Analysis of Chinese Cultures Impact on Oral English Communication BarriersAbstractWith Chinas entry into WTO, Chinese are paying more attention to the ability of speaking oral English. However, people still have some problems as to how to overcome the barriers in oral communication. This paper attempts to assess English teaching situation in junior middle schools and senior middle schools in China from the following perspectives: the classroom environment, the family background, the class activities in language learning, teaching methods, teaching syllabus, with a view to reveal the potential disadvantages of the oral English teaching practice in junior middle school and senior high schools English circumstances. The author tries to explore the barriers in oral English teaching and learning through the instruments of questionnaire, interview and class observation. With a combined analysis of the environment of learning spoken English, the data collected in the interview and the scores of the spoken English tests, the author found out some possible reasons for learners silence in language class such as dissatisfaction with the teaching methods, fear of losing “face”, stress caused by parents expectation, etc.In order to promote English learning on an overall scale, students affective demands should be identified, and language teachers should pay enough attention to heuristic teaching method. The author suggests that the language teachers should play the role of resource provider and activity organizer instead of being the dominant figure in class. Besides, it is also suggested that students take initiatives to overcome the anxiety in using a foreign language and throw away the false concepts such as fear of losing face; transform the idea of competition to the spirit of cooperation; reduce the stress caused by the authoritarian figures in Chinese culture.Key words: Chinese culture; communication barriers; oral EnglishI中国文化对英语口语交流障碍的分析摘要随着中国加入世贸组织以来，我国越来越重视英语口语的交流。但是，在影响口语能力提高的因素的问题上，虽然学界做过一些讨论，但一直没有形成统一的看法。本文对初中高中英语教学的环境及家庭环境的各个侧面，诸如教学大纲、教材、中国的应试教育的影响以及学生的焦虑心理等等进行分析，从中分析口语教学的所面临的不利因素。作者通过对学生的问卷调查，访谈，观察课堂等形式，探索初高中英语课堂口语教学中教师和学生在教与学中遇到的具体障碍。并且结合面谈和对学生平时练习口语的环境包括平时口语考试成绩的综合分析了解到学生较为集中地倾向于用以下原因解释其在英语课上的缄默，即陈旧的英语课教学方法，英语教师对个别学生的偏爱，怕丢“面子”，谦逊、避免张扬维护集体和睦，父母的过高期望造成的学习压力等。同时文章重点分析了受中西不同思维模式对英语口语交流障碍的影响。作者建议在素质教育模式的引导下，语言教师、外语学习者共同努力，重视影响我国外语学习者语言焦虑的文化因素，减轻其对学生情感的负面影响，提高学习效果。从教师来说，语言教师充分认识学生的情感需要，将课堂竞争变为课堂合作学习；教师应与学生普遍进行思想交流；教师之间多进行教学法交流探讨，引导学生认识到语言焦虑对外语学习的负面影响，帮助学生积极主动地克服焦虑。同时教师应引导学生在口语交流时应注意中西思维模式的转换。此外，对学习者而言，外语学习者应积极从自身克服障碍，摒弃“面子第一”的错误思想，摒弃认为积极主动参与外语课堂活动便是张扬、炫耀的传统观念，把竞争意识转变为交流、合作学习意识。从家庭的角度看，建议学生主动与教师和家长沟通思想，与父母和教师做朋友，减轻传统观念中教师和父母权威地位对自己外语学习的负面影响，建议学生克服怕出错的心理碍。关键词:中国文化；交流障碍；英语口语ContentsAbstractI摘要IIChapter 1 Introduction11.1 Problem Statement11.2 Purpose of the Research21.3 Significance of the Study21.4 The Overall Frame of the Paper2Chapter 2 Literature Review32.1 Language and Culture32.2 Oral English Communication Barriers3Chapter 3 Factors Affecting Language Communication Barriers43.1 Detouring round the Cultural Barriers43.2 Chinese and Western Language Habits and Ways of Thinking63.3 Analysis of the Teaching Methods and Chinese Students Learning Circumstances of Middle School and High School73.4 Analysis of Exam-oriented Education in China93.5 The Students Seven Factors of Anxiety103.6 Summary11Chapter 4 Finding Analysis134.1 An Investigation into the Juniors and Seniors on Oral English Communication Barriers134.2 An Investigation of the English Teachers in Middle School144.3 Summary15Chapter 5 Conclusion165.1 The Significance and Suggestion for Students Spoken English165.2 Suggestion for Teachers17Works Cited19Analysis of Chinese Cultures Impact on Oral English Communication BarriersChapter 1 Introduction1.1 Problem StatementRight now in China, much importance is given to English learning. Since the third grade in the primary school, all pupils have to learn English. English language is one of the basic courses along with Chinese language and mathematics in junior and senior middle school. In universities, English course is for all students. Undoubtedly, English enjoys high popularity owing to its status as lingua franca of world. But English education in China has received a lot of criticism as high scores and low abilities, dumb English, low efficiency and time consuming, for many college students can pass CET 4-band or CET 6-band tests but cannot express themselves in English. The poor communicative competence of most English learners remains the main problem challenging English teachers and researchers in China.Since 1980s, when Krashens Input Hypothesis (1985) was introduced into China, foreign language teachers and experts in China seemed to have found the right theory to promote their foreign language teaching community. Language input theories had become the horn o