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在高中英文寫作教學搭起閱讀及寫作之虹橋
Bridging the Gap Between Reading and Writing in English Writing Instruction for
Senior High School Students
By Sylvia Chen
BACKGROUND AND BACKGROUND AND MOTIVATIONMOTIVATION
1. Reading not only provides beginning writers with a good model for writing styles but also offers them necessary sources for writing.
2. In writing instruction, reading is often regarded as the springboard for writing. Senior high school students in Taiwan are often encouraged to do extensive reading.
BACKGROUND AND BACKGROUND AND MOTIVATIONMOTIVATION
3. When writing in English, the primary challenge EFL writers face is not language problems but how to use the language to create meaning (Chen, 1992, p. 131.).
4. In an integrative language program, a reading-and-writing connection is stressed to help students read and write in an effective and meaningful way.
PURPOSES OF THE STUDYPURPOSES OF THE STUDY
1. To evaluate the students’ writing performance1. To evaluate the students’ writing performance in content, organization, vocabulary, languagein content, organization, vocabulary, language use, and mechanics in the RWCP.use, and mechanics in the RWCP. (Reading-Writing Connection Program.)
2. To investigate whether 2. To investigate whether the rhetoric devicesthe rhetoric devices affect the affect the students’ writing performance.students’ writing performance.
3. To investigate whether the rhetoric devices 3. To investigate whether the rhetoric devices affect the affect the five typesfive types of the writing performance. of the writing performance.
PURPOSES OF THE STUDYPURPOSES OF THE STUDY
4. To explore the student responses to English4. To explore the student responses to English reading, English writing, and the reading-and-reading, English writing, and the reading-and- writing connection writing connection before and afterbefore and after the RWCP. the RWCP.
5. To understand student responses to the 5. To understand student responses to the readingreading selectionsselections in the RWCP. in the RWCP.
6. To understand the effect of 6. To understand the effect of group discussionsgroup discussions in in the RWCP.the RWCP.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS1. To what extent do the students change their writing performance in content, organization, vocabulary, language use, and mechanics?
2. To what extent do the rhetoric devices affect the students’ writing performance?
3. To what extent do the rhetoric devices affect the five types of the students’ writing performance?
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
4. What are the student responses to English
reading, English writing, and the reading- and-writing connection before and after
the RWCP?
5. What are the student responses to the reading selections in the RWCP?
6. What is the effect of group discussions in the RWCP?
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
1. To provide detailed information how reading affects writing for the students.
2. To provide all the English teachers in senior high school with a reference to design some effective teaching strategies.
3. To provide students with an alternative literary learning model in English
instruction.
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
1. The sample size was limited.2. The time was limited.3. The reading selections were
short.4 The writing assignments were short essays.
DEFINITION OF TERMS1. Process-oriented writing approach. A process-oriented writing approach refers to an encouraging and cooperative learning environment in which students engage in their writing activities with enough time and minimum interference (Silva, 1990).2. Product-oriented writing approach.3. Classroom interaction.4. Reading strategies.5. Schema theory
LITERATURE REVIEWI. Information Processing in Reading 1. Bottom-Up Processing 2. Top-Down Processing 3. The Interactive Processing in Reading
II. The Nature of Writing 1. Writing Is a Process of Meaning-
Discovery 2. Writing Is a Way of Social
Communication 3. Writing is a Way of Problem-Solving
LITERATURE REVIEW
III. Reading-and-Writing Connection
1. Theories of Reading and Writing 2. Research of Reading-and-Writing
Connection
IV. Writing Instruction
1. A Process-Oriented Writing Approach 2. A Product-Oriented Writing Approach
METHODOLOGY
SUBJECTS
Group
Sex Class A Class B Sum
Boys 3 0 3
Girls 27 39 66
Total 30 39 69
INSTRUMENTS
1. Five reading selections.
2. A sample lesson plan in the RWCP.
3. The English writing proficiency pretest
in the RWCP.
INSTRUMENTS
4. The English writing proficiency post-test in the RWCP.
5. A pretest questionnaire and a post-test questionnaire on the students’ attitudes toward reading and writing.
6. The writing assignments.
Five Reading Selections
No.
Rhetoric Device
Topics
1. Narration The Day I Missed the Bus
2. Description A Feline Felon3. Exposition Accepting Compliments4. Comparison Greenwell University
and State University5. Argumentation Cloning: Progress or
Peril?
A Sample Lesson Plan in the RWCP
Name of the essay: The Day I Missed the Bus.
Subjects: twelfth-graders in senior high school
The First Phase
Teachers Activities Students Activities
1. Tell students the lousiest day you have and ask students if they have similar experiences.2. Tell students the main ideas of the short essay: The Day I Missed the Bus.3. Divide students into groups and ask students to read the essay in groups.4. Ask students to discuss any new words or phrases they don’t understand with group partners.5. Have students exchange their opinions about the short essay in groups.
6. Have a spokesman of each group generalize his comments and responses during the discussion.
1. Listen and answer the teacher’s questions.2. Listen.
3. Read.
4. Discuss.
5. Discuss the content of the short essay and share their ideas about the essay.6. Listen and jot down the ideas they like.
The Second Phase
Teachers Activities Students Activities
1. Tell students the topic we are going to write: An Unforgettable Experience.2. Have groups discuss the content of the topic and request each other to brainstorm any words or phrases they need in the assignment. 3. Ask the group to do the thought mapping 4. Ask students to read the short essay “The Day I Missed the Bus” again.5. Remind students to use the past tense when they describe the past experience.6. Remind students to apply the words, phrases and expressions they have learned in the short essay into their composition. 7. Ask all of the students to accomplish their own writing in about 120 words and turn in their compositions to you after the class is dismissed.
1. Listen.
2. Speak and discuss.
3. Do the thought mapping.4. Read.
5. Listen.
6. Listen and jot down the words, phrases, and expressions they need.
7. Write and respond.
The English Writing Proficiency Pretest in the RWCP
The purpose was to assess the subjects’
English writing proficiency in content,
organization, vocabulary, language use,
and mechanics.
The English Writing Proficiency Post-test in the RWCP
The purpose was to compare the difference in students’ writing proficiency before and after the
RWCP.
The Questionnaires
They were designed to investigate the
subjects’ background and theirattitudes toward English reading
andwriting in the RWCP (Appendix C.)
一 . 寫作過程1. 英文寫作過程中，我常常知道要寫什麼。……………………………………………………… ..□ □ □ □ □
2. 英文寫作過程中，我可以用英文表達我的想法。……………………… ..……. ………………..□ □ □ □ □
3. 英文寫作過程中，我會先擬大綱，再寫稿。……………… .…………………………………….□ □ □ □ □
二 . 閱讀過程4. 在閱讀的過程中，我必須查字典才能了解文章的大意。……………………………………… .□ □ □ □ □
5. 在閱讀的過程中，我可以藉由上下文來瞭解文章的大意。………… .…………………………□ □ □ □ □
6. 在閱讀的過程中，我會和同學討論，以確定自己是否真正了解所讀文 章的內容。…… ..…..□ □ □ □ □
三 . 閱讀與寫作的過程7. 在閱讀一篇相關作品中，我會把閱讀中所需要的單字，片語及句型應用 於我的英文 寫作。………………………………… .……………….…………………………………………..□ □ □ □ □
8. 在閱讀不同的寫作文體 (rhetoric devices) ，我會學習各種文體的寫作方 式。……………… ..□ □ □ □ □
9. 我認為閱讀的文章不要太長，短篇文章的內容對我的英文寫作較有幫助。…………………□ □ □ □ □
A Pretest Questionnaire on Students’ Attitude Toward the RWCP
II. 問答題10. 寫作過程中，我覺得英文寫作最困難的項目是 :
_________ > __________ > __________ > __________ > __________
( 請依困難之強度排列五個選項 )
a. 內容方面：寫出與題意有關的主題，並且能用具體、完整的相關細節來支持中心思想。 (content)
b. 組織方面：文章有佈局，開頭、發展和結尾的安排比例適當，並且段落連貫、文章流暢。 (organization)
c. 用字拼字方面： 用字精確、合乎習慣用法、沒有拼字錯誤。 (vocabulary)
d. 句構修辭方面：文法無誤、修辭妥當而且句子有變化。 (language use)
e. 標點及大小寫方面：格式、標點及大小寫無誤。 (mechanics)
THE WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
No.
Rhetoric Device
Topics
1. Narration An Unforgettable Experience
2. Description A Person Who Influences Me Most
3. Exposition The Advantages of the Internet
4. Comparison A Home and a House
5. Argumentation Should Violent Scenes on TV Programs Be Banned?
PROCEDURESStudents write the pretest composition on “My Ideal Colleg
e Life” and answer the pretest questionnaire.
Students read selection 1 and write composition 1. Students read selection 2 and write composition 2. Students read selection 3 and write composition 3. Students read selection 4 and write composition 4. Students read selection 5 and write composition 5.
Students write the post-test composition on “My Ideal College Life” and answer the post-test questionnaire.
The researcher computes and analyzes the data.
DATA ANALYSIS1. A Quantitative Analysis
(1) Students’ English writing proficiency before and after the RWCP were analyzed by t-test.
(2) Student responses before and after the RWCP were analyzed by t-test.
The Writing Assessment Criteria of the Joint College Entrance Exam (MOE, 2001)
Item Components Level Score
Content (20%)
Knowledge of subject, relevant to assigned topic, development of thesis.
Excellence Good Fair Poor
3-4 2 1 0
Organization
(20%)
Connection of ideas, cohesion, sequence, logic.
Excellence Good Fair Poor
3-4 2 1 0
Vocabulary (20%)
Choice, usage, and from of word and idiom.
Excellence Good Fair Poor
3-4 2 1 0
Language Use
(20%)
Sentence structure, use of tense agreement, articles, pronouns, prepositions, etc..
Excellence Good Fair Poor
3-4 2 1 0
Mechanics(20%)
Spelling, punctuation, capitalization, paragraphing.
Excellence Good Fair Poor
3-4 2 1 0
DATA ANALYSIS2. A Qualitative Analysis
Student responses to the RWCP
were analyzed to explain the results of the study.
Results and Discussion
Total Mean
SD SE t df p
Pretest 10.93 2.01 .24-3.01 68 .00*Post-
test11.63 1.56 1.56
Students’ Writing Performance
Table 3:Comparison of the Writing Performance of the Students Between the Pretest and the Post-test
Table 4:Comparison of Five Types of Writing Performance of the Students Between the Pretest and the Post-test
Type Number
Mean SD t p
1. Content Pretest Post-test
6969
2.763.04
.49
.37-4.59 .00*
2. Organization Pretest Post-test
6969
2.683.06
.49
.30-6.05 .00*
3. Vocabulary Pretest Post-test
6969
1.802.01
.45
.44-3.20 .00*
4. Language Use Pretest Post-test
6969
1.641.68
.54
.50-.40 .69
5. Mechanics Pretest Post-test
6969
1.822.00
.51
.50-2.55 .01*
3.03 2.92
1.961.6
2.12
0
1
2
3
4
5
Content OrganizationVocabulary LanguageUse
Mechanics
Figure 5. Comparison of Five Types of Writing Performance of the Students in the Five Assignments
Table 5Comparison of the Student Responses to the Five Types of Writing Performance Between the Pretest and the Post-test
TestContentF P
Organization F P
Vocabulary F P
Language Use F P
Mechanics F P
PretestPost-test
20 43.5%26 56.5%
17 41.5% 24 58.5%
15 65.2% 8 34.8%
17 60.7% 11 39.3%
0 0% 0 0%
Figure 6. Comparison of the Writing Performance of Five Rhetoric Devices of the Students
10.6911.76 12.3 11.94
10.28
0
5
10
15
20
Narrartion Description Exposition Comparison Argumentation
Table 6Comparison of Five Different Rhetoric Devices and Five Types of Writing Performance of the Students
Type Rhetoric Device N Mean SD F Posteriori
Content
1. Narration2. Description3. Exposition4. Comparison5. Argumentation
6969696969
2.863.143.182.612.78
.56
.35
.34
.54
.41
19.32* 1>42>1453>145
Organization
1. Narration2. Description3. Exposition4. Comparison5. Argumentation
6969696969
2.732.943.012.672.72
.54
.44
.40
.52
.48
6.84* 2>43>145
Vocabulary
1. Narration2. Description3. Exposition4. Comparison5. Argumentation
6969696969
1.761.952.011.861.67
.47
.52
.45
.56
.42
5.37* 2>53>5
Language Use
1. Narration2. Description3. Exposition4. Comparison5. Argumentation
6969696969
1.391.491.901.181.34
.50
.48
.54
.42
.44
21.97* 2>43>1245
Mechanics
1. Narration2. Description3. Exposition4. Comparison5. Argumentation
6969696969
1.932.242.181.981.76
.46
.34
.57
.44
.45
12.33* 2>1453>15
Comparison of Attitudes Toward English Reading, English Writing,
and Reading-and-Writing Connection
Table 7Comparison of Attitudes Toward English Writing of the Students Between the Pretest and the Post-test
Item Number
Mean SD t p
1. I always have some ideas about the
topic in writing. Pretest Post-test
6969
2.943.02
1.091.12
-.66 .51
2. I can express my ideas in English in writing. Pretest Post-test
6969
4.104.14
.59
.49-.55 .58
3. I often make a draft or an outline before writing. Pretest Post-test
6969
3.264.46
.93
.60-9.90 .00*
Table 8 Comparison of Attitudes Toward English Reading of the Students Between the Pretest and the Post-test
Item Number
Mean SD t p
4. I always have to consult the dictionary
to understand the contextual meaning
in reading. Pretest Post-test
6969
2.132.89
.88
.94-5.94 .00*
5. I can discover the meaning from the context in reading. Pretest Post-test
6969
1.882.72
.88
.95-6.46 .00*
6. I can discuss with my group partners to understand the thesis and the content in reading. Pretest Post-test
6969
3.613.82
.86
.82-1.50 .00*
Table 9Comparison of Attitudes Toward Reading-and-Writing
Connectionof the Students Between the Pretest and the Post-test
Item Number
Mean SD t p
7. I will apply the vocabulary, phrases, and sentence patterns of the reading selections in my writing. Pretest Post-test
6969
3.753.95
.89
.83-1.52 .13
8. I can learn to write different rhetoric devices from reading selections. Pretest Post-test
6969
3.443.59
.89
.64-1.42 .15
9. Short reading selections are more helpful to English writing. Pretest Post-test
6969
3.623.66
1.07.90
-.31 .75
Table 10Student Responses to Reading-and-Writing Connection
SA=Strongly Agree; A=Agree; N=Neutral; D=Disagree; SD=Strongly Disagree
Item SA A N DA AD Total
10. It is good to use the reading essays to inspire us to write.
% of Total
812%
2739%
2232%
1126%
11%
69100%
11. I will apply what I have learned in the reading essays in writing.
% of Total 46%
4058%
2029%
57%
00%
69100%
12. My writing ability has improved after reading a relevant essay.
% of Total26 38%
2840%
1116%
46%
00%
69100%
13. My writing process becomes easy after reading essays of different rhetoric devices.
% of Total
913%
4058%
1319%
710%
00%
69100%
Table 11Student Responses to Reading Selections
SA=Strongly Agree; A=Agree; N=Neutral; D=Disagree; SD=Strongly Disagree
Item SA A N DA AD Total
14. I am satisfied with the reading selections the teacher offers. % of Total
2131%
3348%
1420%
11%
00%
69100%
15. I find reading selections easy. % of Total
2435%
4160%
34%
11%
00%
69100%
Table 12Rank of the Reading Selections that the Students Like Most
Rank
Reading Selections Rhetoric Device
Frequency
Percent
1st A Feline Felon Description 22 31.9%2nd The Day I Missed the
BusNarration 19 27.5%
3rd Greenwell University and State University
Comparison 15 21.7%
4th Accepting Compliments
Exposition 7 10.1%
5th Cloning: Progress or Peril?
Argumentation
6 8.7%
Student Responses to the Reading Selection they like Most
“The content is very interesting. In addition, the ending is special and surprising.” (Student 11, Class A) “The topic is special and a little difficult. But the content gives me some food for thought and inspires me some creativity in writing.” (Student 22, Class A)
“The plots are so weird that I am curious about the development of the story.” (Student 12, Class B)
Table 13Rank of the Reading Selections that the Students Dislike Most
Rank
Reading Selections Rhetoric Device
Frequency
Percent
1st Cloning: Progress or Peril
Argumentation
41 59.4%
2nd A Feline Felon Narration 12 17.4%3rd Accepting
ComplimentsExposition 8 11.6%
4th Greenwell University and State University
Comparison 6 8.7%
5th The Day I Missed the Bus?
Description 2 2.9%
Student Responses to the Reading Selection they Dislike Most
“It is boring. The topic decreases our involvement in discussion. In fact, it is a distressing process to read argumentative essays.” (Student 17, Class A) “This reading article is related to the analysis and argumentation. Such topic can’t arouse my curiosity and interest.” (Student 25, Class A) “There are a lot of specific terms related to cloning. It is hard for me to interpret the meaning according
to the context.” (Student 30, Class B)
Table 14-1Student Responses to Group Discussions in the RWCP
SA=Strongly Agree; A=Agree; N=Neutral; D=Disagree; SD=Strongly Disagree
Item SA A N DA
AD
Total
16. I discuss my group partners to understand the thesis and the content. % of Total
3449%
2942%
66%
00%
00%
69100%
17. I discuss the textual meaning and word usage with my group partners when I encounter new words, idiom, and phrases. % of Total
3145%
3044%
57%
34%
00%
69100%
18. I can learn some vocabulary and idioms related to the topic in group discussion.
% of Total
36 52%
3145%
23%
00%
00%
69100%
Table 14-2Student Responses to Group Discussions in the RWCP
SA=Strongly Agree; A=Agree; N=Neutral; D=Disagree; SD=Strongly Disagree
Item SA A N DA AD Total
19. I can generate the ideas easily in group discussion. % of Total
2841%
3551%
57%
11%
00%
69100%
20. I can construct an essay in a short time in group discussion. % of Total
2942%
2029%
2029%
00%
00%
69100%
21. The good atmosphere arouses my Interest and motivation in writing. % of Total
2536%
2638%
1319%
57%
00%
69100%
22. I am satisfied with the RWCP. % of Total
1522%
5073%
34%
11%
00%
69100%
Student Responses to Group Discussions in the RWCP
“ The interaction with group partners inspires me to exercise my imagination and create more ideas. In addition, my English reading ability has improved through the group discussion.” (Student 4, Class A) “ Through the brainstorming with others, I experience the power of cooperative learning. Besides, I can apply them in my writing.” (Student 19, Class A)
“ Through group discussion, it is easier for me to discover the thesis of the reading selection and increase my reading ability. In writing, I can make an outline in the given topic with ease.” (Student 21, Class B)
Conclusions
1. The RWCP helped the students improve their writing performance in content, organization, vocabulary, and mechanics, but it did not significantly improve their writing performance in language use.
2. The rhetoric devices affected the students’ writing performance. Specifically, the expository writing was the easiest device for the students to follow, while the argumentative writing was the most difficult rhetoric
device.
3. The rhetoric devices affected the students’ writing performance in content, organization, vocabulary, language use, and mechanics.
4. There is a significant difference in English reading and English writing of the students between the pretest and the post-test. But there is no significant difference in English reading-and- writing connection between the pretest and the post-test. 5. The students enjoyed the reading selections in the RWCP. Specifically, they preferred the narrative and descriptive reading selections: A Feline Felon and The Day I Missed the Bus.
6. The group discussions helped the students interpret the texts, generate more ideas for writing, and gather the relevant information.
Pedagogical Implications
1. EFL teachers can improve their students’ writing proficiency with the reading selections.
2. EFL teachers should pay attention to the students’ strengths and weaknesses in writing. For example, EFL teachers should notice that the students performed best in the expository device and performed worst in the argumentative device.
3. EFL teachers should provide proper reading
selections for the students.
4. EFL teachers should make good use of the
group discussions in the RWCP to create a
meaningful and pleasant writing environment.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
Sylvia Chen
