A Study Of Explicit Learning And Implicit Learning In EFL Writing

Recently implicit learning and explicit learning is an interdisciplinary research focus for applied linguistics and psycholinguistics abroad. Curriculum planners, material designers, teachers and learners all have a vested interest in knowing in which linguistic domains L2 learning might best benefit from implicit and explicit learning modes. (Hulistijn, 2005)Many teachers and students think that among five skills, producing a coherent, fluent and extended piece of writing is the most difficult thing. It is the skill even some native speakers never master.By analyzing the students' writing exercises and the differences between Chinese writing and English writing, it was found that the difficulties for Chinese L2 learners consists of lack of English writing knowledge and of effective training for their writing development.To meet the need mentioned above, the focus of this study is to examine the effects of explicit learning and implicit learning upon EFL writing proficiency and writing knowledge. An experimental study was conducted according to the theory of cognitive writing process, metacognitive strategies, explicit and implicit learning.Results of this study are derived from discussion concerned with quantitative data (scores of pretest and posttest & scores of EFL writing knowledge used in posttest) and qualitative data (pre-experiment questionnaire & post-experiment questionnaire) which revealed that the subjects after explicit training have been converted to more comprehensive understanding of what a good piece of English writing is than the subjects after implicit training, although implicit learning is welcomed and appreciated by numerous teachers.