Applying Process Genre Approach In Teaching College English Writing

Writing instruction is invariably a crucial part of the college English teaching. However, in China, hitherto, there is not a well-developed theory in English writing instruction. While CET-4 has been implemented for over twenty years, it is mounting evidence that writing has always been the weakest part of college students'English competence. Therefore, the necessity of improving the students'English writing proficiency and finding an effective teaching approach has been realized gradually.There are three popular approaches of teaching writing: the product approach, the process approaches, and the genre approach, which are not so effective in practice. Badger and White (2000) suggest using an integrated model: process genre approach, whereby students are confronted with a situation, which in turn influences them to address the situation using a particular genre of writing. The students, with the aid of their teacher and appropriate texts, have to deal with the situation in an appropriate way. Process can be initiated by way of peer-to-peer interaction, teacher-to-peer interaction and from the problem associated with the situation (which advances the idea of effective and complete resolution). Genre is closely connected to the basic fabric of the situation, which should be developed in a manner that elicits the appropriate approach to the writing.The whole thesis is divided into five parts. Chapter one is devoted to introduction, specifically discussing major problems of teaching English writing in university, and introducing the purpose and significance of the thesis. Chapter two, literature review, offering an overview of writing and commenting on the strength and weakness of three major strands of writing methodology: the product approach, the process approach and the genre approach, and under Badger and White's framework, introducing the synthesis of the three approaches: the process genre approach. And from Chapter three, begins the empirical study, firstly propounding a hypothesis that the process genre approach can improve the learners'writing proficiency, then an experiment is conducted, through the data collections and discussions, a positive answer is given to the hypothesis: during the course of implementing the process genre approach, students'motivation can be fully intrigued, their interests can be well stimulated and their enthusiasm can be long maintained, which undoubtedly, can result in a better language acquisition.. Chapter four involves major findings and implications, giving some pedagogical suggestions based on the process genre approach, which could be introduced in the curriculum of university composition classes. The last part is conclusion, not only concluding the encouraging findings of the experiment, but also pointing out the limitations of the study.