The Application Of Inquiry Learning In Teaching English Reading At High Schools

Inquiry learning refers to a learning model which students study in the way similar to scientific research method. In the process of English learning, there are two categories in objectives of inquiry learning:one is language rule or language knowledge, the other is other factors beyond language. Traditional reading model makes students passively accept the knowledge, which seriously impacts students’interest and causes students to have fewer chances of exploration and innovation. Therefore, all of these things will lead to students’ lacking of analyzing and solving problems. So far, there appears a valid way of conducting teaching English reading. In order to comply with the new situation of curriculum reformation and discuss more effective methods of English reading teaching, the author makes attempt to utilize novel learning model-----inquiry learning model for guiding teaching English reading.The dissertation aims to explore valid methods of teaching English reading at high schools. The author attempts to apply the inquiry learning model to classroom of English reading and conducts a series of teaching experiments so as to prove the validity and feasibility of inquiry learning model. After narrating the relevant theories of inquiry learning at home and abroad, the author makes the research of applied experiment of inquiry learning in English reading teaching by a reading test, questionnaire survey and comparison on midterm exam and final exam. The test subjects are one hundred students from Grade1in Taiyuan No.11high school. During the experiment, fifty students of experimental class participate in the teaching experiment of inquiry learning, while fifty students from control class still carry on traditional reading teaching activities. It can be seen from the questionnaire survey that after five months of teaching experiment, students prefer the lesson which possesses the characteristic of inquiry. With the inquiry learning model launched, students’ interest to the English will be improved. Experimental data shows:After inquiry learning model is employed in the experimental class, the average score in the experimental class is 9.38higher than that of the control class. Students’ ability of reading comprehension in experimental class has been strikingly enhanced. Thus, the author reaches a conclusion: Inquiry learning is conductive to improving students’ ability and level of English reading, at the same time, inquiry learning has a certain effect on teaching English reading.The author expects this study will provide teachers in high school with efficient way of English reading teaching, initiating teachers to apply inquiry learning model to English reading teaching practice and supplying advantageous enlightenment for setting up new-style, students-oriented and efficient English reading teaching model.