A Study On The Correlation Between Non-English Majors’ Identification Competence Of Prefabricated Chunks And Their English Writing Performance

The exploration of prefabricated chunks has been attracting L2 researchers and practitioners, for 90% of human natural language consists of fixed or semi-fixed prefabricated chunks (Altenberg,1998). The prefabricated chunks are conventionalized form/functional composites which can be stored and retrieved as a whole for language learners. Many scholars believe that the appropriate storage and application of prefabricated chunks will ease the burden of language processing in writing, improve the fluency and idiomaticity of language production, and enhance their discourse organization skills (Wray,2002; Wang & Zhang,2006). However, research on prefabricated chunks mainly focuses on the relationship between language learners’ application competence of prefabricated chunks (ACPC) and their writing or overall English proficiency. Similar research has rarely been found as regards the identification competence of prefabricated chunks (ICPC), and even more scarcely to probe into the relationship between language learners’ ICPC and their English performance.Against such a research background, the present study set non-English majors as its subjects, the relationship between ICPC and English writing as its content, which aims to provide a more objective and better guideline for English teachers to improve students’ writing performance.The present study aims to study the following research questions:1. What is the general picture of non-English majors’ level of ICPC?(1) What is the general picture of good English writing performers’ ICPC? Which type is the easiest one to identify among four types of prefabricated chunks, and which type is the most difficult one to identify?(2) What is the general picture of poor English writing performers’ ICPC? Which type is the easiest one to identify among four types of prefabricated chunks, and which type is the most difficult one to identify?2. What is the correlation between non-English majors’ ICPC and their English writing performance?(1) What is the correlation between good English writing performers’ ICPC and their English writing performance? And what is the correlation between their ICPC and English writing performance in terms of different types of prefabricated chunks?(2) What is the correlation between poor English writing performers’ ICPC and their English writing performance? And what is the correlation between their ICPC and English writing performance in terms of different types of prefabricated chunks?The theoretical framework is based on Cognitive Theory, Information-process Theory and Chunking Theory, and Nattinger & DeCarrico (1992)’s classifications of prefabricated chunks are adopted to identify and classify the prefabricated chunks in the present study into four types: polywords, phrasal constraints, sentences builders and institutionalized expressions. The quantitative research design was employed in the study by means of tests. Participants were one intact class of 34 non-English majors enrolled in the year of 2013 in Yangzhou University. Data collected was analyzed by SPSS 16.0.The data analysis generated the following results:1. The statistical result shows that subjects’general ICPC stays in a moderate and low level. Meanwhile, non-English majors’ICPC in terms of different types of prefabricated chunks is uneven. SB is the easiest type while IE is the most difficult type for them to identify.(1) Good English writing performers’general ICPC stays in a moderate level. In addition, PC is the easiest type while IE is the most difficult type for them to identify.(2) Poor English writing performers’general ICPC stays in a low level. In addition, SB is the easiest type while IE is the most difficult type for them to identify.2. There exists a significant positive correlation between their ICPC and their English writing performance. Furthermore, there is also a positive correlation between non-English majors’English writing performance and ICPC in terms of PW, PC, IE and SB.(1) There is a significant positive correlation between good English writing performers’ ICPC and their English writing performance. In addition, there is also a positive correlation between good English writing performers’writing performance and ICPC in terms of PW, PC, IE and SB.(2) While there is no significant correlation between poor English writing performer’ICPC and their English writing performance. In addition, there is no significant correlation between poor English writing performers’writing performance and ICPC in terms of PC, IE and SB, while there is no correlation between their writing performance and ICPC in terms of PW.Several pedagogical implications can be drawn from the present study:(1) it is necessary for teachers to divert students’attention from single words to prefabricated chunks, that is, teachers should not only enhance their consciousness on this language point but also increase the chance of noticing prefabricated chunks, especially the chance of noticing and identifying IE. (2) Teachers also should encourage students to accumulate abundant prefabricated chunks, especially IE. (3) Sufficient practices of applying prefabricated chunks should be provided to train students to make full use of different types of prefabricated chunks flexibly.