3 Mastering Reading Skills-18

4.3.4 Enlarging Language Knowledge-19

4.3.5 Enlarging Background Information-20

5  Conclusion-21

Bibliography-22

Appendix-24

Acknowledgments-26