Abstract

This thesis reports a small-scale study on the situation of language learning opportunities in EFL classes in China’s middle schools from classroom discourse perspective at aim at enhancing language learning equity for students in class. The research questions are “what’s the current situation of language learning opportunities in EFL classes?” and “what are the affecting factors which influence the equality of classes?” 164 Chinese EFL learners at intermediate level who are students from a junior high school and a senior high school in Zhejiang province and their teachers participated in the research. The analysis of classroom observation and two questionnaire surveys support the result of this research, that is, the unfairness of language learning in EFL classes does exist and is quite serious in China’s middle schools now and the unreasonable time distribution is one of the main affecting factors of this problem. Additionally, several implications presented in this article add support to improve the equality of English learning in classes. 

Key words:  classroom discourse, time distribution, learning opportunity, ALT

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1-Introduction-1

2-Literature Review-1

3-Methodology-4

3.1-The Participants of the Research-4

3.2-The Instruments of the Research-4

3.3-The Procedure of the Research-4

4-Results and Discussion-5

4.1-Analysis on the Features of Discourse Interaction in EFL Classes-5

  4.1.1-Analysis based on the conversational actions-5

  4.1.2-Analysis based on the problem solving actions-8

4.2-Analysis on the Affecting Factors of Language Learning Unfairness in EFL Classes-10

  4.2.1-The time distribution between students and teachers-11

  4.2.2-The time distribution between students and students-11

4.3-Analysis on the Learning Results under the Unfair Learning Environment-12

  4.3.1-The Distinction of English Learning Motivation among Students-13

  4.3.2-The Distinction of English Learning Competence among Students-14

5-Implications for Enhancing Learning Equity in EFL Classes-14

5.1-Change the instructional model from teacher-centered to students-centered-14

5.2-Concern the fairness of learning opportunities distribution among students-15

5.3-Improve the types of students’ classroom discourse-15

6-Conclusion-16

Reference-17

Appendix 1    Modeling Transcription: Class A-19

Appendix 2    Modeling Transcription: Class B-24

Appendix 3    Modeling Transcription: Class C-27

Appendix 4    Modeling Transcription: Class D-30

Appendix 5    Questionnaire on classroom discourse-33

Appendix 6    Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB)-34