Application Of Lexical Chunks To High School English Writing Teaching

Lexical approach, following structural approach and communicative one, is a new teaching method in language acquisition. Based on cognitive psychology and lexical chunks, lexical approach abandons the traditional view that lexis and structure is clearly separated, and, inherits the scientific opinion from communicative approach that emphasis is placed on the ability to use language properly in reality. The lexical approach attaches importance to functions of lexical chunks in language acquisition and believes language consists of grammaticalized lexis, not lexicalized grammar (Lewis,1993:89). Lexical chunk is a language unit combining functions of lexis and structure, making it the best pattern to be acquired, memorized, stored and produced. Therefore, it has a promising future of application in foreign language teaching. There exist quantities of lexical chunks stored integrally in natural language that can be easily retrieved as a whole from memory when used according to language rules, which, actually, are the foundation of language. The language proficiency of learners is improved with enlargement of lexical chunks.Writing is an important skill of English learning in high school. However, the current situation of writing in high school is far away from satisfactory. There is a lack of scientific guidance in writing teaching in high school, and the teaching method is single and out of date. Applying lexical chunks to writing in high school and making the best use of its characteristic of being stored and retrieved integrally, however, offers possibilities of solving all kinds of problems caused by translating from word to word in writing and is therefore, an important way to improve both students’ writing ability and the current situation of writing teaching in high school.This thesis, with lexical approach by Lewis M. as theoretical base, involves students in Grade 3 from Huainan NO.2 High School in Anhui Province designated randomly as experimental group and control group, puts forward specific teaching methods to apply the theory of lexical chunks to writing and puts them into practice. Through contrast between the two groups, the thesis confirms the function of lexical chunks to improve writing and comes up with suggestions for later teaching, which is aimed at exploring for a new direction for writing teaching.