Inquiry into Teaching Listening and Speaking in High School English Classes Based on an Activity Perspective

Abstract

This paper conducts an in-depth analysis of the issues present in current high school English listening and speaking classes and proposes corresponding improvements. Firstly, it identifies the challenges faced by high school English listening and speaking instruction, including inadequate emphasis on training listening and speaking skills by teachers, lack of operational and measurable course objectives, monotonous forms of activity organization, limitations in the use of listening materials and tools, weak connections between introductory segments and thematic content, failure to understand listening and speaking discourse based on thematic significance, neglect of teaching learning strategies, absence of learning activities in authentic contexts, and singular evaluation methods. Subsequently, a series of suggestions for enhancing teaching quality and efficiency are put forward, such as designing instruction around thematic contexts that integrate listening, speaking, reading, viewing, and writing skills; fostering the development of students’ core competencies, particularly language ability and cultural awareness; conducting comprehensive, interconnected, and practical learning activities; utilizing modern information technology to create a culturally rich learning environment; and implementing formative and multifaceted evaluation mechanisms. These improvement measures aim to enhance students’ listening and speaking abilities and cultivate them as lifelong learners with good listening and speaking habits.