4.3.1 The Analysis of the Interview with Students 22

4.3.2 The Analysis of the Interview with the Teacher 23

5. Conclusions 25

5.1 Major Findings of this Study 25

5.1.1 The Advantages of Guided Learning Plan 25

5.1.2 The Problems of Guided Learning Plan 26

5.1.3 Suggestions for the Design of Guided Learning Plan 26

5.2 Limitations of the Study 27

5.2.1 Participants 27

5.2.2 The Length of the Research 27

5.2.3 Inexperience 27

5.3 Suggestions for Future Study 28

References 29

Appendix A 30

Appendix B 31

Appendix C 33

1. Introduction

As English has become a worldwide tool for communication, it is one of the most important subjects in Chinese junior high schools now. Therefore, how to improve English teaching and learning always gains a heated attention, and recently, there has been growing interest in carrying out Guided Learning Plan, a new method for teaching, in EFL. However, despite the fact that the learning plan has been advocated in amount of areas, we still lack practical experience and remains at the theoretical level. 

This part is devoted to the following sections, namely, the research background of the study and the purpose and significance of the study.

1.1 The Research Background of the Study

1.1.1 Problems in Traditional Teaching Mode

Traditional teaching mode attaches great importance to teaching method instead of learning method; to questioning instead of thinking; to result instead of process; to knowledge instruction instead of ability development. In class, most students just passively listen to and remember what teachers say, which means that they do not really participate in the teaching-learning process. Meanwhile, as teachers only draw focus on teaching, the transmission of information is mostly unidirectional in classroom teaching. Many students lack interest in studying, and not forms the habit of preview, which results in the frustration of both teachers and students and the inefficiency of classroom teaching. In brief, the defects of traditional mode lie in the following aspect: laying too much emphasis on teacher’s instruction and overlooking student’s leading position. Therefore, reforms must be performed in traditional teaching mode.

1.1.2 Advocacy of Autonomous Learning

Before 1950s, in the field of the foreign language teaching, teachers dominate the main aspects and the process of teaching. Hence, the purposes, outlines, contents and methods pay extensive attention to "teaching", with little regard for the specific needs of learners, ignoring learners’ initiative, thus the enthusiasm and involvement of learners greatly reduced. In the 1970s, overseas scholars set about the discussion and study on autonomy in foreign language learning, which focus on the definition of autonomous foreign language learning ability and the description and analysis of theoretical basis, implementation strategies, curriculum and practice results to cultivate foreign language learner’s autonomous ability. With foreign language researchers starting to discuss the necessity of self-learning, 1990s has witnessed profound changes taking place in the field of EFL, from the traditional "teacher-centeredness" to the nature of the "student-centeredness". Under this circumstance, autonomous learning began to be put forward (Li, 2011: 102).