Bruner's Learning Theory in Teaching Chinese : Inquiry and Praxis Sze-yin YEUNG The Hong Kong Institute of Education Shulman,1987 pedagogical content knowledge 1996 Abstract In recent decades teacher s profession has become a hot issue of discussion among educators and researchers. Shulman's pedagogical content knowledge stimulates much interest as well as response in the discourse. Many educators emphasize that it is most salient for primary and secondary teachers to master pedagogical content knowledge of school subjects. Hitherto, pedagogical content knowledge for various school subjects has been developed with different extent. The examples for the teaching of Chinese are found mostly in ways of academic and professional sharings. These sharings surely enhance the conceptualization of pedagogical content knowledge for frontline practitioners in the teaching of Chinese, yet fail to demonstrate with practice. This paper inquires into Bruner's theory in teaching and its feasibility in the teaching of Chinese. The author uses the Concept Attainment Model as a focus of inquiry. This 1
is followed by demonstrating a practice of the model in teaching a Chinese lesson in a primary classroom. With this effort, the author wishes to share experience, and raise further concerns for the development of pedagogical content knowledge in the teaching of Chinese in primary schools. subject matter content knowledge general pedagogical knowledge Shulman, 1987 pedagogical content knowledge 1996 1996 Mak et al., 1994 1989 1990 1 1994 2 1992 Jerome S. Bruner 1960 1978 2
1. 2. 3. 4. 1960 1978 enactive representation iconic representation symbolic representation 1978 41 (intrinsic motivation) intellectual development readiness for learning 1988 Theory of cognitive growth Spiral Curriculum the structure of a subject matter the structure of a subject a sense of excitement through discovery Discovery Learning 3
1. 2. constraints 1. 2. extrinsic motives intrinsic motives 3. the inquiry method, or the heuristics 4. memory intuitive thinking generative model the discovery method, or the heuristics 1966 1977 1. 2. 3. 4. 4
Man: A Course of Study MACOS contrast hypothesis-making stimulating self-consciousnesss concept formation concept attainment attributes 1996 Schwab et.al., 1990 1. 2. inductive approach 1. 2. 5
3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. ( Schwab, J & et.al., 1990, p.90-102) 1997 6
3, 1. 2. 3. 1995 * * * XX * * * * 7
8, /
, 9
4 5 1980 1998 10
11 1978 38 subject content knowledge : 1978 39 effectiveness 1978 66 1978 66
1992 23 1. 2. 1994 23 3. 4. (98 1 ) 5. 4 1989 1977 1978 1992 15-26 1998 22-32 1988 1990 1996 195-224 1995 1996 1980 1994 3-10 1997 / 1996 Bruner, J. (1960). The process of education. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 12
Bruner, J. (1966). Toward a Theory of Instruction. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. Mak, C. W. N et. al. (1994). The Teachers Certificate and beyond: observation, reflections and proposals for curriculum change. Papers by the Task Group for Curriculum Planning (1993-1994). Hong Kong : Education Department. Schwab, J. et.al. (1990). Instruction A Models Approach. Allyn & Bacon: p. 90-102. Shulman, L.S. (1987). Knowledge and teaching: Foundations of the new reform. Harvard Educational Review, 57(1), p.1-23. syyeung@ied.edu.hk 13