| Vocational and technical education has never been playing such as important role as it istoday in China’s social and economic development. However, the current system ofvocational education can no longer meet the students’ need of the ability of integratingprofessional knowledge and skills relating to certain works. The construction of a brand newcurriculum, which is occupational-competency-oriented, is the core of reforming the previouseducation model in vocational and technical schools. The best way for students’ improvingoccupational competency is to let them learn the knowledge and skills under occupationalsituation.Meanwhile, due to the economic globalization, China’s economic booming andprosperously increased international exchanges, it is clear enough that English is not only oneof the languages and means of communication, it is a kind of key abilities which vocationalschool students must gain for their future career. In the new syllabus of vocational English2010, English is defined as one of the required courses. Its objective is to help studentsacquire the basic language knowledge as well as the ability of applying English in their dailylife and future jobs.There are mainly two modules of vocational English, basic and professional. Theprofessional module of English aims to educate vocational school students’ comprehensiveability of language, professional knowledge and professional skills.In recent years, based on the flourishing researches on the reform of English languageteaching, more and more vocational school teachers and researchers realized that SituatedTeaching Method is an efficient one for professional English learning. The theoretical basis ofit are Situated Cognition and Learning, Intuitive Principle, and Cognitive Constructivism, etc.From the study, the researcher found, though the application of situated teaching methodin basis English has been convinced very successful, still some problems exist in professionalEnglish like the language learning and professional knowledge and skills training areseparately processed in classroom and school’s training rooms. The fact of this situationstimulated the researcher’s further research on the application of Situated Teaching Method inprofessional English in vocational schools. Based on the analysis of basic elements, the process, and the influence to teachers andstudents of this method as well as the current problems existing relatively, the researcherrecognized that the method can be reformed in the following aspects: the consideration of thebackground of professional knowledge whilst preparing lessons; the application of the methodthrough the whole process of teaching; the consciousness of changing the teacher’s role with aprofessional consideration; students’ practicing of situated roles in their daily life; theintegration of situated teaching with internships and newly-occupational competency orientedevaluation criteria. |
