| Subjectivity is an essential human attribute,and reading is the most important way for people to acquire language and cognitive development;therefore,developing students’ subjectivity in senior high English reading teaching is consistent with the human-centered educational philosophy of The National English Curriculum Standards for Senior High School(Ministry of Education,2017),which identifies the cultivation of students’ English subject core literacy as a specific curriculum objective.However,the development of students’ subjectivity is given little importance in current senior high school English reading teaching,and it is challenging to implement the goal of developing students’ English core literacy,which numerous studies have associated with the limitations of the sameness philosophy.In response to the above situation,this study explores specific methods and strategies for developing students’ subjectivity in senior high school English reading teaching based on Levinas’ theory of the Other.This study answers the following two main questions:(1)What is the status quo of participants’ subjectivity performance and development in senior high school English reading classes? What are the problems?(2)What kinds of teaching strategies and teaching activities developed based on Levinas’ theory of the Other are beneficial to promote students’ subjectivity development in senior high school English reading teaching?This study adopted an action research method for one semester with 47 students in Class 7 of Grade 3 at Guiyang No.10 Middle School.Three rounds of action research were conducted.The first round was based on the man and himself discourse,developing students’ autonomy by organizing an extensive amount of independent reading activities;the second round was based on the man and nature discourses,developing students’ initiative by increasing their classroom participation,and the third round was based on the man and society discourses,developing students’ creativity through problem-oriented design of topic discussions.The research instruments include questionnaires,interviews,classroom observations,tests,and student journals,and SPSS(24.0)software was used to collect and analyze the data gathered via questionnaires and tests.After the action research,the data and results were analyzed,and the major findings are:(1)There is poor student subjectivity performance in English reading classes,primarily in the form of a weak awareness and capacity for students’ autonomous reading,a lack of classroom participation,and a lack of individualized and creative expression.(2)The teaching strategies designed based on Levinas’ theory of the Other to raise students’ autonomous reading,increase classroom participation,and develop students’ individualized expression can help develop students’ subjectivity and improve their English reading performance.Based on the above,the following pedagogical implications emerged from this study:(1)English reading teaching should seek to integrate the development of students’ subjectivity and English core literacy.(2)The application of Levinas’ s theory of the Other to education for students’ subjectivity development requires attention to the following points:Firstly,based on Levinas’ s idea that “subjectivity is a form of sensibility,”teachers should pay close attention to students’ emotional experiences,help them scientifically manage their negative emotions,and encourage them to develop more positive learning experiences and affections.Secondly,guided by Levinas’ s theory of the Other that “subjectivity is constructed in relationships,” educators should be committed to the construction of responsible and caring teacher-student relationships and the creation of an open,inclusive,relaxed,and harmonious classroom atmosphere to increase students’ classroom participation.Finally,Levinas thought that “the speech between me and the other is the first manifestation of my subjectivity.” Teaching activities should be designed from a problem-solving perspective to activate students’ creative thinking and individual expression. |
