An Action Research On English Hierarchical Homework Design In Junior High School Based On Activity-based English Learning Approach

Homework is an important part of the teaching process and a main way to help students understand,consolidate and apply learning content and learning methods,improve learning ability,promote thinking development,and develop interest in learning English.Designing high-quality homework under the goal of “Double Reduction” is not only a requirement of education policy,but also a practical necessity.The English Curriculum Standards for Compulsory Education(2022 Edition)requires that homework is designed to help students consolidate their language knowledge and skills and promote the effective use of strategies and motivation in language use and learning.However,in actual teaching,homework designs are often single in form,random in content,and lacking in stratification.Although the concept of hierarchical homework design has been proposed for many years,it has not really been implemented.Therefore,this study uses the activity-based English learning approach as a new theoretical perspective to guide the design of hierarchical homework,which is divided into comprehension homework,application homework,and innovation homework.This study takes 45 Grade eight students as research subjects in a junior high school in Shenyang and conducts a three-month action research.By using the research instruments of questionnaires,tests,interviews and teaching reflection journals,this study explores the effects of hierarchical homework design guided by the activity-based English learning approach on students’ English disciplinary competency.The core questions of the study are:(1)What are the effects of English hierarchical homework design on junior high school students’ comprehension competency based on activity-based English learning approach?(2)What are the effects of English hierarchical homework design on junior high school students’ application competency based on activity-based English learning approach?(3)What are the effects of English hierarchical homework design on junior high school students’ innovation competency based on activity-based English learning approach?The results of the study show that the design of hierarchical homework has a positive impact on changing students’ attitudes toward English homework and improving their comprehension,application and innovation competency.This study further improves the effectiveness of homework and reduces students’ homework burden by implementing a hierarchical homework based on activity-based English learning approach in junior high school.For teachers,it helps to update teachers’ ideas on homework design and enrich the form of homework design.