An Experimental Study Of PACE Teaching Model Based On Thematic Context In Senior High School English Grammar Teaching

Grammar teaching is an indispensable part of language teaching and a support of English classroom teaching.However,in the traditional model of grammar teaching,language materials are scattered and detached from the theme,and grammatical rules are taught in an isolated and injected way.As a result,it is difficult for students to really master and use grammatical knowledge,and they are afraid of learning English grammar.National English Curriculum Standards for General Senior High School(2017 Edition)(hereinafter referred to as The Curriculum Standards)clearly puts forward thematic context as the first element of the teaching curriculum(2017: 12),therefore,all language learning activities should be carried out in certain thematic contexts.In 1994,American linguists Adair-Hauck and Donato first proposed PACE teaching model.This teaching model improves the traditional grammar teaching method and aims to emphasize language teaching as a whole.On the basis of context of situation(Malinowski,1923),Van Lier’s authenticity(Van Lier,1996),communicative language teaching approach(Hymes,1971),and content and language integration(Mehisto et al.,2012),this study combines thematic context with PACE teaching model(Adair-Hauck & Donato,1994),and applies PACE teaching model based on thematic context to English grammar teaching in senior high school.This study takes students from two parallel classes in Grade One of Subsidiary High School of Taiyuan Normal University as the research subjects.One is regarded as the experimental class,the other as the control class.Firstly,the English proficiency of students in the two classes is tested,and the grammatical knowledge in Compulsory One and Compulsory Two published by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press is used as the experimental content.Then,in the experimental class PACE teaching model based on thematic context is adopted,while in the control class traditional grammar teaching model is adopted to conduct the three-month experiment.This study attempts to discuss the following two questions: 1.What is the impact of PACE teaching model based thematic context on senior high school students’ mastery of grammatical forms and expression of meaning? 2.What is the impact PACE teaching model based on thematic context on senior high school students’ attitude towards learning English grammar?In the course of the experiment,quantitative and qualitative methods are used.Specifically,the research instruments used for the quantitative analysis are questionnaires and tests,supplemented by qualitative analysis based on interviews.The results of the study show that PACE teaching model based on thematic context can help senior high school students to improve the mastery of grammatical forms and the appropriateness and accuracy of expression,which has extensive and far-reaching implications for improving the quality of grammar teaching and enhancing the effect of students’ grammar learning.It also plays a positive role in improving students’ attitude towards learning grammar.Moreover,students have a clear understanding of PACE teaching model based on thematic context,and approve this way of teaching grammar,and hope to continue to use it in the future.The inspiration from this study is that in English grammar teaching,it is necessary to connect thematic contexts,appropriately expand the input of language materials,and realize the co-construction of language rules between teachers and students in vivid and diverse contexts,so as to promote the integrated development of students’ language ability,thinking quality,cultural awareness and learning ability.Of course,due to the limited time and research capacity,there are still limitations in this study.When using this teaching model,teachers should teach according to the actual situation,and make appropriate adjustments and supplements in time in order to achieve the optimization of teaching.