A Research On The Effect Of English Picture Books On Fourth Graders’ Reading Literacy

Reading is the most basic and important factor of linguistic competence.It is also a good channel for language learners to obtain language input,a meaningful and massive language input will greatly affect students’ language learning.The cultivation of students’ reading literacy at the very beginning of their language learning would have a sustainable effect on language development.English reading has been one of the focuses in the study of language learning in primary schools,but the teaching of reading in primary schools is not satisfying.The selection of English reading materials is one of the obstacles in schools.According to schema theory,cognitive development theory and input hypothesis theory,the author finds out picture books with simple words and vivid pictures cater to children’s psychological features and needs.The interesting illustrations will activate the schema that stored in pupils’ mind,with the help of the pictures,pupils would fully understand the words.Illustration is an indispensable part of the picture books,words and illustrations are roughly the same weight.In picture books,the illustrations are correspond to the words,which not only help children to understand the story easily and comprehensibly,but also can improve their language development.Thus the study aims to explore the effect of English picture books on fourth graders’ reading literacy.In order to answer the research questions,the author adopts varied research methods with the aids of two research instruments.The author carries out an experiment in a primary school.The subjects are 86 grade four students from Xin Shiji Primary School.Two classes are chosen as experimental class and controlled class with the help of the former college classmate,who is now the English teacher of the two classes.Two different kinds of English reading materials are provided to students from two classes.For the experimental class,English picture books are used as their reading materials,and the textbooks are used as reading materials for students in controlled class.Data is collected through instruments.It is analyzed by using SPSS 16.0 and Excel.Based on the data,the study comes to the following conclusions.English picture books with vivid pictures and simple words can promote grade four students’ reading literacy at primary schools by improving students’ reading attitude.Choosing English picture books as reading materials for pupils’ English reading is much more effective and efficient than using textbooks reading.English picture books serve as an useful aid to develop students’ appetite for reading and cultivate their positive reading attitude.Students’ preferences for English reading materials are the interesting stories and colorful pictures,there are close relationship between students’ preferences for picture books and their reading literacy.The author would provide some educational suggestions for the further reading teaching.When selecting picture books,teachers should take themes,plots,languages,and students’ preferences into consideration.The selection of English picture books should comply with teaching aims and learners’different language proficiency and cognitive features.