The Application Of The Constructivist Theory To English Writing Teaching In Senior Middle School

Senior English Curriculum Standard (Experimental Manuscript)(shortened to the new Curriculum Standard in the following) has completed English teaching goals in Senior Middle School. The ultimate goal is to foster students' communicative abilities, among which writing is an important component. As an output activity, writing comprehensively embodies students' abilities. The improvement of students' writing skills can benefit other language skills. Therefore, it's significant to develop students' writing competence. Based on students' present writing ability and the requirements of the new Curriculum Standard, the author seeks to argue for the great necessity and effectiveness of the constructivist theory and for its urgent application in classroom writing teaching. The author lays special emphasis on the advantage and effectiveness of applying the constructivist theory to teaching writing in high school.The first chapter of this thesis illustrates the ultimate English teaching aim in Senior Middle School and the importance of cultivating students' writing competence. The author mentions that developing students' writing ability must be paid close attention to in English writing teaching in high school.The second chapter of this thesis analyses the present writing teaching and points out the disadvantages of the present teaching modes according to the results of writing exams for Senior III students and the related questionnaire. It's necessary to explore English writing teaching methods. The author suggests the application of the constructivist theory to English writing teaching for the purpose of improving students' writing competence more effectively.In the third chapter the author provides an introduction to the development of the constructivist theory as well as the features of the constructivist theory. Constructivism is the further development of the theories for study afterbehaviorism has already developed into cognitions. Constructivism values the roles of the knowledge and experience which students have had. Constructivism emphasizes the initiative, social and contextual factors.The author elaborates the teaching practice in which teachers apply the constructivist theory to English writing teaching in the fourth chapter. This thesis expounds writing teaching mode, its guiding ideology and four principles to follow. The four principles are: to focus on the function of "situation or context" and "coordinative study" to meaningful construction; to attach importance to the student-centered teaching and developing the students' autonomy learning competence. The thesis proves the effectiveness of the new teaching mode.The fifth chapter points out that, the constructivist theory can obviously facilitate English writing teaching in Senior Middle School. In the process of teaching it is necessary to give full play to the theory and strengthen students' writing practice step by step in a planned way so as to improve the students' writing competence on a larger scale eventually. Besides, this thesis puts forward several reflections for further study and research.English writing teaching; writing competence; constructivism; situation/context; coordination; autonomy learning...