2.4.3 Krashen’s Input and Affective Filter Hypotheses 7

3. Research Methodology 8

4. Analysis of Lead-in Methods 9

4.1 Lead-in by Watching 9

4.2 Lead-in by Listening 10

4.3 Lead-in by Talking 10

4.4 Lead-in by Questioning 11

4.5 Lead-in by Discussing 11

4.6 Lead-in by Playing 12

5. Conclusions and Suggestions 13

References 14

Appendix 15

1. Introduction

1.1 Research Background

How to make English class effective is always one of the most popular issues in the field of ELT. Originated from the Western Scientific Movement, effective teaching appeared in the 1900s-1950s. At that time, teachers were required to follow some strict rules of teaching activities. Efficiency of the teaching process and the scores of the students’ tests were regarded as the only criteria of a teacher’s success. However in the present education, it indicates that effective classroom teaching is to create the best opportunity for students to learn. A good beginning is half done. Namely, an effective lead-in will serve as an activator and determine the quality of the whole class. As a matter of fact, an effective lead-in can provide the students with a genuine language environment, activate their emotions, raise their interests and help them get into the groove with full preparation. Meanwhile, teachers’ passion can be lighted in an active atmosphere as a virtuous circle.

1.1.1 The Requirements of Quality Education

The key point of new curriculum reform is to promote quality education. It is known to us all that the proposal of quality education embodies the distinct humanistic ideals, rich social, economic and cultural development, and students are no longer study machines but real able human beings. In order to achieve the transformation from traditional education to quality education, an update in teachers’ teaching ideology is as important as the advanced facilities. Indeed, quality education aims to enhance students’ overall abilities and the affective interaction between teachers and students are highly advocated. And lead-in offers teachers an opportunity to broaden students’ horizon as well as achieving emotion aims.

1.1.2 The Requirements of New Curriculum Development

English Curriculum Standards clearly advocated “task-based teaching mode”. And this teaching mode aims to develop students’ integrated language skills by finishing challenging tasks. By establishing student-centered education system, teachers should take the students as the main body and respect the inpidual differences. Therefore, a very important task of classroom teaching is to make full use of the first several minutes to create a harmonious and democratic communication environment to let students listen and speak more English, and thus will make them not only acquire English but to use and to master.

1.2 Research Significance

As a saying goes, “Well begun is half done”. Warming up activity first appeared in sports, where athletes need to warm up their bodies and get prepared both mentally and physically. And lead-in in English class, which is regarded as the warming up activity at the beginning of the class, plays an important role in attracting the students’ attention, arousing their interest, and providing with the background knowledge to help them to participate.

But compared with other countries, the research and application of lead-in is limited in our country. As a result, there are many problems and misunderstandings when teachers are designing lead-in and the purpose of it can hardly be reached.