So many Chinese students graduated from university after having learned English for 12 years, but they can’t use English well, especially in English listening and speaking. However, all these college students passed Band 4 test of CET (College English Test). There are many reasons for this strange phenomenon but the most important one is Chinese teaching system which is badly influenced by testing system. This year (2013), Chinese education department are under discuss whether the English test will be taken out of National Examinations of College Entrance or the total score should cut down from 150 to 100. It has reflected that our country is in a dilemma whether we should take English into NCEE (National College Entrance Examinations) or not. However, the problem is not exams but how to test and how to teach English in schools.
As a primary school teacher for 16 years, the writer has found out that all teachers have to use a textbook to teach and have to finish the textbook and take exams according to the book. If students do better in exams, teachers’ value will improve. Otherwise, they will not be welcomed by school headmaster. These really hold back our English teaching. All our teachers are thinking about how to help students achieve high score not language function, that, understanding and communication.
After many years teaching, the writer has found out that English learning goes well with exams. In order to prove this, the writer began an experiment which lasted for 10 weeks during which the writer read picture-books to students at every class for ten minutes. The students really enjoyed the stories. This method really enhances students’ interests and abilities in listening, speaking and understanding. This article focuses on the picture-books reading to improve the comprehension of English reading in primary school.
Reading picture-books improve students’ comprehension and teachers’ teaching approaches. It will benefit all the students if this teaching method applies to all students who are learning English. As no one in China has done this research before, the writer thinks this article can apply to many primary schools in China.
Using picture books to develop critical visual literacy in primary schools: challenges of a dialogic approach
