Study On The Influence Of Students' L1 Writing Ability On Their EFL Writing Ability

In L2 learning,L1 is a heated topic in the field of second language acquisition affecting L2 learners' interlanguage development.There are plenty of different points of controversies in the study of L1 transfer,concerning and arguing about the role of L1 in L2 learning.Overviewing the current L1 transfer theories home and aboard, someone holds that L1 has more negative than positive influences on L2 learning.The most representative theories are the Contrastive Analysis(CA)(James 1980) and Contrastive Rhetoric,Creative Construction(CC) theory which emphasizes the innate mental mechanisms and the role of learners' first language in L2 learning being minimal,and the Hypothesis of Common Underlying Proficiency(CUP)(Cummins 1983),which favors that an underlying ability exists,common to all language.The relationship between L1 and L2 learning is interacted.Evidence supporting each types of theory is found in the empirical studies.However,there are still short of empirical studies of a comprehensive investigation into the relationship between L1 writing ability and L2 writing ability.Consequently,the present research attempts to investigate and analyze the relationship between L1 writing ability and L2 writing ability.The research sets out to investigate two main issues:(1) Is there any relationship between Chinese writing ability and English writing ability?.If yes,how does Chinese writing ability influence EFL writing ability?(2) Whether Chinese writing ability influence English writing ability negatively or positively,or both? To answer these two research questions,the researcher puts forward the following hypothesis:There is an important role L1 writing ability exert in L2 writing ability both direct and indirect.The integration of theoretical findings of L1 writing ability into L2 writing ability can help cultivate and improve EFL learners' English writing ability.The 106 third-year undergraduates of English majors were selected as participants from four intact classes from two universities:Guizhou University and Guizhou University for Nationalities.The participants were divided into four different classes, which were given two different teaching methods:(â…°) traditional English writing teaching and(â…±) integration of theoretical findings of Chinese-English writing teaching.For the experiment group,traditional English writing teaching was applied and for the treatment group,integration of theoretical findings of Chinese-English writing teaching,including the cultivation of some writing methodology was put into use.Receiving different sorts of training,the participants took three English writing tests and three Chinese writing tests.The data consisted of the participants' scores in the test.Some participants were randomly invited to answer questionnaire and interview.Through a combined method on the basis of the analyses of data collecting,the research manages to testify the above-mentioned hypothesis:There is an important role L1 writing ability exert in L2 writing ability both direct and indirect and the integration of theoretical findings of L1 writing ability into L2 writing ability can help cultivate and improve EFL learners' English writing ability.The study described the research question of the relationship between L1 writing ability and L2 writing ability. There is a certain practical significance for English teachers and EFL learners.This thesis is composed of six chapters:Chapter One justifies the need, significance and focus of the study.Chapter Two presents a literature review of conflicting theories and studies on cross-literacy influences and claims the position and contribution of the present study.Chapter Three describes the conceptual framework of the study.Chapter Four describes the methodology.Chapter Five provides the results and discussion.Chapter Six summarizes the major findings and pedagogical implications,and the limitations of the study.