Evaluating The Feasibility Of Applying Memetics In ESL Writing Teaching

This thesis introduces memetics into the second language acquisition field. The result of an experiment supports the hypothesis of constructing an efficient memetics ESL writing teaching model.A lot of theories have been put forward in the field of second language acquisition research during its development. Some of them are mutually supporting, while some are contradictory. The results of each theory's researches are also various. English teaching, as the practice according to related second language acquisition theory, becomes one of the most powerful research tools to provide practical evidence.Memetics is the application of Darwin's evolution theory in the social science field. Like the other replicator gene, meme is copied, transmitted and finally survives through the imitation among vectors. This infectivity of meme provides a close connection between meme and the process of second language learner's acquisition of knowledge. This thesis aims at effectively integrating related existing second language acquisition theories to enhance the overall learning efficiency with the help of the holistic memetics.As the practical research for the theoretical hypothesis, a memetic ESL teaching model is constructed. This model includes two aspects: firstly, language items that fit the characteristics of meme; secondly, a teaching process that can help these language items to go through the complete memetic life cycle. Eventually, the language items consist of three levels. They are words and phrases with the same meaning or topic, sentence patterns and paragraph as well as article patterns. The formulaic speech becomes the strong language item because it exists in these three levels. Input, memorization, output and interaction are combined together according to the complete memetic development process. Product writing teaching approach and the process one are applied for selectors of different memetic development stages.The teaching experiment is conducted in two parallel classes. The result of the experiment proves that the students under the memetics ESL writing teaching model obtain an overall improvement in their writing compared with the students who are not instructed according to this model.The teaching experiment in this thesis is only a trial for applying memetics into second language acquisition field. The positive result of the experiment provides significant implications for the promotion of further exploration of this research.