Foreign language teaching in China has existed since the emergence of modern universities in China, with Tsinghua Preparatory School for Studying in the United States as a typical representative (Li, 2005). The formulation of lecture mode has experienced the transformation from "foreign language teaching" to "bilingual teaching in colleges and universities" (that is, using Chinese and English) (Wang Zhongyu, 2002), and then to "all-English teaching" implemented in some colleges and universities. If English major courses are taught in English, psychologically speaking, students are more willing to accept this teaching method, even if they don't understand in some places, they are willing to listen carefully; However, if the courses for non-English majors are also taught in English, it will not only objectively lead to the neglect of the "discipline" of the courses (Bi Xiaoyu, 2003), but also subjectively cause some psychological obstacles to students, which will cause them to have bad emotions such as fear, anxiety and depression in the process of listening to lectures, leading to unsatisfactory teaching results.
Second, the causes and symptoms of students' psychological disorders
In the study of East Asian students, Littlewood thinks that because of their high achievement motivation and strong sense of group, they will be very concerned about whether their oral expression is correct in class (Littlewood, 1999), which is vividly reflected in China students. Today, the "talking nonstop" style of our ancestors is undoubtedly one of the reasons why China students have psychological barriers in English learning. Because some students' English foundation is not very good, their English listening and speaking ability is weak. I can't understand anything at the thought of going to class. Considering that the teacher may ask questions, they are called up by the teacher in full view, but like deaf people, they can't understand what the teacher asks and can't answer any questions. The students began to fidget before class time.
The resulting fear, followed by anxiety about learning subjects. Huo Weici believes that foreign language learning anxiety is "a special psychological activity such as self-perception, views on foreign language learning, emotion and learning behavior caused by the unique language learning process in foreign language classroom learning" (Huo Weici, 199 1). Because students don't understand in class, they are afraid to go to class and be asked questions, and the whole class is in a state of tension. The teaching effect can be imagined, and students can't learn anything from teachers at all. Because they can't learn anything and worry that they can't cope with the exam, students are more and more anxious. This is Huo Weici's foreign language learning anxiety including communication fear; Test anxiety and fear of negative evaluation (Huo Weici, 1986). Students can't learn anything in class, so they can only learn by themselves. If students study hard and fail in the exam, they will be quite depressed, and then they will lose confidence in themselves and even hate learning this subject.
Third, how to ease students' psychological barriers and improve teaching effect.
1. Simplify the language used by teachers.
The so-called simplified language means that teachers should use simple English as much as possible when imparting knowledge. For example, explain the following relatively abstruse English: "A revolution is occupying and should greatly improve the living standards of the developing world. Until recently, it was a DEA place. F and Dumb are rapidly acquiring the latest telecommunications technology, which will enable them to promote domestic and foreign investment. " (Zheng Shutang, 2008) You can put it in relatively simple words: "The changes that are taking place should greatly improve the living standards of developing countries. Areas where people lived until recently. Due to the lack of telecommunication facilities, we can't communicate with the outside world. Now we are rapidly acquiring advanced telecommunications facilities, which will enable them to attract more domestic and foreign investment. " If students are taking courses for non-English majors and their English foundation is not very good, teachers should try their best to use simple English to express their profound professional knowledge orally in class. Teaching in English, if students don't even understand, is casting pearls before swine, and no matter how hard the teacher tries, it's futile.
In order to make students understand thoroughly, teachers can also assist some body language, explain with pictures and texts, and use multimedia software to design teaching plans. Only on the basis of students' understanding can teachers' efforts not be in vain.
2. Create a good classroom atmosphere
To create a pleasant, vivid, friendly and harmonious classroom atmosphere, teachers should spend a few minutes chatting with students before teaching professional knowledge, including caring about students' daily life, study and love, talking about news and telling jokes, which can not only stimulate students' interest in English listening and speaking, but also narrow the distance between teachers and students, eliminate students' fear of English teaching and unconsciously enter the role of listening to lectures. If students actively attend classes and make efforts to take notes, they will not feel so afraid of teachers' questions and answer them in English.
3. Enhance students' self-confidence
Psychological research shows that self-confidence can help students play their own level, even beyond the normal level. Students with strong self-confidence are not easily disturbed when mistakes occur, and think that they have the ability to correct mistakes and overcome difficulties. Therefore, in the teaching process, teachers should cultivate and protect students' self-confidence, so that students can believe that they can understand English and speak fluent English. Since the language barrier can be overcome, professional knowledge can certainly be learned well, and it is absolutely no problem to be admitted. Without exam anxiety, students will naturally be less nervous, and they can relax in class to accept and innovate the knowledge taught by teachers.
4. Give students positive feedback
Teachers should learn to understand, appreciate and encourage students. Teachers should give students positive feedback in time, praise their progress and encourage them to continue their efforts. For example, students are sure to answer questions in English and listen with interest. The students applauded after speaking. Teachers' positive evaluation will make students feel that they are making progress and realize that every progress they make can be appreciated by teachers. Teachers should not be stingy with praise and encouragement, nor should they scold students for making mistakes in answering questions in class. You know, in the minds of students, teachers have certain authority. Teachers' praise and encouragement can make students summon up courage, overcome difficulties, make progress in their studies, enhance their sense of accomplishment, and try to avoid making negative comments on students.
5. Treat students' mistakes correctly
Learning is for application, and students will inevitably make some mistakes when expressing themselves in English. Teachers should allow students to make mistakes, which is an essential part of the learning process. Students may realize their mistakes in the future, which will promote their study. Therefore, teachers should treat mistakes correctly. As long as it does not affect normal communication, it is not necessary to correct it at any time, but a tolerant attitude should be adopted to reduce students' psychological burden of being afraid of making mistakes and reduce their frustration. In this way, students will not be afraid of teaching in English, but will actively strive to improve their English listening and speaking ability, and will not be afraid to go to class because they are afraid of not understanding and speaking.
6. Arrange appropriate classroom activities
Arranging some beneficial classroom activities can effectively alleviate students' psychological barriers. For example, the class is divided into groups, and the teacher gives questions, so that students can discuss freely in the group, learn from each other, and foster strengths and avoid weaknesses. JoAnn Crandall believes: "The anxiety level of learners in group communication is much lower than that when answering questions in front of the whole class." (JoAnn Crandall, 2000) Encouraging students to communicate in English during discussions can not only improve their oral English, but also enable them to learn many different ideas from other students. The atmosphere of communicating with classmates is relatively relaxed, which helps to relieve students' nervousness.
7. The examination scope is clear and the learning purpose is clear.
Students are more concerned about whether they can pass the exam, so the author thinks that if the teacher can announce the scope of the final exam in the first class of the semester, let the students know what they will get from the exam, and have a clear goal to take notes in class, then they will not doubt what the final exam is like throughout the semester, and they will feel uneasy. This anxiety about exams will affect their performance in class. If they know the scope of the exam in advance, they will put aside their bad feelings and go to class. In addition to studying the contents of the examination scope, they will also focus on the application of curriculum knowledge. The purpose of learning is to apply, so teachers should make students understand that exams are just a form. The reason why the examination scope is announced as soon as the school starts is to make people pay less attention to the examination, focus on applying what they have learned, and guide students to integrate theory with practice and apply theory to real life.
Four. conclusion
In order to reduce students' psychological obstacles in English class, teachers should actively explore, change their concepts, take students as the main body, adopt flexible and diverse teaching methods, fully mobilize students' enthusiasm for participation, stimulate students' enthusiasm, and eliminate students' fear, anxiety and depression. Guide students to overcome language barriers, study hard, apply and innovate professional knowledge, and improve teaching effect.