Hong Kong primary students’ self-regulated writing strategy use: Influences of gender,writing proficiency,and grade level

The multifaceted nature of writing makes it one of the most challenging school subjects for English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) students. Despite its importance and wide attention attracted, primary school students’ unsatisfactory writing performance has been little researched. As an optimal way of learning, self-regulated learning (SRL) has gained surging popularity in various academic disciplines but the field of second language (L2) writing is still underexplored. To fill the gap, the study investigated 291 upper-grade (4th-6th grades) Hong Kong primary students’ use of SRL writing strategies, and explored whether the students’ strategy use varied between genders, and across English writing proficiency groups and grade levels. A three-way MANOVA was performed and results showed that the students’ SRL writing strategy use varied significantly between genders, and across different writing proficiency groups and grade levels. Interaction effects of grade level and gender were also discovered. Important implications are drawn.     

Effects of motivational regulation strategies on writing performance: a mediation model of self-regulated learning of writing in English as a second/foreign language

Motivational regulation has long been recognized as an essential but insufficiently investigated aspect of self-regulated learning (SRL), especially in relation to learning English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) writing. This study intends to fill the gap by investigating the predictive effect of motivational regulation strategies on EFL students’ writing performance mediated by SRL strategies. Data were collected from undergraduate students in mainland China (N = 512) through self-report questionnaires and an English writing test. Results of structural equation modeling (SEM) confirmed a partial mediation model in which motivational regulation strategies, as a whole, not only had direct and indirect effects on students’ writing performance but were also significantly correlated with their reported use of SRL strategies relating to cognition, metacognition, and social behavior. In addition, only cognitive and metacognitive strategies were found to be significant mediators in the model while social behavior strategies were not. The findings suggest that cumulative knowledge of motivational regulation is an antecedent of the reported use of other SRL strategies in affecting EFL writing performance. The inclusion of SRL strategies in the mediation model also contributes to a clear understanding of L2 writing processes within the SRL mechanism for improving writing outcomes.     

Evaluation of intervention on Chinese graduate students’ understanding of textual plagiarism and skills at source referencing

Abstract

Textual plagiarism is a serious violation of established academic protocols, but it requires considerable writing experience and care to avoid as well. Although student understanding of textual plagiarism and their plagiaristic behaviour in English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts have been quite well researched, few studies have sought to evaluate instructional interventions specifically designed to reduce plagiarism by empowering student writers with a better knowledge of plagiarism and skills at source referencing. To the best of our knowledge, no study to date has ever systematically assessed students’ understanding of plagiarism and their source referencing performance in response to intervention. This classroom-based research, at a university in Beijing, aimed to discover whether a 6-hour block of instruction could facilitate better understanding of plagiarism and appropriate source referencing skills. The results showed that the intervention did generally give students a better appreciation of how textual plagiarism looks and significantly reduced blatant and subtle plagiarism in their writing. However, students’ heavy reliance on original source language did frequently reoccur in student writing if in less clear-cut ways. Some helpful lessons were drawn from this study.     

Teaching for identities, writing between the “we” and the “I” paradigms

Circumscribed by the culture of collectivist and Confucian traditions, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education in China has defaulted to an impersonalized provision and delivery. Much of teaching and learning is to assimilate individuals into a group identity. This epistemological model can be detected in learning outcomes, e.g., preferential use of ‘we’ over ‘I’, lack of authentic self-identity in student EFL writing, etc., and is characterized by ubiquitous rote learning. In this paper, we adopt a biographical approach to the teaching of stories expressed as personal narrative as part of the research framework. This is also applied to critical curriculum and pedagogical reforms that help students to write across their extant cultural constraint, enabling them to make a conceptual leap in understanding the difference between the collective, and the individual identities, of the “we” and the “I”. Once this conceptual awareness has been achieved, the individual viewpoint can be elicited and articulated in student writing of narrative accounts. Biographical narrative accounts of personal experience are found to have a creative and self-actualizing force in forming the individual’s identity, using his/her original voice. The findings suggest that EFL writing curriculum and pedagogy in the new era can be a useful strategy to empower students and EFL teachers to teach and write between the “we” and the “I” paradigms, and expand their ontological capability and flexibility through pedagogical effect.     

Two portfolio systems: EFL students’ perceptions of writing ability,text improvement,and feedback

Research into portfolio assessment (‘PA’) typically describes teachers’ development and implementation of different portfolio models in their respective teaching contexts, however, not much attention is paid to student perceptions of the portfolio approach or its impact on the learning of writing. To this end, this study aims to investigate how two groups of Hong Kong EFL pre-university students (Groups A and B) perceived and responded to two portfolio systems (with each group experiencing one portfolio system either working portfolio or showcase portfolio) in one academic writing course. The case study approach was adopted and data sources included semi-structured interviews, student reflective journals, classroom observations, and analysis of text revisions. Findings indicated that students from the showcase portfolio group (Group B) were less enthusiastic about the effectiveness of PA, and queried whether it could promote autonomy in writing, while the working portfolio group (Group A) was more receptive to the experience, and considered that a feedback-rich environment in the working portfolio system could facilitate writing improvement. The paper concludes with a discussion of how PA can be used to promote self-regulation in the learning of writing.     

Integrating reciprocal teaching in an online environment with an annotation feature to enhance low-achieving students’ English reading comprehension

Reciprocal teaching (RT) has been used to improve English as Foreign Language (EFL) students’ reading comprehension in face-to-face instruction. However, little was known about how they use the RT to comprehend English texts in an online environment. This study explored how the implementation of RT strategies with the use of an annotation tool to improve low-achieving students’ English reading comprehension in an online environment. A total of 22 low-achieving EFL students participated in this study. The pre- and post- reading comprehension tests showed that the students’ English reading comprehension improved after practicing RT strategies with annotation tools. Questioning and predicating strategies were ranked as the two most useful strategies, as both promoted successful collaborative reading among students. Summarizing and clarifying were less useful than questioning and predicting strategies because the low-achieving EFL students faced language difficulties when summarizing and clarifying. The annotations supported RT strategies by (1) establishing a collaborative environment for students to discuss RT strategies any time, (2) organizing and indexing reading content in multimodal forms, and (3) helping students review and revise their comprehension.     

Student teachers’ engagement in Facebook-assisted peer assessment in an initial teacher education context: speaking 2.0

Although peer assessment (PA) has been explored and implemented in higher education, little is known about how it is carried out through such a virtual platform as Facebook in an initial teacher education (ITE) context. To fill this practical void, this article showcases the brief portrait of Facebook-assisted PA in an English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom. This in-practice article shows how Facebook as an online platform serves as virtual engagement in PA among English student teachers in the EFL speaking classroom. This virtual engagement not only created an interactive virtual speaking classroom, but also it encouraged students to become critical reflective language learners.     

Formative assessment of writing in English as a foreign language

Recognizing the importance of formative assessment, this mixed-methods study investigates how four teachers and 100 students respond to the new emphasis on formative assessment in English as a foreign language (EFL) writing classes in Norway. While previous studies have examined formative assessment in oral classroom interactions and focused on either studying students or teachers, little research has been conducted on formative assessment of writing where both students and teachers are studied. As such, this study provides new insight. The findings mostly indicate that contradictions are prevalent amongst teachers’ and students’ perceptions of formative assessment of writing. The contradictions revolve around feedback, grades, text revision, self-assessment, and student involvement. The identified contradictions suggest the need for developing a mutual understanding of formative assessment in order to make it useful and meaningful.     

ESL students’ perceptions and experiences of standardized English writing tests

The present study interviewed 16 international students (13 from Mainland China and 3 from Taiwan) in a Canadian university to explore their perceptions and experiences of two standardized English writing tests: the TWE (Test of Written English) and the essay task in LPI (English Language Proficiency Index). In Western Canada, TWE is used as an entrance test for international students who speak English as a second/foreign language (ESL/EFL) whereas LPI is required, in many post-secondary institutions, for all incoming ESL/EFL students and some native-English-speaking students whose final English mark from high school is below a certain level. As international students, all participants in the study passed TWE but many took LPI repeatedly before passing it. At the time of the interviews, five still had not passed LPI. Relevant findings illustrate that many participants passed TWE by relying on memorization of writing samples whereas they failed LPI because they lacked skills in constructing their own texts. The participants’ complaints about culturally biased essay prompts in LPI and a lack of understanding of what is expected of LPI also raise questions about the validity of the test from the students’ perspectives. The study generates pedagogical implications for standardized writing tests involving ESL undergraduates from various cultural backgrounds.     

A Study of the EFL Writing of Chinese Learners: A Critical Narrative

Writing is often a massive challenge for the learners who study English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Many EFL practitioners are searching for solutions to help learners improve the level of their writing. In this auto-ethnographic study, two narratives are discussed. In the first narrative, the primary challenges of EFL writing encountered by a cohort of Chinese international students studying in Australia are narrated and then examined from the perspective of a Chinese EFL researcher. In the second narrative, the author’s personal experiences of EFL writing are recounted, with a focus on dialogical awareness and identity construction of an EFL writer. The interactive relationship for EFL learners between English learning and identity construction is discussed. In conclusion, the author reflects upon a dialogic model of EFL teaching and learning in the Chinese cultural context and calls for the setting up of interactive contact zones to help the identity construction of Chinese learners in their EFL writing practices as well as in EFL teaching and learning.     

校园网络环境下大学英语写作教学的多元化模式构架

大学生的英语写作能力一直停滞不前已成为困扰我国英语教学改革和学生英语学习的一个重要因素。作者从建构主义理论及《大学英语课程教学要求》角度出发,首先分析了我国大学英语写作现状,而后提出了如何在校园网络环境下构建多元化大学英语写作教学模式的策略,以此来培养和提高我国大学生的英语写作能力和语用能力。     

英语写作中母语负迁移现象的实证探析

文章对EFL学习者英语写作里使用时间状语时出现的母语负迁移作了实证研究,分析了英语写作中存在的母语负迁移现象和造成负迁移的因素,提出了英语学习中应该采用恰当的教学方式,创设真实情境下的英语语言环境,利用语言的迁移规律,帮助学生克服干扰,减少负迁移,促进正迁移,提高英语学习成效。     

Revisiting the Pedagogy of Multiliteracies: Writing Instruction in a Multicultural Context

Given the multimodal and multicultural character of modern English, English Language Teaching should meaningfully reflect this. Although some attempts have been made, adequate attention has not been paid to reforming writing pedagogy. This paper presents the findings of a two-year research project on writing instruction in the Singapore English Language classroom, which caters for a mixture of EFL (English as a foreign language), L2 (second language) and L1 (first language) learners. Data were gathered from six secondary school teachers via observations and interviews through which their common practices and beliefs were established. Our findings revealed an extensive use of examination-centred practices based on functional literacy, routine procedures and standardisation, rather than a pedagogy that promotes social equity and cultural and linguistic diversity as advocated by the New London Group. Following their work, we argue that student agency, critical literacy, and socially and culturally situated learning should be integrated into all writing classrooms for effective learning to take place.     

大学英语写作策略训练研究

探索大学生英语写作自主是完善大学英语写作教学的一种有益尝试。从学习者写作策略训练的理论层面探讨学习策略的内涵及意义、国内外学者对写作策略的研究、学习者写作策略训练的内容以及在策略训练中应注意的问题等,以期对完善大学英语写作教学提供参考。     

中国语境下的教师反馈与英语学习者的写作

在外语教学和学习中,动机的研究一直是一个焦点,具体来讲学生对写作的态度是否会影响学生的写作水平也成为了研究者的另一个关注点。作为英语写作教学中的重要因素,教师反馈将会对学生的动机产生影响,但在之前的研究中多集中在两者其中之一对学生成就的影响。本文作者将对国内对教师反馈研究作一个简短的文献综述,并基于相关理论对如何给出有效的教师反馈提出建议。     

Improving students' pronunciation through accent reduction software

This study aimed to find out whether integrating accent reduction software in advanced English language classes at the university level would result in improvements in students’ pronunciation at the segmental and sup‐rasegmental levels. The study made use of a quasi‐experimental research design. Two classes at the Department of Foreign Language Education at Middle East Technical University in Turkey participated in the study. Whilst one class (the control group) followed traditional instruction, the other class (experimental group) followed instruction which integrated use of accent reduction software in a multimedia language laboratory. Based on the results of the study, it is suggested that especially in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) settings where natural target language input is scarce, technology has a lot to offer, and EFL learners may be provided with exposure and practice/interaction opportunities in the target language through specifically designed software programs.     

作文自动评价系统在高水平学生英语写作学习中的应用

该研究对作文自动评价系统在高水平学生英语写作学习中的作用进行了实验和调查。结果显示,该系统有助于学生发现作文表层问题,但在评分和评语反馈方面存在固有的缺陷,对写作内容的提高帮助较少,导致学生对系统的认可度总体不高。因此,现代信息教学技术的推广应充分考虑到信息技术的优势和缺陷,以及学习者的水平、学习目的等各种因素。     

The function and integration of components of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in classroom teaching: a case study of business English teachers

While pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) has been studied across a wide range of research areas, including science, language teaching and mathematics, there is limited research on the role of PCK in business English (BE) teaching, an important teaching area of English for Specific Purposes. Informed by the conceptual framework of the PCK model for BE teaching, this study examined how four BE teachers integrated the PCK components in their actual classroom teaching in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context in China. The analysis of multiple sources of data including classroom observation, semi-structured interviews and teaching materials, identified the different patterns and ways in which the four PCK components (i.e. knowledge of the purposes of BE teaching, knowledge of instructional strategies for BE teaching, knowledge of students’ understanding of BE, and knowledge of the BE curriculum) functioned and were integrated in BE teaching. Implications for BE teaching practice and suggestions for future research on PCK in BE teaching are presented in the paper.     

Do secondary school-leaving English examination results predict university students’ academic writing performance? A latent profile analysis

Abstract

Secondary school-leaving English examination results are often regarded as indicators of students’ competence to study in English-medium universities, which is usually demonstrated through source-based academic writing. In English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL) contexts, many English-medium universities require local undergraduates to enrol in an academic writing course, unless they received outstanding English results in secondary school-leaving examinations. This study investigates the relationship between ESL undergraduates’ secondary school-leaving English examination results and their academic writing performance through latent profile analysis. Results show that students can be grouped into four classes of academic writing performer (AWP), namely Complex-AWP, High-AWP, Medium-AWP and Low-AWP. Surprisingly, the Complex-AWP group had the highest means in structure, argument and language, but the lowest in citation. Secondary school-leaving English examination results can generally predict students’ class membership in language, argumentation and, to some extent, structure, but not citation. An important implication is that students with high English proficiency do not necessarily do well in all aspects of academic writing. This study can inform university senior management on how to set policies about who needs an academic writing course and provide appropriate training in various aspects of academic writing for university students with diverse English proficiency.