Effect of Network-Assisted Language Teaching Model on Undergraduate English Skills

With the coming of the information age, computer-based teaching model has had an important impact on English teaching. Since 2004, the trial instruction on Network-assisted Language Teaching (NALT) Model integrating the English instruction and computer technology has been launched at some universities in China, including China university of Geosciences (Beijing) (CUGB). The purpose of this paper is to provide experimental evidence about whether NALT Model can enhance undergraduate English skills more effectively than the traditional teaching model. In this study, an experimental study is conducted to get the data (students’ exam scores from experimental group and control group). Then a comparison method is utilized to analyze the experiment data that is the final examinations of every semester from the fall semester of 2005 to the fall semester of 2006 at CUGB. The results of a separate independent t-test demonstrate significant differences between experimental and control groups in mid-test and post-test with SPSS 11.5. Then a graphical model S X  Plane Analysis Model (Li & Xie, 1994) is used to analyze the statistical characteristics of both groups’ scores. The results show that the whole distribution of the experimental group’s scores in the post-test is totally in the best state. Above study results indicate NALT model is indeed more effective than the traditional classroom teaching model in improving undergraduate English skills. This study contributes to the better realization of the effect of NALT model, and urges researchers to deepen the study of this field in future.