Research on the application of situational teaching method in primary school Chinese language teaching

Abstract

How effective is situational teaching in elementary school Chinese language instruction? Situational teaching emphasizes learning within meaningful, real-life contexts and is grounded in constructivist and situated cognition theories. This quasi-experimental study investigated 150 fourth-grade students across three urban primary schools in Henan Province, China, comparing situational teaching with conventional methods over an eighteen-week semester. Students in the experimental group received structured situational lessons twice a week, incorporating life-based and problem-based scenarios, while control classes followed standard instruction. Data were collected through standardized writing assessments, classroom observations, and student interviews. Results indicate that students receiving situational instruction scored significantly higher on writing tests, demonstrated greater intrinsic interest in learning Chinese, and nearly doubled their weekly classroom contributions. The largest gains were observed in content development and text organization, while mechanical writing skills improved less. These findings provide robust evidence for the benefits of situational teaching, highlight key implementation factors, and offer practical guidance for teachers seeking to enhance engagement and learning outcomes in primary school Chinese education.