On How To Enhance The English Television Series Foreign Language Education In China

Based on the relevant theories of Educational Technology such as the Motivation Principles and Learning Principles of Instructional Message Design Theory, as well as the Memory Theory of Educational Psychology, this essay takes Shanghai's current English feature programs as an example and explores how to improve the language education function of Chinese English programs and satisfy local audience's request of learning English. The current programs are found to be lacking in advance organizer, interactive mechanism, a review and follow-up system, English subtitles, the authority of anchors and reporters in terms of the English language, and other assisted instructional measures. The essay then comes up with eight suggestions including to make question-based trailers, to preview the keywords, to adopt English subtitles while highlighting the keywords, to set up a diverse and timely review and follow-up system, to establish interactive mechanism based on SMS and internet, to use the program website as the main assisted instructional measure, to use foreign anchors and dubbing staff, to develop various activities related to the program. Moreover, the author has selected a video clip among Shanghai's current programs and applied the suggestions to make a new version. After the comparison research, the treated video is proved to be more effective in the language education function and more popular among the Chinese audience. The creativity of the essay is to integrate the theories of Education Technology into the production of non-instructional Chinese English feature programs so as to meet Chinese audience's demands while still retaining the original attractiveness to foreign viewers. The research results can be applied to the Shanghai International Channel which is soon to open at the beginning of 2008.