Teaching English Public Speaking to Chinese Students of Science and Engineering Based upon Cognitive Load Theory

Abstract

This thesis focuses on John Sweller’s cognitive load theory and probes into the possibility of teaching English public speaking to students in four steps: watch and read, watch and imitate, watch and retell, adapt and reproduce. The teaching materials and activities should be designed from easy to difficult sequence and from part to whole sequence so as to lower students’ cognitive load and to enhance their learning effectiveness.