Scaffolding Theory-Based Writing Teaching In TEFL

Writing, as one of the four basic skills of language learning and an aspect of communicative competence, has drawn more and more attention in foreign language teaching. This thesis tries to expound the significance of English writing teaching at senior middle school from three different aspects and analyze the existing problems from teachers' teaching program, students' learning aspect and assessment. Based on an analysis of major difficulties and problems in writing teaching and learning, this thesis suggests applying the scaffolding theory to writing teaching. The author discusses the theories of scaffolding and the zone of proximal development and the relationship between them, proposes five learning supports provided to students in their writing, presents an English writing lesson with eight-step procedures, and details the process by taking a Senior 3 English writing lesson as an example. In addition, the author illustrates the advantages of this writing teaching method and raises some topics to be further studied in the future. The purpose of this thesis is to develop teaching notions and skill of English teachers in senior middle schools and improve students' writing ability in practice. The author hopes that this study is of significance for TEFL in China.