【正文】 lationships between each sentence in a paragraph 3. Carry out situational dialogues according to different topics 6. Provide information, express simple views and opinions and take part in discussions about simple topics 2. Understand the main ideas, using contextual clues to deal with unfamiliar words 4. Read and understand texts, newspapers and magazines suitable for Grades 7 – 9, overing the barrier of unknown words to understand the main ideas Listen to and understand the teacher’s statements about familiar topics and take part in discussions l Actively explore learning strategies suitable for themselves l Help each other to overe difficulties encountered during learning l Attempt to use different educational resources l Communicate information and simple opinions about familiar everyday topics l Identify cultural differences that are present when municating in a foreign language 4 Students can identify their own learning needs and targets and are fairly selfconfident about learning English. They can: l Take part in simple role plays and activities l Read and understand short stories and other simple written material l Understand short and simple stories about familiar topics that they hear l Improve their cooperative, investigative and thinking abilities l Strengthen their interest in studying English l Master certain basic language knowledge l The Nature of the New Curriculum The new English curriculum strives to acplish far more than just help students learn English. At one level learning English should involve helping students t l Involves students in experiential, practical, participatory and cooperative learning l Motivates students, is relevant to their life experiences and cognitive level l Neglecting to develop students’ ability to use language for real In their place, the reforms aim to establish a curriculum that: lNew Course Syllable for EnglishShaanxi Institute of Education, October 2005Part 1: Introduction With the advent of the information age and the global economy, English has bee increasingly important. English is the dominant carrier of information and the most widely spoken language in the world. Many countries have made English a cornerstone of quality education when developing strategies for basic education. Since China’s reform and opening, the scale of its English education has continually grown, attended by significant achievements in teaching and learning. However, English education in its current form is failing to meet the needs of contemporary social and economic development. The current round of reforms to the English curriculum aim to end the following practices: l Attitudes to Learning 4. Curriculum objectives l The assessment process l Sensory l ‘Hands on’/practical l Cooperative In order to improve their ability to use language for real munication, students should also be able t l Form positive attitudes towards learning curriculum recognizes the important role of formative assessment in promoting student’ development The assessment system should bine formative with summative assessment. The purposes of assessment should be t l Encourage and motivate students l Benefit students’ healthy personal development l Inform the ongoing development and perfection of the English curriculum Formative assessment should be an important part of the English teaching and learning process with a particular emphasis on: l Improving students’ selfconfidence Summative assessment should focus on: l Testing students’ ability to use language curriculum expands the range of learning resources and opportunities available The curriculum should strive to use and develop resources whose content is: l Close to the students’ lives l Healthy l Audio visual material l The Internet Students should be encouraged to take responsibility for