发布时间 : 星期六 文章Unit 1 Ways of Learning更新完毕开始阅读
Unit 1 Ways of Learning
Ⅱ. About Education
. A Survey
Do you agree with the following statements? 1. Play is the best way to learn.
2. Children develop life skills best through formal programs.
3. Children are naturally curious, inspired, motivated learners, but sometimes the enjoyment of learning can get lost in the pressure to “succeed” in formal education.
4. Parents are the most important instructors to the children, so they should give as much guidance as possible.
A Practical Experiment Two children are given hula hoops, a toy they are unfamiliar with. Angela is given a hula hoop with instructions on how to use it.Jonathan is given a hula hoop but no instructions.What kind of outcomes do you expect?
Angela learns to keep the hula hoop in motion by moving her body in certain ways.Jonathan explores the hoop and discovers it's big enough to step through. He then balances the hoop between two objects and practices kicking a ball through the hoop.How do you comment on these two outcomes?
Both outcomes are good. Angela learns a useful play skill.Jonathan uses his hoop in a different, but equally playful way.Which one do you think is better in developing the children’s creativity?
Angela, because she followed the directions given, will have a skill she can use anytime she wants to move her body in that specific way. The outcome is limited to having followed directions and mastered a particular skill.Jonathan, on the other hand, had the experience of exploring and discovering an item he was unfamiliar with. He used what he learned about this circular-shaped object to solve a problem of his own and incorporated (结合) the hula hoop as an innovative solution to help him do something that he wanted to do -- kick a ball through a target. Jonathan learned he could use his own observation and exploration to learn about new objects.
What conclusion can you draw from this experiment?
. Education in the West
Much of the current debate over education surrounds the extent to which learning should be teacher-based or student-based. Which of the two should decide what should be learned, how it should be learned, and when it should be learned? Comparing Western and Asian methods of learning it is generally true that Western methods are more student-centered, expecting students to discover things for themselves rather than relying on their teachers to tell them. An extreme version of the student-centered approach can be seen at Summerhill, a school in England established by the educationalist A. S. Neill. There children have complete freedom to decide what they are going to learn and which lessons they will attend. If they wish they need not attend any at all. Mainstream education in England is far more strict, demanding that children attend lessons and follow a national curriculum. This curriculum and the importance of achieving good exam results tend to reinforce a more teacher-centered approach, as both teachers and students find the pressure of time leaves less opportunity for an exploratory approach to learning.
Ⅲ. Warm-up Questions
1. If you find a two-year-old boy is trying to put a key into a box, will you help him immediately? 2. Can you recall how your parents taught you in your childhood? Did they like to teach you by holding your
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hand?
3. Which way did you prefer when you were in trouble with one of your toys in your childhood, turning to your parents for help, or exploring by yourselves?
Global Reading
Ⅰ. Scanning
(Directions:) Scan Text A and decide whether the following statements are true or false. 1. Benjamin was worried that he couldn’t put the key into the box. (F) (=Benjamin was not bothered at all.)
2. In the Chinese staff’s opinion, the parents should guide Benjamin to insert the key. (T)
3. The author and his wife didn’t care whether Benjamin succeeded in inserting the key into the slot. (T) 4. For the Westerners, learning should take place by continual careful shaping and molding. (F) (= The Chinese think that learning should take place by continual careful shaping and molding.)
5. Chinese teachers hold the opinion that skills should be acquired as early as possible, while American educators think that creativity should be acquired early. (T)
Ⅲ. Further Understanding
For Part I Questions and Answers
1. How does the author introduce the topic in Text A? 2. Sum up the contrast between the attitude of the couple and that of the hotel staff toward Benjamins efforts in inserting the key into the slot.
1. Read the first sentence of both Para 6 and Para 7, and decide what method of comparison and contrast is used here.
2. Sum up the contrast between Chinese and Western ways to learn to fulfill a task. 3. Read from Para 11 to Para 13. Which method of comparison and contrast is used here?
4. The following are two types of attitudes toward creativity and basic skills. Which one belongs to the Chinese and which one belongs to the Westerners?
A) giving priority to developing skills at an early age, believing that creativity can be promoted over time.
B) putting more emphasis on fostering creativity in young children, thinking that skills can be picked up later.
There are many ways to conclude an essay. How does the author end this text?) A) Restating the main points previously mentioned. B) Proposing a solution.
C) Quoting from some book or person. D) Predicting future developments.
E) making a suggestion in the form of a question. )
Ⅰ. Difficult Sentences
1. (LL. 13~15) Because of his tender age and incomplete understanding of the need to position the key just so, he would usually fail. (= Because he was so young and didn’t quite know that he should position the key carefully to fit into the narrow key slot, he would usually fail.)
2. (L. 15) Benjamin was not bothered in the least. (= Benjamin was not bothered at all.) (=本杰明一点也不在意。)
3. (L. 30) … and to throw light on Chinese attitudes toward creativity. (= And to help explain Chinese attitudes toward creativity.)
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4. (LL. 37~39) …since the child is neither old enough nor clever enough to realize the desired action on his own, what possible gain is achieved by having him struggle?(= Positioning the key carefully to fit into the slot.)In your opinion, what possible gain can be achieved by having Benjamin struggle?(= Open-ended.)
5. (L. 39) He may well get frustrated and angry. (= He is likely to get frustrated and angry.)You use “may well” when you are saying what you think is likely to happen.
6. (L. 47~48) He was having a good time and was exploring, two activities that did matter to us. 1. What do the two activities refer to?
(= Having a good time and exploring.) (= Tow activities that were important to us.)
7. (L. 52) …whether it be placing a key in a key slot, drawing a hen or making up for a misdeed… (= No matter whether it is placing a key in a key slot, drawing a hen or making up for some mistakes.) (= The subjunctive mood is used here.Whether he be present or absent, we shall have to do our part.)
8. (LL. 80~81) …young Westerners making their boldest departures first and then gradually mastering the tradition… What does making their boldest departures mean?(=Doing sth. different from an established rule or tradition.) (=西方的年轻人先是大胆创新，然后逐渐深谙传统。)
9. (LL. 98~99) But assuming that the contrast I have developed is valid, and that the fostering of skills and creativity are both worthwhile goals… (= assuming + that-clause: 假定…
You use assuming that when you are considering a possible situation or event, so that you can think about the consequences.
*Assuming that we all work at the same rate, we should be finished by January.) 10. (LL. 100~102) Can we gather, from the Chinese and American extremes, a superior way to approach education, perhaps striking a better balance between the poles of creativity and basic skills? (=我们能否从中美两个极端中寻求一种更好的教育方式，它或许能在创造力与基本技能这两极之间获得某种较好的平衡?)
After Reading
Ⅰ. Useful Expressions
1. 被系在…上 2. 探索行为 3. 偶尔 4. 父母的责任 5. 揭示，阐明 6. 最终目的 7. 要做的动作 8. 所希望的结果 9. 关键 10. 育儿观 11. 弥补某种错误行为 12. 回想起来
be attached to… exploratory behavior on occasion parental duties throw light on
an ultimate purpose desired action desirable outcome critical point
value of child rearing making up for a misdeed in retrospect
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13. 善意的 14. 前来帮助某人 15. 极其熟练、温和地 16. 适用于 17. 发展到 18. 发展创造力 19. 值得追求的目标
well-intentioned
come to sb.’s rescue
with extreme facility and gentleness apply to evolve to
promote creativity worthwhile goals
Ⅱ. Spot Dictation
You probably think you will never be a ___1___ student. This is not necessarily so, however. Anyone can become a better___2___ if he or she wants to. It is true that you may not be ___3___ about everything that you study, but by using your time properly you may improve your grades without ___4___ work. Here’s how: 1. ____5____ carefully. 2. Find a good place to study. 3. ___6___ before you read. 4. ___7___ your time in class. 5. Study___8___. 6. Develop___9___ about tests.
There are other ___10___ that might help you with your studying. Only a few have been mentioned here. You will probably discover many others after you have tried these.
Ⅲ. Discussion
1. What do you think is more important, creativity or basic skills? 2. How do you comment on the learning methods you used in high school? 3. Are you employing new learning methods helpful to the study of college courses? What are they?
4. In your opinion, can we find a better way to approach education, which strikes a better balance between the poles of creativity and basic skills?
Ⅳ. Comparison and Contrast
ⅰ. Definition
Comparison and contrast come in three different ways.
1. Comparison: You are asked to explain how two or more things are alike. 2. Contrast: You are asked to explain how two or more things are different.
3. Comparison and contrast: You are asked to explain how two or more things are alike and different.
ⅱ. An Example
Here are two different ways (T-Chart and Venn Diagram) to organize information. As an example, we will look at the Smilodon and the Caribou -- two animals that lived during the Ice Ages. 1. The T-Chart:
Characteristics Smilodon environment diet the Arctic meat Caribou the Arctic plants 4