The Application Of Lexical Chunks To English Writing Teaching In Junior Middle School

Linguistic research has made clear that there are a large number of lexical chunks innatural language. Stored as wholes in human brains, these fixed or semi-fixed multi-wordsor sentences are ideal units in the process of language acquisition. Moreover, they can berecalled and used automatically as wholes rather than generated from grammatical rules.Michael Lewis maintains that chunks are the focus of language teaching and language useas well. He holds that,“language consists of grammatical lexis, not lexicalizedgrammar”(Michael Lewis1993:89). The lexical approach concentrates on developinglearners’ proficiency with lexis, or words and word combinations. In this way, vocabularyand the acquisition of grammar can be merged with the training of communicative ability.English writing has been a big problem for Chinese middle school students. Manylinguists and teachers of English are always discussing what kind of methods or strategiescan be employed to improve learners’ English writing. The author has found that lexicalchunks can promote the understanding and the application of the target language whenChinese middle school students are writing compositions. Thus, a hypothesis has beenadvanced, that is, the application of lexical chunks to English writing can improvestudents’ writing skills. After an experiment for one semester, the students in theexperimental class have more greatly improved the accuracy and appropriateness oflanguage use than the ones in the control class. Although there are some limitations in thisstudy, such as the short period, only a small number of participants and the disadvantagesof method, the author is sure the lexical approach will surely have some implications formiddle school English learning and teaching.