探討高中老師對英文選修課態度信念之個案研究

Abstract

在臺灣的高中實施學生自選跑班式英文選修課向來並非易事。文獻中提到許多環境及個人之不利因素，且也少有老師實際參與這種課程。許多教育專家認為教師觀點有助於深入探索了解任何課程設計的各種面向，但現有文獻卻缺乏相關研究。因此，本研究旨在藉由追蹤一名高中教師首度教授一學期英文選修課的機會來探討教師對於英文選修課的看法與做法。本質性研究採用的研究方法包括三項定期訪談、課後訪談、教師反思紀錄、課堂觀察、以及文件蒐集。主要研究期間從100年9月到101年1月。藉由解碼、交叉比對、描述、以及解讀等資料分析方式，本研究之發現如下：(一)參與的教師認為學生自選的跑班式英文選修課整體而言對教師及學生都有益處，且的確有可行性；(二)在課堂教學以及班級經營應變策略的輔助之下，大部分課室內外各種不利實施英文選修課的因素都可被突破，教師也能夠順利在選修課上嘗試新的英文教學方式；(三)目前存在的困境包括學生本身選修意願不高，\n以及行政配合不足、評分不易、課堂互動受限、以及升學考試衝擊等在授課期間遇到的困難。這些研究發現帶出後續與教授英文選修課相關的討論，包括教師對於課程價值的認可以及專業成長的需求如何影響她接受挑戰並發展適應策略、變動的選修課條件會造成何種衝擊、以及教師如何在渴望嘗試突破以及擔憂工作量增加之間取得平衡。其他同樣值得關注的議題還包括教授選修課而非必修課的新鮮感是否能持續發展帶來更深刻長遠的影響、高中階段的英文選修課是否有可能發展內容導向的教學、以及教師如何能夠在升學因素影響下增加多元英文教學與學習的面向。本研究接著便提出兩項建議：教師善加把握這個另類教學的機會來嘗試各種英文教學方式，校方強化並整合各項行政工作讓選修課程能順利運作。未來希望能有更多研究投入在進一步探討升學考試對於英文選修課的衝擊影響，以及從學生觀點了解高中生對於高中英文選修課的學習需求為何。

The actual implementation of switch-classroom, student-chosen English electives had been a challenging task in most of the senior high schools in Taiwan. Although the existing literature has pointed out both contextual and personal barriers to such practices, there has been lack of teachers’ participation and related studies devoted to understanding these practitioners’ views which many educational experts believe can contribute to further and deeper understanding of the various aspects of curriculum design. Therefore, this research aims to explore English teachers’ views and practices in the implementation of English electives by focusing on a senior high school English teacher’s first-time experience of teaching an elective, News English, throughout a semester. The methods employed in this qualitative research include three periodical periodical interviews, post-class interviews, teacher’s reflective journals, class observation, and document collection. The main study spanned from September 2011 to January 2012. By coding, triangulation, description, and interpretation, the research had the following findings: (1) the teacher participant overall viewed English electives as a positive teaching and learning experience as well as a feasible practice in senior high school, (2) with adaptation strategies regarding English teaching and class management in place, most of the contextual and inside-classroom challenges could be smoothly tackled and new teaching possibilities be experimented with, and (3) the existing difficulties included students’ low motivation in choosing electives and other operational problems such as confusion in administrative work, assessment and grading, class interaction, and the impact of entrance examination. These findings generate more discussions on issues regarding teaching English in an elective, including how the teacher participant’s approval of the values of the elective and her need for professional enhanced her adaption to this new teaching scenario while she simultaneously faced dilemmas such as the impacts of changing circumstances in the implementation of electives and the balance between desire for change/growth and fear for increased workload. Other issues also deserving attention include whether the novel experience of teaching English in an elective rather than a required course can have longer and deeper impact, the possibility of an English elective in senior high school heading for content-driven instruction, and how teachers can deal with the ever-present influence of entrance examinations in an elective aimed to widen the scopes of teaching and learning English. The research then brings forward two suggestions: teachers expanding upon the alternative experience to explore more possibilities of teaching English and school administrations strengthening and incorporating all resources to help make the implementation of electives run more smoothly. It is also expected that more research can be devoted to further explore the impact of entrance examinations on implementing English electives in senior high school, and understand the learning needs of elective takers from students’ point of view.