阅读不是单纯的语言训练，而是学生与相关语言文本进行的交流，缺乏背景知识直接影响学生对语篇的整体理解。

《牛津小学英语》教材重视对学生阅读能力的培养，从5A开始A部分的对话前都增加了引言部分。引言往往只有三五句话，但却揭示了对话的背景，起着统领对话的作用。

如5A Unit1 The first day at school A部分的引言如下：It is the first day at school of the new term.All the students are back at school.They are happy to see each other again.该部分可以结合具体的情景实施教学。我就在开学第一天进行了该部分的教学，不仅语境真实、自然，而且学生容易理解。针对其中的生词，指导学生围绕the first day at school这一单元主题，通过师生间的如下对话来学习。

T:It’s the first day at school.What is the date?

S:It’s the first of September.

T:So it is the first day at school of the new term.

抓住新学期开学第一天这个信息，让学生找找身边的新事物。如：

T:What is new in our school?

S:(new books,new classroom,new teachers…)

T:Is there a new building in our school?

在谈话中相机渗透新知识。如：

T:What is new in Mike’s school?Is there a new building in his school?What are they talking about?

S:They are talking about the new building in their school.

T:Guess,what’s in the new building?Are there any classrooms in the building?

S:Yes,there are.

T:How many classrooms are there in the building?

  Is there a computer room in the building?

  …

  If you want to know the answers,please read the dialogue.

    这样就顺势导入了对话的学习，让学生谈论学校的新大楼，自然地学习了语篇中的重点句式。

    用生活的视角探究教材文本的内涵，通过谈话等活动激活学生的相关背景知识，是学生理解对话的重要支持。学生真正理解了单元话题的含义，加深了对文本背景的理解，对教材的理解也更深刻。