A Study On The Effects Of Multiple Evaluation On Different-level Students' English Writing In Junior High School

Evaluation is an important part of English writing teaching.In recent years,many scholars have investigated teacher evaluation,peer evaluation and self-evaluation from different angles.However,there are few researchers focusing on the effects of the combination of these three kinds of evaluation on English writing in terms of vocabulary,syntax and discourse.It is even scarcer to probe into the effectiveness of multiple evaluation on students in different levels.Against such a research background,this thesis,which is based upon Constructivism Theory and the Theory of Multiple Intelligences,carries out the empirical research of multiple evaluation in junior high school English writing teaching.Three questions are mainly answered in this study:(1)What are the effects of multiple evaluation on high-level students' English writing in terms of vocabulary,syntax and discourse in junior high school?(2)What are the effects of multiple evaluation on middle-level students' English writing in terms of vocabulary,syntax and discourse in junior high school?(3)What are the effects of multiple evaluation on low-level students' English writing in terms of vocabulary,syntax and discourse in junior high school?Both quantitative study and qualitative study were adopted in this research.With regard to the quantitative study,a three-month's teaching experiment was conducted among 104 students of two parallel classes in Grade 8 in a junior high school of Jiangsu province.At the beginning of the experiment,a pre-test was held in the two classes to figure out whether there was a significant difference between the two classes in students' English writing level.Besides,the students of two classes were divided into three levels according to the ranking of writing grades in the final examination of last term.During the experiment,multiple evaluation was adopted in EC while the traditional teacher-centered evaluation was adopted in CC.At the end of the experiment,a post-test was held.Independent Samples T-test was used to analyze the data.With regard to the qualitative study,a semi-structure interview was carried out among 6 students from EC and their feedbacks were collected and analyzed by the researcher.The major findings were as following:(1)Compared with traditional teacher-centered evaluation,multiple evaluation had a significant influence on high-level students' English writing,especially in syntax.The results of the interview showed the reasons.First,compared with traditional evaluation method,multiple evaluation provided them with more opportunities to show themselves,so that their motivation in writing were enhanced.Second,peer evaluation and discussion is more helpful to broaden their thoughts in writing and enrich their knowledge of syntax than teacher-centered evaluation.Third,self-evaluation could help them know more about their deficiencies in syntax,so that they could do something to overcome them.(2)Compared with traditional teacher-centered evaluation,multiple evaluation had a significant influence on middle-level students' English writing in vocabulary,syntax and discourse.The results of the interview showed the reasons.First,compared with traditional evaluation method,multiple evaluation is more helpful to develop good writing habits and increase their confidence in writing.Second,to those mistakes in compositions,peer evaluation leaves more impressions on them than teacher-centered evaluation,so as to effectively avoid making the same mistakes once again;peer evaluation is more convenient for them to learn some advanced vocabulary,complex sentence structures as well as coherent discourse from others' compositions.Third,self-evaluation could help them promote the ability of examining and self-correcting some mistakes in their own compositions.(3)Compared with traditional teacher-centered evaluation,multiple evaluation had a significant influence on low-level students' English writing,especially in vocabulary.The results of the interview showed the reasons.First,compared with traditional evaluation method,multiple evaluation is more helpful to involve them in writing activities and evaluation,so that their interests in writing were aroused.Second,peer evaluation was more acceptable to them than teacher-centered evaluation,which helps to effectively reduce mistakes in vocabulary and syntax.Third,teacher evaluation provided them with inspiring encouragement for their each improvement in time,which increased their confidence in writing.Some pedagogical implications are put forward:(1)Teachers should guide students to participate actively in writing evaluation.In writing instruction,teachers should adopt multiple evaluation in class and make students aware of the advantages of peer evaluation and self-evaluation so as to develop a good habit of using these evaluation methods in English writing and learning(2)Teachers should concern individual differences among students and change teaching strategies according to their writing performance.Teachers should pay more attention to different-level students'weaknesses.To students in low level,teachers should focus on the explanation of syntax and discourse,while to those in middle and high level,teachers should not ignore vocabulary consolidation.(3)Teachers should take emotional factors into consideration.Other than writing grades,teachers should also pay attention to cultivating students' interest and confidence in writing as well as strengthening students' motivation in writing.