The 9th International Conference on English Language Teaching (ELT) In China (ELT2020)

    Primary school is the key period for students to lay the foundation for English learning and form good learning habits. Therefore, great attention should be paid to English teaching in primary schools, which holds the key to further English learning. However, English teaching in primary schools is facing various problems. This thesis attempts to show the application of the Whole Language Approach on primary school English teaching and testify whether the Whole Language Approach could increase students’ interest in English learning and promote language competence.
    This study, by taking the Xi’an NO.2 Foreign Language School as an example, chooses 186 students and 4 English teachers from Grade One as participants. It adopts four research methods: class observation, questionnaire, test and interviews. Class observation is adopted to show the application of Whole Language Approach on English teaching, which presents the whole input and the whole output. Questionnaire is used to prove that the Whole Language Approach could improve students’ interest in English learning, and test is designed to find out whether students’ language competence have been enhanced. A pilot study is made of the questionnaires and the reliability and validity are tested by SPSS20.0. For more authentic and effective information, the author also interviews the four English teachers.
    The results indicate that the Whole Language Approach focuses on the whole input and output. Students receive the language through listening and reading, then students use and output what they have learned in various speaking and writing activities. On students’ interest and language competence, the Whole Language Approach plays a key role. First, the Whole Language Approach can increase pupils’ interest in English learning. They are fond of teacher’s storytelling and enjoy role-play best. Second, the Whole Language Approach can improve students’ comprehensive language competence, including listening, reading, speaking and writing. Especially in speaking, students are able to use language to express their feelings and ideas in appropriate situation. Based on the research findings, the author proposes that more teachers should explore about the Whole Language Approach and try to apply it effectively in English teaching so as to perfect English teaching.
 

English teaching; Whole Language Approach; Primary school learners