【听力原文】
Why Do People Get So Anxious about Math?
When French mathematician Laurent Schwartz was in high school, he started to worry that he wasn’t smart enough to solve math problems. Maybe you know a similar feeling. You sit down to take a math test, and you feel your heart beat faster and your palms start to sweat. You get butterflies in your stomach, and you can’t concentrate. This phenomenon is called math anxiety.
Researchers think about 20% of the population suffers from it. Why would that be? Some psychologists think math anxiety decreases working memory. That’s the short-term memory system that helps you organize the information you need to complete a task. Worrying about being able to solve math problems, or not doing well on a test, eats up working memory. People can suddenly struggle with even basic math skills they’ve otherwise mastered. Researchers suggest that the way children are exposed to math by their parents and teachers play a large part. If parents talk about math like something challenging and unfamiliar, children can internalize that. Teachers with math anxiety are also likely to spread it to their students.
And in some cultures, being good at math is a sign of being smart in general. When the stakes are that high, it’s not surprising that students are anxious. Even Maryam Mirzakhani, an influential mathematician who was the first woman to win the Fields Medal, felt unconfident and lost interest in mathematics because her math teacher in middle school didn’t think she was talented.
So if you experience mathematical anxiety, what can you do?
If you have the chance, physical activity, like a brisk walk, deepens breathing and helps relieve muscle tension, preventing anxiety from building.
Writing down your worries can also help. This strategy may give you a c chance to reevaluate a stressful experience, freeing up working memory.
You can also change your mindset. Thinking of yourself as someone who can grow and improve can actually help you grow and improve.
If you’re a teacher or parent of young children, try being playful with math and focusing on the creative aspects. That can build the numerical skills that help students approach math with confidence later on. Importantly, you should give children the time and space to work through their answers.
Also, don’t let anyone spread the myth that boys are innately better than girls at math. That is completely false.
If you experience math anxiety, and if you take a look around yourself, you’ll see someone experiencing the same thing as you. Just remember that the anxiety is not a reflection of your ability, but it is something you can conquer with time and awareness.
【設计依据】
基于语篇的听说教学以有意义的“听”作为语言输入来源,通过多模式的综合听力理解活动过程,通过文本标记、认知图式、上下文等帮助学生掌握“听”的本质。在听懂文本的基础上,学生能迁移输出内容(memorization and transfer),并能运用思辩(critical thinking strategies)审视和反思语料表达的逻辑思维。
【教材分析】
本听力材料来自于Ted Education上面的一段视频,内容贴近学生生活,生动有趣。文本结构清晰,短小精悍。
从结构来看,本材料为典型的“background—problem—solution—conclusion”模式的讲座内容,以what it is, why it happens, how to deal with it和make a conclusion作为线索逐步展开,结构清晰明了。
从内容来看,本材料从个人、家长、老师、文化、环境等因素入手,清晰地阐述了math anxiety产生的原因以及导致的后果。同样,演讲者也针对math anxiety给出了建设性的策略。
从语言来看,math anxiety从问题的提出、问题产生的原因、问题的解决策略、评价等四个角度使用了一定的词汇链,旨在凸显作者的态度与意图。在描写math anxiety产生的原因时,使用了decrease, struggle, challenging and unfamiliar, internalize, spread, a sign of being smart, feel unconfident and lost interest等词汇;在描述解决策略时,用了a brisk talk, prevent from building, free up, help grow and improve, approach with confidence, complete false等词汇;在描述综合评价时,使用了not a reflection of ability, conquer with time and awareness等词汇。
【学情分析】
高二(3)班学生已经积累了一定的词汇和语法知识,也具有一定的英语口头交流能力,但高阶逻辑思维与思辩能力还不够,缺乏对语料转换、推理、归纳、赏析的能力,学习风格偏“场依存型”。本课旨在让学生通过听取信息获取语篇模式,了解说明一个问题的方法,启发思辩思维,表达自己的观点,对听力素材的叙事者的叙事方式、意图等做出适当的评价。
【设计思路】
第一,听前预测,加深学生对语篇话题背景知识的了解。教师采用听前预测的方法,让学生联系自身经历,关注话题。同时,对语篇模式通过提问的方式做出合理预测,激活学生的好奇心,为后续捕捉语料中的具体信息做好预判。
第二,利用思维导图,帮助学生理解听力材料。本课听力材料是个连续的、短小的讲座。通过分割听力素材,在听的过程中培养学生对于所听语料思维框架的“假定—推断—核实—捕捉—完善”的能力。除了边听边记的微技能训练外,还使用辨别、分析、概括、总结、听后模仿等训练环节来理解说话人的整体大意、话语结构框架、进而掌握语篇模式,培养学生的逻辑思维能力。
第三,利用听力材料,创设口语活动,培养学生评价语篇的能力。本课从“语篇”到“语篇”,注重引导学生通过口语活动内化语料内容。学生通过口语活动完善语篇模式,并对说话人的态度与意图做出判断。通过评价活动,掌握说清问题的方法,呈现思辩能力的发展动态。
【教学目标】
By the end of the period, students are expected to:
1. understand the main idea of the listening clips;
2. develop the following specific listening and speaking skills:
1) prediction, catching specific information and general idea, distinction, summarization, imitation;
2) expressing opinions by providing convincing reasons and detailed information
3. cultivate a critical thinking on judging the lecturer’s intention and construct an even-better discourse pattern.
本次听力策略训练课堂观察的结果显示,无论是从教师的教学角度还是从学生的学习角度看,对教学有很大的反拨作用,得到了听课教师的一致好评。听力策略训练在高中英语听力教学中至关重要。在教学过程中,教师要根据学生的特点、兴趣以及实际学习水平设计相应难度的、形式多样的听力教学活动对学生进行听力策略训练,从而达到提高学生听力理解水平的目的。因此,课堂观察量表的制作要根据不同课型,基于课程标准,从观察课的目标、重点、难点及具体分析观察对象的要素下手,寻找出清晰的目标指向,再根据观察课的具体情境进行设计。陶行知先生曾说过:教育是心心相印的活动,只有从心里发出来的,才能打动心的深处。课堂观察也是如此,唯有观察者的真诚,唯有量表的激励作用,才会体现课堂观察的积极意义。
参考文献
Christine C. M. Goh. 2007.语言课堂中的听力教学[M]. 北京:人民教育出版社.
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