4. Organization of Competitive Activities

How to effectively organize competitive activities in class is what many studies focus on. First of all, when organizing English classroom activities, teachers should set clear objectives of activities and design proper tasks. The activities are supposed to be designed followed by standards of New English Curriculum (2011), requirement of teaching materials and the learning condition of students. Teachers should guide and focus on the whole process of activities. After activities, evaluation is very important.(Zhang Xiaolin, 2005: 83-85)

According to Ping Shen (2007), three principles need to be followed when organizing the competitive activities in class. Firstly, creating a competing environment which is also democratic, equal and cooperative. Secondly, organizing the competitive activities systematically and scientifically. For example, the teacher can consciously give students pre-tasks before class to offer students enough time for competition preparation. Thirdly, evaluating the competitive activities in time. Moreover, English teachers can adopt the following strategies: firstly, stimulating students’ learning interest; secondly, cultivating independent learning; thirdly, clearing language objectives; fourthly, making specific activity rules and evaluation standards; fifthly, giving feedback timely and appropriately.(Wen Tongsheng, 2007: 32-33) These principles and strategies are greatly supported and valued in this study. The study applies these principles, tries to organize successful competitive activities and find out more details and useful tactics about competitive activities.

Forms of competitive activities are various with the exploration of former research: speed-dial, acting, guessing, Q&A, reading, speech, debating, reporting, chain game and so on. The requirements and effects of different forms are varying. For example, if the activity is role play that requires high communicative ability of students, then teachers need to scaffold well for students in the pre-activities. The activity of speed-dial is easier to arouse students’ interest, cultivate their independent thinking and autonomous learning ability. (Wen Tongsheng, 2007: 31) In this study, competitive activities are throughout the class. With the characteristics of different forms, the study tries different suitable competitive activity forms for different teaching procedures to better achieve learning objectives and create good learning atmosphere. Furthermore, in terms of difficulty and students’ performance, evaluation should also be given accordingly.

In conclusion, the aim of this study is to well organize the cooperative activities by applying the mechanism of competitive activities. The former studies help to learn and understand the basic and crucial characteristics of competitive activities. The former application and experience find out general principles and lay good foundation for this research. This study values the former principles, applies the useful organizing methods, tries to find out more practical details of competitive activities and explores ways of avoiding the disadvantage of competitive activities.