Online English Reading Instruction in the ESL Classroom Based on Constructivism

With the development of Internet technology, teachers are constantly seeking innovative methods to match the potential enhancement of technology. Although many studies have been done before, these are not enough in this field. The purpose of this article is to explore innovative designs to change traditional instruction mode and test its impact. The case was carried out in English as a Second Language (ESL), classroom of NO.9 middle school of Bengbu, an underdeveloped area of China. We compared online instruction with traditional textbook literature methods to improve the reading skills of students; a questionnaire survey designed specifically for this study was conducted at the end of semester; and the collected data were processed. The findings of this study indicated that online instruction is effective, students have gained more knowledge and information through Internet than before, it helped them to improve reading skills, arouse students’ interest and motivation in learning, exam results of students have been improved significantly, and it created a positive learning situation.