新视野大学英语读写教程第一册unit1Section APre-reading ActivitiesFirst ListeningPlease listen to a short passage carefully and prepare to answer some questions.Second ListeningListen to the tape again. Then answer the following questions with your own experiences.1. What problems do you have in trying to learn English in your middle school?2. Why do you think the computer can help you in learning English?3. What other things do you think we can gain through English language learning?Learning a Foreign LanguageLearning a foreign language was one of the most difficult yet most rewarding experiences of my life. Although at times, learning a language was frustrating, it was well worth the effort.My experience with a foreign language began in junior middle school, when I took my first English class. I had a kind and patient teacher who often praised all of the students.Because of this positive method, I eagerly answered all the questions I could, never worrying much about making mistakes. I was at the top of my class for two years.When I went to senior middle school, I was eager to continue studying English; however, my experience in senior school was very different from before. While my former teacher had been patient with all the students, my new teacher quickly punished those who gave incorrect answers. Whenever we answered incorrectly, she pointed a long stick at us and, shaking it up and down, shouted, "No! No! No!" It didn't take me long to lose my eagerness to answer questions. Not only did I lose my joy in answering questions, but also I totally lost my desire to say anything at all in English.However, that state didn't last long. When I went to college, I learned that all students were required to take an English course. Unlike my senior middle school teacher, my college English teachers were patient and kind, and none of them carried long, pointed sticks! However, the situation was far from perfect. As our classes were very large, I was only able to answer a couple of questions in each class period. Also, after a few weeks of classes, I noticed there were many students who spoke much better than I did. I began to feel intimidated. So, once again, although for different reasons, I was afraid to speak. It seemed my English was going to stay at the same level forever.That was the situation until a couple of years later, when I was offered an opportunity to study English through an online course. The communication medium was a computer, phone line, and modem. I soon got access to the necessary equipment, learned the technology from a friend and participated in the virtual classroom 5 to 7 days a week.Online learning is not easier than regular classroom study; it requires much time, commitment and discipline to keep up with the flow of the course. I worked hard to meet the minimum standards set by the course and to complete assignments on time.I practiced all the time. I carried a little dictionary with me everywhere I went, as well as anotebook in which I listed any new words I heard. I made many, sometimes embarrassing, mistakes. Once in a while I cried with frustration, and sometimes I felt like giving up. But I didn't feel intimidated by students who spoke faster than I did because I took all the time I needed to think out my ideas and wrote a reply before posting it on the screen. Then, one day I realized I could understand just about everything I came across, and most importantly, I could "say" anything I wanted to in English. Although I still made many mistakes and was continually learning, I had finally reaped the benefits of all that hard work.Learning a foreign language has been a most trying experience for me, but one that I wouldn't trade for anything. Not only did learning another language teach me the value of hard work, but it also gave me insights into another culture, and my mind was opened to new ways of seeing things. The most wonderful result of having learned a foreign language was that I could communicate with many more people than before. Talking with people is one of my favorite activities, so being able to speak a new language lets me meet new people, participate in conversations, and form new, unforgettable friendships. Now that I speak a foreign language, instead of staring into space when English is being spoken, I can participate and make friends. I am able to reach out to others and bridge the gap between my language and culture and theirs.Section BKeys to Successful Online LearningWhile regular schools still exist, the virtual classroom plays an important role in today's learning community. Job opportunities for students are expanding rapidly and more people of all ages are becoming aware of online learning that allows them to study at home. Online students, however, require unique qualities to be successful. The following list discusses some ideal qualities of successful online students.1. Be open-minded about sharing life, work, and learning experiences as part of online learning. Many different people find that the online method requires them to use their experiences and that online learning offers them a place to communicate with each other. This forum for communication removes the visual barriers that hinder some students from expressing themselves. In addition, students are given time to reflect on the information before replying. In this way, students can help to keep the online environment open and friendly.2. Be able to communicate through writing.In the virtual classroom nearly all communication is written, so it is critical that students feel comfortable expressing themselves in writing. Some students have limited writing abilities which need to be improved before or as part of the online experience. This usually requires extra commitment by these students. Whether working alone or in a group, students share ideas, perspectives and discussions on the subject being studied, and read about those of their classmates. In this way, students gain great insight from their peers, learning from each other as well as the instructor.3. Be willing to "speak up" if problems arise.Remember that instructors cannot see their students in an online course. This means students must be absolutely explicit with their comments and requests. If they experience technical difficulties, or problems in understanding something about the course, they MUST speak up; otherwise there is no way anyone can know something is wrong. If one person does not understand something, possibly several others have the same problem. If another student is able to help, she/he probably will. While explaining something to others, students reinforce their own knowledge about thesubject.4. Take the program seriously.Online learning is not easier than study in regular classrooms. In fact, many students say it requires much more time and effort. Requirements for online courses are not less than those of any quality program. Successful students, however, see online learning as a convenient way to receive their education — not an easier way. Many online students sit at computers for hours at a time during evenings and on weekends in order to complete their assignments. When other people are finished and having fun is most likely the time when online students do their course work. Online students need to commit 4 to 15 hours a week for each course.5. Accept critical thinking and decision making as part of online learning.Online courses require students to make decisions based on facts as well as experience. It is absolutely necessary for students to assimilate information and make the right decisions based on critical thinking. In a positive online environment, students feel valued by the instructor, by their classmates and by their own work.6. Be able to think ideas through before replying.Providing meaningful and quality input into the virtual classroom is an essential part of online learning. Time is given to allow for careful development of answers. Testing and challenging of ideas is encouraged. Many times online students will not always be right; they just need to be prepared to accept a challenge.7. Keep up with the progress of the course.Online learning is normally sequential and requires commitment on the students' part. Keeping up with the face-to-face class and completing all work on time is vital. Once students get behind, it is almost impossible to catch up. Students need to want to be there and need to want the experience. The instructor may have to communicate with students personally to offer help and remind them of the need to keep up.Just as many excellent instructors may not be effective online facilitators, not all students have the necessary qualities to perform well online. People who have the qualities discussed above usually make very successful online students. If you have these qualities, learning online may be one of the best discoveries you will ever make.Section CTeaching Children at HomeRecord numbers of children are being taken out of school and taught by their parents at home. Up to 100 children a month are leaving the classroom because parents are not satisfied with schools. Around 15,000 families now teach their children at home, a rise of 50 per cent from last year, according to the latest figures.This present rise in home schooling is blamed on the nature of examinations, not getting children into the school of choice, and dissatisfaction with teaching methods. Some parents prefer keeping children home because of attacks by other students and a lack of discipline in schools. Researchers say, however, many families prefer teaching at home because they feel the idea of public schooling is not modern. They believe schools will be things of the past in 20 years as media technology, like the Internet, teaches children. 1. ______Under the law, parents must teach their children, whether at school or at home. Community officials are charged with protecting their schooling. Professor Meighan of Nottingham University says parents were fed up with the requirements of existing schools. For him, schools are anout-of-date concept from the days of the town crier(市政传令员), when it was difficult to get information and a central person was needed to communicate knowledge. He also thinks parents are recognizing education is moving on and don't want their children to be held back by out-of-date methods. 2. ______Meighan suggests children will be taught at home using the Internet, computers, and video(录像片). He thinks future schools will be small groups of children, sharing equipment in their homes. The teachers may become advisers who sort through the information. 3. ______Future schooling was questioned by Sir Christopher Ball of the Royal(皇家的)Society of Arts. He thinks learning in the future will include an international curriculum and international standards. He sees some present models of schooling — community schools and home schooling, for example — becoming more central and other models, not yet existing, may develop. 4. ______ How Personal Choice Brings O-Level Success at 13Leslie Barson is already running the type of school that researchers think will teach children in the future. Based partly at a community centre and partly in family homes, the Otherwise Club includes some 35 families around north London. Professional teachers are brought in to help with special subjects, but mostly parents and children work together on units like studying the Greeks or the American Civil War, reading about events, making costumes(戏装), and learning how people used to live. 5.______ 6. ______Parents choosing home schooling say the freedom of home learning allows some children to sit one or two GCEs by the age of 13. Ms. Barson's own children, Luis, age 12, and 7-year-old Lilly, have never attended school. She pays around 2,000 pounds a year for private teachers to help in special areas. She set up the Otherwise Club six years ago with just a few students. She thinks the purpose of teaching children is to develop their self-worth. Her son agrees. Luis, now teaching himself math, said, "I like the freedom to learn things that interest me, especially music. I don't feel I am missing out on anything by not being at school because I am a member of various clubs and have friends who attend normal school." 7. ______ 8. ______The “Danger” of Separating StudentsHome schooling could change children's relations with their peers and older people because of long periods spent with their parents. Most professors agree future learning will be more centred around the home, and fear children could become isolated and shy. Professor Michael Barber of London University said pupils could spend half their time at school, half at home as a way to solve this problem. He believes very strongly that children need the experience of school to ensure the quality of being taught the basics and being examined. He thinks children must spend time with peers to learn the rules of work in a democratic(民主的)society and to learn how to deal with relations with more people than just their parents. Margaret Rudland, head teacher in Hammersmith, also thinks children must experience actual peer relations. 9. ______ 10. ______新视野大学英语1读写教程教案unit 1 Learning a Foreign LanguageBook One Unit OneObjectives：Students will be able to:1. grasp the main idea and the structure of the text ;2. understand the devices developing the paraphrases;3. master the key words and phrases and sentence patterns in the text;4. conduct a serious of reading, listening, speaking and writing activities related to the theme of the unit.Time Span: 4 Periods(Two for Section A and Two for Review of Section A ,Reading Skills and Section B)Section A Learning a Foreign LanguageTeaching Precedures:I. Pre-reading Activities: Listen, Look & Say1. Questions & Answers(Oral Practice)1).What problems do you have in trying to learn English in your middle school?(Like most students of my age, I had to be faced with many problems in learning English, such as pronunciation, grammar rules, and cultural background. And the most frustrating one was how to memorize a large body of new words. As far as the college life is concerned now, however, my big trouble with English learning is that my class is very large and I have few chances to practice my spoken English in class.)2).Do you think the computer can help you in learning English? Why or why not?(Because the computer, once networked, allows us more access to the outside world. I have found the computer course, though as difficult as regular classroom study, very suitable for me. For one thing, I have more freedom to set the pace of study for myself. For another, I could select the material to my taste or based on my English level. And best of all, I have more chances to exchange ideas with native speakers, without much worry about making mistakes.)3). What other things do you think we can gain through English language learning?(As a most rewarding experience of mine, learning English can bring me a lot of benefits. To begin with, it can teach me the value of practice. The more practice I do in listening, speaking, reading and writing, the more progress I make in English. Besides, it can give me insights into other cultures, keeping my mind open to new ways of thinking. And above all, it can help me communicate with many more people than before. Now talking with people in English is one of my favorite activities.)2. Watch the video and then discuss the topics as follows:(Episode clipped from The Sound of Music)1). What insight can we get from the video?(The same holds true for our English learning. For example, when you come across in reading such phrases as “far from perfect”, “hunger for knowledge” and “put yourself in others’ shoes”, you may find nothing special in them. But when they are linked to the Chinese expressions “远不尽人意”，“求知欲” and “设身处地为人家想想” , with which you are familiar, they are now well worth your attention. To sum up, the better combination there is of the unfamiliar and the familiar in your study, the greater interest you will take in the course.)2). What new light does the video throw on our English study?(So the best course open to us now is to apply what we have learned from books to what we are familiar or concerned with in our daily life. For instance, we are going to learn the sentence “ Now that I speak a foreign language, instead of staring into space when English is being spoken, I can participate and make friends”. We can use the pattern to express what is on our minds, such as “Now that the new college life is here to challenge us, instead of staying only in our dreams, all we can do is to face it cheerfully”. In short, where there is a better application of your knowledge to your life there is more progress. )3.Spot Dictation(Listen to the recording and fill in the blanks)Online learning, a form of ________ education, _____ to learning and other supportive resources that are _________ through a networked computer. With the development of the Internet, online learning often takes place on the Internet. In an online lesson, the computer _______ material in ________ to a learner’s _______. The computer asks the learner ___ more information and _________ appropriate material _____ on the learner’s input. The material can be as simple as ___________ lessons and their tests that are transcribed into a computer program.(distance, refers ,available ,displays, response, request, for, presents, based, traditional)II .Text Analysis: Main Idea and Devices for Developing It1.What is the main idea of the text ?(Learning a foreign language was one of the most difficult yet most rewarding experiences of my life.)Part I:( Para 1)Learning a foreign language was one of the most difficult yet most rewarding experiences of my life.Part II (Para.2-4):My different experiences with the regular course in junior and senior middle schools and at collegePart III (Para.5-7)My experiences with the online course helped me reap the benefits of hard work.2.Devices for developing the main idea1).演绎法(Deduction Organization) (from ‘general’ to ‘specific’)General statement (Topic):Learning a foreign language was one of the most difficult yet most rewarding experiences of my life.Specific statements:A. My experience in junior middle school (Para. 2):(a kind and patient teacher who praised all of the students … positive method…eagerly answered questions, at the top of my class)B .My experience in senior middle school (Para. 3):(an impatient teacher…punished those who made mistakes…shaking it up and down…shouted…lose my eagerness / desire to say anything in English)C.My experience at college(Para. 4):(far from perfect…very large class and better students… feel intimidated… afraid to speak…at the same level forever)D.My experience with the online course (Para. 5-7):(require commitment and discipline …virtual classroom…practice all the time…cry with frustration…feel like giving up…reaped the benefits of hard work)E.Conclusion (Para. 8):( a most trying experience, but one that I would not trade for anything…teach me the value of hard work…give me insights into another culture…my mind …opened to new ways of seeing things…the most wonderful result of having learned a foreign language …communicate with many more people than before…one of my favorite activities…bridge the gap between my culture and theirs)2).时空顺序法(Sequence of Time and Space)Typical Sentences:A .My experience with a foreign language began in junior middle school.(Para. 2) B. When I went to senior middle school. (Para.3)C. However, that state didn’t last long. When I went to college. (Para. 4)D .That was the situation until a couple of years later, when ...participated in the virtual classroom. (Para. 5)E. ... had finally reaped the benefits of all that hard work. (Para. 7)3).对比法(Comparison and Contrast)The comparison and contrast is centered around “the most difficult” and “the most rewarding”. The group of “difficult”:frustrating, punish, shout, lose my eagerness / desire to say anything in English, very large, far from perfect, feel intimidated, afraid to speak, (my English)stay at the same level, cry with frustration, feel like giving upThe group of “rewarding”:well worth the effort, at the top of my class, eager to study, understand about everything, reap the benefits of all that hard work, teach me the value of hard work, give me insights into another culture, able to bridge the gap between cultures.III.Key expressions & patternsExpressions:1.很值得去努力to be well worth the effort (L. 3)---Not everything in life is well worth our risk.2.在班里名列前茅to be at the top of the class (L. 7)---On the list of good policies in social contact, honesty should be at the top.3.失去说英语的欲望to lose my desire / eagerness to say anything in English (L.14)---As a result of her dishonesty, I lost my desire to form further friendship with her.4.远不尽人意to be far from perfect (L. 19)---Although our environment is still far from perfect, we haven’t lost the desire to change it for the better.5.永远停滞不前to stay at the same level forever (L. 26)---Sometimes our English learning seems to stay at the same level forever, but, in fact, this is not necessarily the case.6.接触到必要的设备to get access to the necessary equipment (L. 30)---Through online learning we get access to many new patterns of thinking.7.跟上课程进度. to keep up with the flow of the course (L. 33)---To keep up with the flow of world trade, China decided to join WTO.8. 满足课程最低限度的要求to meet the minimum standards set by the course(L. 34)---It also requires commitment and discipline to meet the minimum standards set by the university9.因挫折而哭泣to cry with frustration (L. 37)一些人因胜利而雀跃，而另一些人因失败而叹息，这种事情经常发生。
