Iceberg Theory in Teaching of Vocational English Reading

Nixin Zhou

Jiangsu Jiankang Vocational College, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211800, China

Keywords: English teaching, higher vocational colleges, Iceberg theory, English reading teaching.

Abstract: Reading comprehension, a quite challenging part in vocational English teaching, strongly requires to be

improved. Iceberg theory, a literature and art theory proposed by Hemingway, can also be referenced in

vocational English reading teaching to inspire student’s potential. Therefore, student’s foundation of

English grammar and vocabulary can be further firmed to cultivate their ability of reading English text

independently, which lays an important foundation for perfecting student’s comprehensive English ability.

1 INTRODUCTION

English reading is of great importance in vocational

English teaching because comprehensive basis of

English application can only be formed with certain

reading amount. The iceberg theory, proposed by

Austrian psychologist Freud and American writer

Hemingway in last century, has certain reference

value to reading courses. Iceberg theory analyzes

people’s mental activities, thinking people’s mental

world has the characteristic of hierarchy (Fang Fang,

2010). However, the application of iceberg theory in

vocational English teaching still needs to be

explored and thought.

2 ICEBERG THEORY AND ITS

TEACHING APPLICATION

Although iceberg theory was developed on the basis

of Freud’s theory, it was officially proposed by

Hemingway. In his work, Hemingway used iceberg

as his metaphor, thinking writers should only

describe upper part of iceberg while the part under

the sea should be supplied by readers through the

guidance of text. Hemingway thought iceberg was

grand exactly for its connotation (Li Jingna, Wang

Yao, 2008). Therefore, abstract things like emotion

and thought, occupying only seven-eighths of

literary text, requires readers to understand by

themselves.

Therefore, iceberg theory is an introductory art in

education. Traditional teaching mode emphasizes

students learn with teacher’s teaching speed and

content, which is a unidirectional communication in

essence. However, this unidirectional

communication actually becomes a passive infusion,

making students lack positivity and receive

knowledge passively.

Iceberg theory solves the problem of heavy teaching

content with less teaching time in higher vocational

colleges. Besides, iceberg theory can help students

apply English knowledge and expand their

knowledge range under teacher’s guidance in

vocational English teaching (Yuan Pinghua, 2010).

Therefore, the dominant position of students in

higher vocational colleges can be highlighted,

eventually carrying out English course smoothly.

3 CURRENT PROBLEMS IN

VOCATIONAL ENGLISH

READING TEACHING

Higher vocational education aims at cultivating

excellent practical talents with personal ability

which can be put into market. Vocational English

teaching should also mainly centre on this aspect,

because English reading, a basic course in

cultivating practical ability, can improve student’s

language practice ability. Student’s reading ability

about relevant English materials plays a decisive

role in their English application ability. In particular,

their English reading ability determines their ability

on getting information form English materials.

Moreover, excellent English reading ability is an

important foundation of English self-study ability.

Therefore, perfecting vocational English reading

179

Zhou N.

Iceberg Theory in Teaching of Vocational English Reading.

DOI: 10.5220/0006446501790181

In ISME 2016 - Information Science and Management Engineering IV (ISME 2016), pages 179-181

ISBN: 978-989-758-208-0

179

teaching attaches great importance to student’s

English ability.

However, current vocational English reading

teaching meets certain dilemma. Although abundant

English reading is an ideal way to form English

ability, there are problems in current vocational

English reading teaching, especially in course

content and teaching mode. Besides, communication

and exchange between teachers and students are

insufficient. The concluded real situations are as

follows.

3.1 Lack of teacher’s systematicness

and attraction in reading theory

Vocational English reading teaching, same as other

teaching activities, should regard students as centre

of education and study. According to average

situation of higher vocational students, most of

students lack good English reading foundation while

their English ability and cultural foundation require

improvement. Students from higher vocational

college lose points in reading in many English tests.

Therefore, teachers are positive to explore reading

teaching method in daily teaching. Currently, many

teachers lack systematic and scientific method in

exploring English reading teaching, meeting plenty

of problems in daily teaching. Thus teachers will

lose enthusiasm in exploring English reading

teaching method gradually as time passes. English

reading teaching without theoretical direction is a

blind practice, which unable to attract higher

vocational students.

3.2 More lecturing of English teachers

than student’s participation

Many English teachers face objective challenges in

daily reading teaching, for example, less vocabulary

and weak English grammar and knowledge of higher

vocational students. According to this situation,

many teachers require higher vocational students to

answer relevant questions after reading an English

article independently. However, it has many

difficulties, especially in feasibility. Teachers

sometimes exceed their authorities for teaching

progress, making students lack enough time to think

and find answers. On the other hand, some students

do not have an overall understanding to English text

specifically. Teachers translate the text sentence by

sentence in teaching, thus students do not get the

chance to read and comprehend. Therefore, students

lose progress of participation and understanding of

language, making it hard for them to form English

reading ability. In this way, many higher vocational

teachers spend lots of time lecturing the text and its

minor details without concluding reading skills and

language rule. Once a complete English article is cut

apart, students will not be attracted. Moreover, they

will feel the knowledge of language complicated and

lose thinking initiative gradually, thus relying on

teachers’ lecturing and receiving knowledge

passively.

3.3 Single teaching method in lecturing

on reading knowledge

Most of higher vocational students are weak at

English. Therefore teachers should prepare some

relevant questions for students to warm up, guiding

them to preview and consolidate relevant words in

teaching. However, in most of higher vocational

English courses, teachers mainly use question-

answer mode in which students answer questions

relying on teacher’s prepared answers instead of

their own thinking. In such a progress, students learn

vocational English knowledge passively. Thus their

learning initiative and divergent thinking ability

cannot be stimulated. Current themes of vocational

English reading are abundant, which cannot receive

ideal effect through single teaching method.

3.4 English reading progress relying on

multimedia equipment overly

Many vocational English reading courses focus on

students exploring relevant knowledge positively

while relying on outside scientific technology

overly. For example, many higher vocational

colleges use multimedia tools in English class

widely with the development of electronic computer

technology. Although multimedia tools help teachers

expand course content and improve teaching

efficiency, it makes teachers simplify their thinking.

Some questions require students to explore by using

their thinking ability, however multimedia tools

make relevant answers appear intuitionally. In this

way, student’s abstract thinking ability, especially

for literal image and inspiration, cannot get

exercised.

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4 THINKING OF VOCATIONAL

ENGLISH READING

TEACHING BASED ON

ICEBERG THEORY

Considering iceberg theory, teachers cannot replace

students to think, which is completely exceed their

duties. Instead, teachers should encourage students

to think and make breakthroughs with their thinking

ability. Such a method is actually connected with

Hemingway’s iceberg theory. Student’s ability of

seeking knowledge is like iceberg. Teachers impart

student knowledge which is the upper part of iceberg

while help the bottom of iceberg develop gradually.

However, student’s initiative cannot be replaced and

their dynamic role should be fully played.

4.1 Creating relevant study

environment to attract students

Current English teaching cannot proceed without

student’s learning experience. Moreover, it should

centre on student’s learning interest, making them

practice and experience language positively.

Therefore, student’s initiative of English skill

application can be promoted in communication.

Students should play a dynamic role, because as

iceberg theory says, people’s knowledge is like

mountains hidden under the sea, which cannot be

taught by teachers forcibly. Besides, this knowledge

should be transformed into a positive study

environment, making students explore by

themselves. Therefore, it is important for teachers to

set such a study environment, making students play

their initiative and creativity in this simulated

environment. Student’s using of English is the

process of upper iceberg transforming into the

bottom one. Teachers should help students imitate

conversations and explore text environment in

English reading class, making students present their

talents and form specific English ability eventually.

4.2 Constructing mutual-help study

group to provide mutual

communication

Teachers can start from Sukhomlinskii’s theory

which aims at avoiding students from aesthetic

fatigue on study, making them high-spirited. To

develop iceberg, iceberg theory requires students to

study and master relevant theory while keep

themselves inspired. Higher vocational teachers can

let students from study groups by their own in

reading classes, making students from mature

English application skills through communicate and

cooperate in language experiment. Besides, students

can learn from each other. For example, in a reading

group, some students have a solid foundation of

English grammar while some master certain

vocabulary, thus they can learn from each other

under teacher’s guidance. In this way, students can

find the joy of learning language, thus finding

knowledge under the sea initiatively. This

independent research is of great significance to

student’s positivity. This mutual communication,

especially between teachers and students, can help

teachers learn student’s mastery of basic knowledge

more accurately. Therefore, it lays an important

foundation of vocational English teaching, which is

also an important condition of student’s

development.

5 CONCLUSIONS

China has been in WTO for over ten years.

Therefore, talents in new period should better master

and apply English in daily business and

communication to meet the requirement of time and

market. Currently, many higher vocational colleges

have English class and make it a compulsory

cultural basic course, aiming at firming student’s

English foundation and improving comprehensive

ability on their former basis. As the guidance,

Iceberg theory can improve not only students’

English language ability and level, but also their

comprehensive humanistic quality, thus laying a

firm foundation in a further direction.

REFERENCES

Fang Fang. Inspiration of Constructivism-based Reading

Teaching in Vocational Colleges. Vocational &

Technical Education Forum, 2010(2): 61-63.

Li Jingna, Wang Yao. A Research of English Reading

Teaching Mode on the Base of Constructivism.

Journal of Sichuan College of Education, 2008(7): 53-

55.

Yuan Pinghua. Reform of University English Teaching

and Content-based Instruction. Foreign Language

World, 2010(3): 109-110.

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