walks of life begin to learn English in order to meet the needs of life and work.
However, adults are greatly different from adolescents in school and students in
college in terms of physiology, psychology and cognition. As a matter of fact, the
current situation of adult English teaching at the beginners’ level is that most teachers
are part-time teachers and there is not a teaching method which suits for the
characteristics of adult learners very well. In order to change the situation, specialized
research need to be conducted in the field of adult English learning, at the beginners’
level especially. An increasing number of teachers and scholars have begun to pay
attention to exploring a suitable teaching approach. The author of the present thesis
thinks that Double C Method (hereinafter called DCM), i.e. the integration of Conscious
Comparative Approach and Communicative Approach in the teaching procedure, can
help adults learn English better. Referring to the findings by teachers and scholars, the
author analyzes the characteristics of adult learners and the merits and demerits of
Conscious Comparative Approach and Communicative Approach. On this basis, she
attempts to implement DCM for the purpose of improving the teaching quality of
English course for adults and realizing the objectives of adult English teaching.
62 subjects from Shanghai Zili Institute took part in this experiment, half in the
experimental class and half in the control class. They used the same textbook and were
taught by the same teacher, i.e. the author. Both of these classes underwent an identical
pre-test at the very beginning of the research to ensure that there was no statistically
significant difference concerning their prior English proficiency. In the control class
Conscious Comparative Approach was adopted while in the experimental class DCM
was adopted. The author chose one unit (Unit 12) from the textbook as a model class,
after the implementation of which a questionnaire was handed out to the two classes to
gather their reflections on these two teaching methods. After almost four months’
teaching, students of these two classes had an identical post-test and another
questionnaire was handed out. Their test performances and other information were
gathered and analyzed by use of SPSS. The feedback of questionnaires and data analysis
of the tests proved that adult learners in the experimental class master English better
than those in the control class. In the post-test, the pass rate of experimental class is
about 12.9 percent higher than that of the control class. As for the total marks, the
average score of the experimental class is about 6.16 points higher than that of the
control class. There is statistically significant difference between the two classes of
students on most sections as well as the total score (significant at the 0.05 level).
Thus, DCM should be adopted in adults’ English classes at the beginners’ level.
At the end of the thesis, the author puts forward some suggestions on the
implementation of DCM from the angle of classroom teaching. Though the author has
made great efforts to devise and carry out this study, it is far from perfect. This study,
therefore, serves as an invitation to further research so that the ultimate goal of
improving adults’ English level can be achieved.
Key Words: adult English teaching, Conscious Comparative Approach,
Communicative Approach, Double C Method