A Study Of Computer-Assisted EFL Writing Instruction In High School

Recent years have seen a lot of effective applications of computer-assisted language learning to EFL instruction and learning, most of which show that computer-assisted language teaching has positive effects on English learning. However, few research studies have been conducted on computer-assisted writing instruction. Based on the theories of writing motivation and writing strategies, this research attempts to explore the effects on the students' writing motivation, writing strategies and writing products.For gaining an insight into students' changes in the writing motivation and writing strategies, this research employs a qualitative research method. By analyzing the collected data, including classroom observation notes, oral interviews, questionnaire responses and the participants' products, the researcher was able to make the following findings:1) Computer-assisted writing instruction arouses the students' interest in the English writing, and hereby enhances their writing motivation, both intrinsically and extrinsically.2) Computer-assisted writing instruction contributes to the students' acquisition of some writing strategies, the meta-cognitive strategies, cognitive strategies and social strategies in particular ,and thus improve the students' writing abiblity.3) Other factors that influenced the participants' EFL learning in a computer-assisted writing classroom were the participants' inadequate background knowledge about the English culture, the material selection for the writing practice, and the participants' information literacy.Based on the above findings, the researcher believes that computer-assisted writing instruction is a complex and difficult process. But it is worth continuous experiments because of the obvious effect on the English writing instruction. The paper ends with some implications for continued practice as well as for further research.