Font Size: a A A

On Fostering College Students' Autonomy In English Writing

Posted on:2006-06-17Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:Y L LiFull Text:PDF
GTID:2155360182488066Subject:Subject teaching
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
As reform and open-door policy goes on, China accelerates its steps to join the world family, and the exchange between foreign countries and ours is becoming more and more frequent. English, with its unique status as a worldwide language, is revealing the growing importance in China. People with a good mastery of a foreign language are badly needed in various trades and professions. College graduates are required to become more and more proficient in English. They should have not only great reading ability but also satisfactory writing ability. Employers, especially those in joint-venture businesses, consider writing ability in English as a crucial factor in hiring. However, English writing has been weakest in our English instruction and little success is achieved in spite of numerous scholars and English teachers' much effort. It's universally acknowledged by English teachers that students have great difficulty meeting the writing requirements formulated by relevant syllabi. On the other hand, as students who receive higher education is increasing on a large scale, college English teachers, particularly those in independent colleges, have to face 60 students or more in a non-English majors lecture room. Moreover, because an English teacher has to teach two or more such big classes per semester, it is impossible to provide enough time for college students to practice English writing in class, which becomes a hindrance to the improvement of English writing ability. Therefore, the author attempts to foster college students' autonomy in English writing, and enable them to take responsibility for their own learning. This is an effective solution to such a problem.We shall begin the thesis with the analysis of current prevailing approaches in writing instruction in other countries, especially the theory and practice of non-English majors' EFL writing teaching in Chinese colleges. We then explore the practical problems and their potential sources in College English writing. After this, we introduce some majortheones and characteristics of autonomous learning. We finally set forth some effective autonomous learning strategies for College English writing learners in the light of relevant linguistic theories, language learning theones. and theories of educational psychology. Hopefully these autonomous learning strategies can build up college students' confidence in English writing, assist them in enlarging writing vocabulary, improving their linguistic competence and writing skills, and guide them to engage in various autonomous writing activities outside the classroom, which can lead to the improvement of College English writing.The thesis is organized into four chapters. Chapter One deals with definitions of 1.2 writing, and gives a review of the product approach, the process approach, and the genre approach. Chapter Two looks at the status of EFL writing instruction and learning in China, and explores the practical problems and their sources in EFL writing. Chapter Three elaborates on the definitions, characteristics and major theories of autonomous learning. Chapter Four poses several autonomous learning strategies for College English writing learners.
Keywords/Search Tags:College English writing, autonomy, autonomous learning, learning strategies
PDF Full Text Request
Related items