國內外教學實踐證明,利用故事的形式對小學生進行外語教學是一種富有成效的方法,英國的安德魯·華特(Andrew Wright)在匈牙利利用故事教授英語獲得了巨大的成功,故事教學為什么可行、有效和必要?研究表明,故事對兒童有一種普遍的吸引力。
一、故事教學的價值
1.故事教學——讓學習興趣和學習動機“合二為一”
兒童的學習主要由好奇心與興趣誘發,適合兒童的故事,會讓他們樂此不疲,充分調動與激發小學生的形象思維與創造性思維。如詩歌《Beautiful Spring》:
Beautiful spring is here./The win-ter is gone./But the birds are back./The snow is gone./But the flowers are.back./Old coats are gone. But new ones are here./Spring is a beautiful time.
短而優美的語言,運用birds、snow、flowers、coats就把春天的美麗寫得如此的令人神往,借此向學生提問:What can you write about spring?激起學生的好奇,引動學生對春天的景象的想象。這個故事正好與小學牛津教材的《Season》單元結合,當然還可以選用以其他季節為內容的故事。引發學生的興趣與好奇心。
2.故事教學——讓語言模式與語用環境“合二為一”
故事能為小學生提高真實、自然和豐富的語言輸入,經過有機內化,在真實的語境中自然而出,遠遠勝于純粹的詞匯教學或語法教學等。
如下面故事發生于英國希思羅機場,此情景是辦理登記手續的顧客George與機場服務員John之間的對話:
John: Good afternoon.
George: Good afternoon,I'm flying to Singapore this afternoon.
John :Fine, I need your ticket and your passport,please.
George: (Handing them to him)My ticket and my passport.
John :Thank you. Would you like to sit in a smoking area or a non-smoking area?
George : Non-smoking,please.
John : Non-smoking.
George:Thank you. Excuse me,could I have a seat by the window,please?
John : Yes, of course.
George :Thank you very much.
John:You are welcome, have a pleasant flight, sir.
George: Thank you.
John :'Bye-bye.
George: Goodbye. (去登機)
在上文來自真實自然的情景里,學生通過對故事角色的扮演,經過自身的內化,在模擬的環境表現出了良好的語用能力,親身感受了語言的成就與魅力,享受了使用過程的自信與風度。
3.故事教學——讓語言技能與思維創新“合二為一”
“閱讀故事——理解故事——思考故事——探究故事”是一種循序漸進的、由表及里的教與學流程,它使語言與思維融為一體。如故事《The Bat and the Weasels》:
A bat who fell upon the ground and was caught by a weasel pleaded to be spared his life.The weasel refused ,saying that he was by nature the enemy of all birds. The bat assured him that he was not a bird,but a mouse,and thus was set free. Shortly afterwards the bat again fell to the ground and was caught .by another weasel,whom he likewise entreated not to eat him. The weasel said that he had a special hostility to mice. The bat assured him that he was not a mouse,but a bat,and thus a second time escaped.
在本故事的教學環節中,依次提出:How many times did the bat fall upon the ground?What did the bat say t0 the weasel(two times)?What do you learn from this story?逐漸引導學生理解\"It is wise to turn circumstances to good account.\"同時引導學生聯想當處于不同的特定環境,該如何應對,如前段時間的地震等,運用run,hide,look for helping等詞匯進行練習,極大提升了學生語言思維的創新能力,也提高了學生的真實問題處理能力。
4.故事教學——讓學科教學與人文素養“合二為一”
在故事教學中應利用有效的教學素材,滲透思想、品格、情操和價值觀等。如筆者教Sharing(分享)時,隨著故事的層層深入,有感情朗讀,故事內容接龍等一系列課堂活動,啟發學生揭示主題:\"Sharing is more fun than keeping.\"在教學過程中不僅學習了句型\"I share books with my friends.\"而且通過豐富多彩的課堂活動訓練了口語,在故事主題升華中。學生受到感染和熏陶,塑造了美好的心靈,懂得“與人分享的快樂”。
如有關Time的故事可以讓學生領悟“時間的寶貴和珍惜時間的重要”,還可以教育學生遵守公共場合的各種規章制度,做個文明的小主人。
5.故事教學——讓西方文化與東方文化“合二為一”
語言與文化不能分,而且語言與地域環境更不能分。一些東西方的節日可以與教材中“holidays”相結合,如圣誕節和中秋節。通過潛移默化的學習,逐漸讓我們的學生不僅僅只會說英語,而且知曉其文化淵源,還能傳播東方的文化,做一個真正的“國際人”。
二、故事教學的選用
