摘 要

英语是全球使用范围最广的语言，随着时代的进步，人们使用英语进行口语交流的机会大大增多，英语口语在人们日常生活中扮演的角色也越来越重要。英语口语能力是英语听、说、读、写能力中重要的一项技能。而口语教学则是英语教学的重要输出环节，能够有效检验英语语言的教学成果。从交际角度看，语言首先是工具然后才深及文化。作为交际手段，口语交际能力是学习语言的基础和前提。近几年，英语口语逐渐受到社会关注，尤其是对于找工作，出国留学，应试升学的英语专业学生来说，英语口语成为了英语学生一项重要而且直接的参考指标。英语口语教学质量的高低则直接影响着学生口语表达水平的高低。学校对英语口语的重视程度也影响着学生口语水平的高低。然而现阶段英语口语教学质量并不理想，即使是各高校的英语专业也不例外。大部分英语专业学生口语出现表达能力较差，发音不准确等问题。例如,“哑巴英语”现象依然普遍存在，口语教学依然被忽视，口语测试机制依然不成熟等。为了了解高等学校英语专业口语课堂教学活动中存在的问题，探求解决问题的对策，笔者通过对武汉地区高校英语专业的调查研究，分析了武汉地区英语专业口语教学的现状，并针对问题提出相应的决策。

关键词：武汉地区；英语口语；教学现状

Abstract

English is the most widely used language in the world. With the increasingly frequency of international communication, there are more opportunities for people to use spoken English to communicate, and the status of spoken English in people’s daily life is much higher than before. Oral English is an important skill among the abilities of English listening, speaking, reading and writing, thus oral English teaching plays an important role in English teaching as it can effectively reflect the quality of English language teaching. From communicative perspective, language is firstly a tool and then deeps down to culture. As a means of communication, oral communication ability is the basis and prerequisite for language learning. In recent years, spoken English has gradually drew social attention, especially for English majors who are looking for a job, studying abroad or going for further studies, oral English has become an significant and direct reference indicator for English major students. The quality of spoken English teaching directly affects the level of oral expression of students, and school’s emphasis on spoken English also affects students’ oral English ability. However, the quality of spoken English teaching is not satisfactory at this stage, even English majors in various universities are no exception. Most English majors have problems with poor oral expression and inaccurate pronunciation. For example, the phenomenon of “dumb English” is still widespread, spoken English teaching is still neglected, and the oral test mechanism is still immature. In order to understand the problems existing in the oral English classroom teaching activities of colleges and universities and to find solutions to the problems, the author analyzed the current situation of oral English teaching for English majors in Wuhan by researching and studying the English majors in Wuhan area, and proposed corresponding solutions for problems.

Key Words: Wuhan area；English speaking； teaching status

Contents

1 Introduction 1

1.1 Research background and research content 1

1.1.1 Research background 1

1.1.2 Research content 1

1.2 Research significance 2

1.3 Overall structures of the thesis 2

2 Literature Review 4

2.1 Research on oral English teaching theory 4

2.1.1 Objectives and content of spoken language teaching 4

2.1.2 The theoretical foundation of spoken language teaching 4

2.1.3 Oral English teaching methods 5

2.1.4 Research status of spoken language teaching at home and abroad 6

2.2 Summary 7

3 Investigation and Research Plan 8

3.1 The purpose of the survey 8

3.2 Survey study object 8

3.3 Research methods 8

3.4 Statistics and analysis of survey results 8

4 Problems in English Oral English Teaching and Countermeasures 13

4.1 Problems in classroom activities and countermeasures 13

4.1.1 Problems in classroom activities 13

4.1.2 Countermeasures in classroom activities 13

4.2 Problems and countermeasures in teaching methods and teaching contents 14

4.2.1 Problems in teaching methods and contents 14

4.2.2 Countermeasures in teaching methods and contents 14

4.3 Problems in course arrangement and countermeasures 15

4.3.1 Problems in course arrangement 15

4.3.2 Countermeasures in course arrangement 15

5 Conclusions 17

5.1 Summary 17

5.2 Limitations 17

References 19

Appendix 20

Acknowledgements 24

Investigating the Current Teaching of Speaking to English Major Students of Universities in Wuhan

1 Introduction

1.1 Research background and research content

1.1.1 Research background

The society of materials and fierce job competition has witnessed the issue of spoken English a heated debate among English major students, which requires more for job seekers or graduates. Therefore, speaking English fluently is crucial for English major students. If they can take advantage of spoken English, they will become more competitive. However, the majority of students can’t meet the requirements of enterprises or colleges. The main reason is that different teaching methods have different effects, so the former takes an important part in English speaking teaching. Now, many teachers are facing the problem--how to improve their teaching efficiency to develop learners’ oral English proficiency. Based on sociocultural theory, the paper investigates the current situation in English speaking teaching and provides suggestions for oral English courses.

1.1.2 Research content

With the society ‘s high requirement for students’ English ability, college students’ English teaching should focus on the students’ practical and comprehensive ability. My paper mainly research the problems in current teaching of speaking to English Major Students of Universities in Wuhan area and put forward the relevent suggestion from the social cultural theory.

1.2 Research significance

As we know, language is a significant communication tool for everyone. “The oral English style has a big difference with the written style from the perspective of grammar” (Macarthur, M. 2006). Oral English has a very wide range and it not only includes the daily conversation, but involves the formal dialogue, report, speech and commentary. Through the research of the current speaking teaching to English major students, the author finds spoken English teaching plays an important role in improving the spoken ability because teachers can use some teaching methods to arouse the students’ study interest or improve students’ oral English. In addition, the paper can reflect the real deficiency of spoken English teaching, help teachers to improve the quality of oral English teaching and solve the problems existing in the oral English teaching to achieve better teaching effect. Finally, the research results can provide English students and English teacher some instructional advice, which can help English major students realize their errors in previous oral English learning, correct their mistakes in learning and seek effective method to practice spoken English to improve their spoken English ability.

1.3 Overall structures of the thesis

This paper is divided into five chapters:

Chapter one: introduction. This paper introduces the research background of this paper, puts forward the research question and the purpose and significance and introduces the basic framework of this thesis.

Chapter two: literature review. In this chapter, the author mainly elaborates relevant theories of oral teaching, such as the goal, method and theoretical basis of oral English teaching. At the same time, the author sums up the present situation of oral English teaching at home and abroad. In addition, the author introduces the requirements of oral English teaching.

Chapter three: investigation, research scheme and implementation. In this chapter, the author mainly describes the research purpose, research object, research method and research process. According to the statistical analysis for the result of the questionnaire, the author describes the problems in English speaking teaching.

Chapter four: the problems and countermeasures. The author further summarizes the problems of oral English teaching through investigation and research, and puts forward corresponding countermeasures.

Chapter five: conclusions. On the basis of the theory and research, the author summarized this research, classified the problems and put forward the countermeasures to solve the problems. In addition, the author points out the limitations of this study.

2 Literature Review

2.1 Research on oral English teaching theory

2.1.1 Objectives and content of spoken language teaching

In order to standardize the English teaching of English major in national institutions of higher learning, the ministry of education has formulated the syllabus for English majors in colleges and universities. The syllabus makes clear requirements for the speech and spoken level of language learners at different stages and levels. When entering the school, students can be skilled in the text content of the question and answer and they can carry on the simple discussion. After preparation, they can retell the words or phrases fluently and consistently that have been heard or read. In addition, they are able to initiate preliminary communication on the topic of daily life and describe the familiar subject and text clearly and coherently. The secondary requirement is to be able to answer and repeat the words that are heard. Students can talk about topics of daily life with the correct expression to the thought, pronunciation and intonation. The fourth level requires the ability to communicate with English speakers in general social situations and to express their thoughts, pronunciation and intonation correctly, without major grammatical mistakes and basic language. The sixth level requires that we can communicate with foreign guests fluently and accurately about the national scenic spots and historical sites, our current situation and policy guidelines. They can express their views in depth and coherently. The 8th level requires the ability to express own views on major domestic and international issues with foreign guests in a systematic, in-depth and coherent manner. The main contents of oral English teaching include the revision of pronunciation and intonation, the expansion of communication content and the formation of language habit.

2.1.2 The theoretical foundation of spoken language teaching

Input and output theory: American linguist Krashen（Krashen,1981）explicitly pointed out that "' understandable language input is the necessary condition to language acquisition, input material and input mode will affect the quality of the mood and output result " Hart and Risley(1995) found that children who received less input had lower language skills than children who received more input. In addition, teachers use output to determine what students “know”or have learned about a topic”(Anthony,2008,472). “Spoken language is a productive skill. If you want to get the effect of the output, you must have an input process” (Lv Da,2017).