The remarks made at the school English teaching and research activity

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

First of all, on behalf of the host I'd like to extend again our warm welcome to all the distinguished guests for your presence at today's activity. You really delighted us by offering us a wonderful opportunity to exchange teaching experience and learn from you. Zilang Middle School, now a city-level key middle school is located on the northern bank of Yangzi River and stands at the foot of Wolf Hill. Its natural scenery attracts thousands of visitors and even carry them away. In recent years, our school is developing and expanding in all-round way. With a larger enrolment of students and improvement of teaching facilities we have been making great efforts in seeking the promotion of school management and furthering of teaching reforms and research. Through joint efforts of the teaching staff, we have achieved a lot in various aspects, especially in English teaching and research work. As a result of this, our school has become more and more city-famous. For a long time we hold two beliefs firm in mind: To teach creatively and practically; To learn actively and multi-channelledly. Apart from our long-term focus on task-centered, ability-'oriented classroom teaching which has resulted in the students' development of language skills, we have done even more in the past two years to exploit new channels and new methods to better our teaching work. Here's what we have mainly done:

First. Exploit more learning resources. There is no doubt that text-books, systematically compiled, are of great help for students to proceed their day-to-day study, but they are far from being enough for language study. Broadcasts, TV programs, Video clips, blackboards, school newspapers(you each, have one in your hand now), advertisements, instructions for a certain product and even teachers themselves are all included in our learning resources. We have also taken it into consideration to self-edit school text-books.

Second, Carry out various after-class activities.

It's commonly agreed that 45-minute lesson time is too limited for language practice. After-class activities provide students with chances to practice language in many ways. Sunk in a warm and relaxed atmosphere, what they are doing is more than practice of language. They are communicating in a real language and this I think will lead to the complete accomplishment of our language teaching task. We hold regularly different kinds of activities, such as lecture-giving competition; singing competition; story-telling competition, interviewing as reporters, English parties, riddle-guessing, game-playing and so on. It's well worth mentioning here that our English corner, with the participation of two foreign teachers has become the hottest place in our campus. A lot of students who used to speak with a red face now can carry on a chat for a couple of minutes in a calm enough manner. Surely heir self-confidence is built up.

Third, Establish multi-evaluation system. In our school, as far as English teaching and learning are concerned, we are haunted by two questions. Which teacher does an excellent job in his teaching? Which student does an excellent job in his learning? These questions involve us in how to make evaluation on teachers' and students' work. For students, exam marks don't speak loudest. Their spoken English, their performance in different activities; their attitude towards their study, their cooperation with their learning partner are all in the list of evaluation. For teachers, their directions in the students' after-class activities, their willingness in tutoring; even their skills of language and knowledge of foreign culture all go into the file of their yearly achievements.

Ladies and gentlemen, It's certain enough that what we have done is what you have better and successfully done. Now I'd like to conclude my introduction with a strong and sincere hope for your valuable advice on our English teaching and research work; your comments on the lessons you are going to attend, both of which I believe will be treasures and directions for our future work. Enjoy your short stay here!

That's all. Thank you!

Mr Fei

2002/11/22