Chapter Six Conclusion and Suggestion
This chapter presents the major findings of the present study, following by some general reflections, and concludes with some suggestions as well as limitations of the study.
6.1 Major Findings
The major findings of the present research are as presented in the following. First, from the analysis of the WAQ, we find:
With respect to the data analyses of the four factors on the WAQ (see Appendix III), the item—Q 14 showed the Experimental Group responded positive attitude toward activity participation more than the Control in general. As the data shown on the items—Q 18 & Q 19, the Experimental Group was more confident than the Control Group. And Q 20, Q 32, Q 33, and Q 34 showed the Experimental Group had less anxiety than the Control Group. Also, the Experimental Group loved to share their works with their classmates and felt freer to express their ideas in their compositions.
Furthermore, the Experimental Group loved to use English to write diaries (Q 29), greeting cards (Q21) and E-mail (Q17). Moreover, even though it was a time-consuming job to collect information or data for writing, the Experimental Group still showed more passion than the Control Group (Q25). In addition, from the analysis of Pre vs. Post Writing Proficiency Tests, the subjects of the two groups show great improvements in their writing proficiency. Their improvements are rather close.
The improvement for the Experimental Group (27.3%) is higher than the Control
Group (20.5%) by 6.8%. With respect to the analysis by employing the method of
Johnson—Leyman, the result indicated that the Control Group gave more positive feedback in the score of usefulness especially for those whose scores were beyond the score--3.539.
Based on the data analysis above, below comes the first two conclusions:
1. Process writing exerts a strong impact on beginning writers.
The Experimental Group showed higher intrinsic motivation than the Control Group, and the Control Group had more extrinsic motivation—the Control Group gave higher ranking in regarding the factor Usefulness due to their urgent need.
The Experimental Group was more confident in writing.
The Experimental Group was less anxious while writing.
The Experimental Group enjoyed English writing better than the Control Group.
2. The task-based writing instruction shows its effectiveness on the two survey groups, whereas the Control Group faced more struggles than the Experimental Group while writing.
The Control Group was more afraid of making sentences in the target language than the Experimental Group.
The Control Group suffered a lot in the beginning of writing because their minds went blank when writing.
3. Errors take time to be removed.
Regarding the findings from error analysis shown in Table 5.38 & Table 5.39 (see Chapter V), the major findings are summarized below.
(1) Sentence Construction, Word Usage, Coherence between Verbs and Subjects,
between Nouns and Pronouns, and Numeral are the most frequent errors found in
senior high students’ writings.
(2) Based on the analysis of errors, the data shows that sentence construction and the usage of words are the weakest skills of both the Control and the Experimental group.
(3) The Experimental Group were much better in the usage of verbal tenses and expressions of ideas than the Control Group.
(4) Both groups recognized the importance the interactive-based approach to teaching writing. They considered cooperative and collaborative learning provided them with different views from a given theme and they felt that they were not alone in learning.
(5) The group with training in process writing showed their strong agreement with the backwash of the writing instruction, which facilitate their language learning because writing offers them a wonderful opportunity to try-out and recheck their background knowledge and now they can handle the target language much better than before. Writing through a variety of tasks—reading, songs, discussion, interview for getting information lead them to write from different perspectives and that progresses their writing step-by-step. Most of them are not afraid of writing compositions now.
Through writing, the students refresh their views to English language learning.
The Experimental Group (Class 302)
Sandra: When writing compositions, we can go back to check the words and phrases unfamiliar to us. Then we have a firm idea about the usage of them more and more.
Wina: We can also keep record of our learning on the worksheets and comprehend more about our weaknesses.
The Control Group (Class 308)
Pearl: After receiving the free writing instruction, what do you benefit most? Is it helpful or it still makes you feel scared?
Eric: Surely, it is very helpful. In the pre-test, I hot a very poor grade. But now, I can write quickly when I see the topic of free writing. Also, I am not afraid of English writing. I still remember before the free writing instruction, I cannot scribe any word and sentence out.
David: Most students maybe consider writing is mechanical drill-ice training. Nevertheless, we had a variety of exercise, we write from different genres, from different aspects; the learning is not drills at all. We learn step by step and we earn skills from various practice. We write something related to our life and experience.
Angela: Writing skills take long term. Truly speaking, although we have spent some time in writing, I still feel the improvement is less then I expected. However, I found writing is another interesting course. My experience tells it is not much like my pre-acknowledgement that learning English is for a pencil test; we have to involve ourselves in it. Now, after I see a movie, I will love to write my feedback. I talk to myself.
(6) The data shows those who made improvement in Content and Organization did better job in post writing proficiency generally.
(7) The two groups show no significant improvement in Coherence and Numeral.
(8) The most frequent errors found on the writing from the Control Group are Verbal Tense. Based on the observation of the researcher, this was because
of lack of practice. Choosing the right tense has been a nightmare for Taiwan EFL students for a long time.
(10) Spelling is the second frequent error in writing. Nowadays, because the convenience of the computers and the multiple-choice questions test, students are not familiar with spelling. As a result, in the regular English class, the teacher should provide students more chances to write with a pen in writing practice. In other words, the first draft should be written by hand.
For the revised one, let the learners choose.
6.2 Other Findings:
Secondly, with respect to the Analysis of the Viewpoint on Writing Tasks and Semi-structured Interview, we got other conclusions:
1. The topic for writing should be related to the students’ personal life, because both background knowledge and the topic have a great impact on the content and motivation in writing.
For example, Letter to Myself is a practice for students to think deeply about what they are. The topic is very personal and life related. Learners are supposed to be able to describe their dreams and their ideals easily. However, the result was beyond the expectation. The Chinese summary of semi-constructed group interview below is listed below:
The Experimental Group (Class 302)
Pearl: Do you like to write a letter?
Joanna : It depends on the audience！
Leonie: Letter to Myself? Even I do not understand myself; I do not know how to write it.
There is nothing new only studying... All we write is all around how pass the entrance examination of college.
Francis: Writing to someone is easier than writing a letter to oneself. I did not know what I could write to me.
Lela: It is hard for me to write others because even I do not understand myself. Therefore, it is not easy to write others.
The Control Group (Class 308)
Pearl: Among of the writing tasks, which is your most favorite one?
Rachel: Unit Four in Process Writing...
Maggie: With This Love.
Lela : But it is very difficult because of the rhyming！
Maggie: Wiring a poem doesn’t a very crucial coherence. Compared to writing a composition, poetry is much easier and flexible. We can have a different image for each stanza in writing poetry, but the development of a composition should follow the topic sentence.
Maggie & Rachel ：It is fun to find the words for rhymes.
Sandra: Poems are easier for us to express the inner voice. Poetry could be very short and concise.
2. Description is the most favorable style to teenagers due to its close link to personal life and comparatively simpler structure.
Neither the Control Group nor the Experimental Group showed their disfavor of the genre. They said when writing it, they had to follow the current public opinions. Besides, the genre already had a fixed style, unlike narration or description in which they could express their feeling and ideas of expression freer. The Chinese summary of semi-constructed group interview is listed below:
The Experimental Group (Class 302)
Pearl: What troubles you most when writing?
Wina: My brain got stuck even I tried hard to write something.
Maggie: The topic was not proper.
Leonie: It’s better have something related to life. Fragmentary genres were not so related to life experience. The topics around computers and Internet were boring; they should be something else connected with real life more.
Maggie: Like our Chinese simulated test, the topic for writing is “How to deal with nuclear waste?”
Jeremy: I do not think so. If those were not related life, what were there else? I think maybe we can write something about food, clothing and so on.
Maggie: I prefer to write narrative articles than expository ones.
Leonie: Expository are too cliché.
Wina: I do not think expository can really show our points of view. On the other hand, we have to balance our ideas to favor the graders.
Jeremy: Actually, expository is much easier to write.
James: Narrative ones seems freer to write and without a lot of restrictions.
Wina: We make lines freely. The plot of the writing could be very sad, could very happy. We can do whatever we want.
Pearl: But why couldn’t you express your thoughts undividedly in the previous simulated English writing test—“If you had the magic power like Harry Potter, what would you want to do?”
Leonie: It took time to get some inspiration.
The Control Group (Class 308)
Pearl: Why do you feel expository is much easier than narration.？
Ruther: It is much harder to show our ideas on narration in Chinese.
Ark: Reasoning our ideas is simpler and easier to catch points.
Mark: Each word in narration takes time to weigh. Even we have some ideas we found it was hard to speak them out.
Wina: Expository is only for showing one’s points of view.
David: Different people have different inner voice. I think narration can really show one’s feeling. Expository sometimes are too artificial, contrarily, narration seems more natural.
When writing expository, we have to cope with current line; however, we got more space in writing narration.
Angela: Narration is easier for writers to create imagination. When we are able to show our feelings in writings, we make great improvement in English writing. Our writing skills become better.
Sharon: In narrations, we have more imagination, and we can have our own style. As to the expression, I think simple words and phrases are better than the difficult words. Too many difficult words make readers confused. Narrations offer writers more room to say something about themselves, which makes each one unique.
Eric: Because it is easier to write one’s feeling, it is easier for the beginners. Expository emphasize on reasons for persuading others but narration focuses on personal feedback.
Ken: When writing narrations, we will not be limited income certain field. When we are free to give out our thoughts, we are able to show real feeling on it.
I-Chan: There is a situation for us to follow in writing narrations. If we can deliver our thoughts and feeling to the point, the graders must give it a great score.
Julie: Saying something for a fact or for a situation, we so not have to hide ourselves behind a mask. Currently, our society is too practical, sometimes even very crucial. So, narrations offer a good chance to spread the inner voice of us.
Iris: I love writing narratives. I think I can use simple words to tell others what I feel and how I think.
3. Students strongly favor the background reading materials or source that can inspire their creativity and release their inner feeling.
In the process paragraph writing, the researcher found students were poor in
verbal tense. The errors on their compositions obviously showed that
doctrine-like grammar teaching is ineffective. Without learning grammar in
discourse, it is hard for students to generalize the rules. Therefore, the researcher attempted to use English songs as a tool and model to deliver correct tense usage in context. Afterward, she asked students to do genre writing —poetry writing by describing an unforgettable person in their life. In the interview, students all agreed that this was their favorite unit, because it not only offered them a chance to challenge their creativity but also helped them to release their inner emotions and sensitivity fully. When the instructor asked her students the question
“Among all the compositions, which is your favorite?” subjects responded that although it was not easy to find rhyming words and that they had to think hard, they still felt it was a good practice. They could more flexibly express their feelings. The Chinese summary of semi-structured group interview is listed below:
Pearl: Among of works, which is your favorite?
Rachel: Unit Four of Process Writing...
Maggie: With This Love.
Lela : But it is very difficult because of the rhyming！
Maggie: Writing a poem doesn’t need a very crucial coherence. Compared to writing a composition, poetry is much easier and flexible. Poetry can have a different theme for each stanza, but the development of a composition should follow the topic sentence.
Maggie & Rachel: It is fun to find the words for rhymes.
Sandra: Poems are easier for us to express the inner voice. Poetry can be very short and concise.
4. Storytelling is good task for meat cognitive learning, which integrates the four skills with listening, speaking, reading, and writing together.
Through hearing and seeing and imagination, the teacher attempted to build up
their multi-intelligence in the task of retelling story. Students gave a deep
impression on this unit. They all agreed that this was their favorite unit, because
it not only offered them a chance to challenge their creativity but also helped
them to release their inner emotions and sensitivity fully. They all mentioned
that they could create a plot and atmosphere personally. The Chinese summary of semi-constructed group interview below is listed below:
The Experimental Group (Class 302)
Francis: Unit 4—Story Completion on Free Writing Training is very flexible, most of us could build up our own story.
Jeremy: It is something like writing a fiction. The author can set his plot. There are no rules. I could get a lot of things to write, to say, and to share.
James: Story Completion offers a stage to show our idea and thinking. It can be very colloquial and it can be narrative or regulative. It tested our ability in different aspects.
The Control Group (Class 308)
Pearl: Which writing style pours more creativity to your writing?
Eric: Story Strips.
Julie: The same.
Pearl: Why?
Eric: Wild imagination
Julie: Because it only gave some part of the lines and then we could deliver ours.
Julie: In the very beginning, it only provided a prologue. We had to give our lines the following parts. It unnecessarily would be a happy ending story; in fact, it could be a tragedy; We were the master to give the story live.
Mark: If there were a topic, we could not create more. Story making is quite different.
Angela: Like a detective story, we never know the result until we reach the ending. For example, when attending the entrance test at Chung Sun University, I was asked to have writing without a topic but a personal reflection about one’s impact on one’s brother later becoming a writer. The writing did not test our grammar, sentence structure directly but test our imagination and creative thinking.
5. Reading proficiency test and writing proficiency test should be held separately.
In the semi-structured group interviews, students said that it was better to hold
reading proficiency test and writing proficiency test separately. The subjects
mentioned it was hard for them to do reading and writing proficiency test at the
same time. After finishing the reading test, they had to rush to the writing
immediately and write a composition in a short period. Often, their brains went
block while writing. They could not show their expression of ideas freely and felt nervous. They felt it was messy to take reading proficiency test and writing proficiency test at the same time. If reading proficiency test and writing proficiency test were held separately, they would not be so nervous, and would do the work better. They all agreed writing test could really evaluate one’s English proficiency. The Chinese summary of semi-structured group interview is listed below.
The Experimental Group (Class 302)
Lela: My brain is tight.
Maggie: The time is too short. I cannot write.
Annie: When taking a test, anxiety makes my brain got stuck and my vocabulary bank is small.
Leonie: The test is too traditional.
Pearl: How we help you to overcome your difficulties?
Wina: Having reading and writing tests separately makes us feel more comfortable.
Leonie: If they are tested individually, students will be not stuck in the reading test and hard to pull them out when writing.
Rachel: its better have ten-minute break before a writing test.
Leonie: Yes, take a rest. We can have a quick review.
The Control Group (Class 308)
Pearl: Which you favor more, to have writing and reading test together or separately?
Eric: Originally, it should be tested separately. Writing test really effectively test our English ability.
Julie: I agree. As a matter fact, having reading and writing test together does not evaluate those two abilities appropriately. Sometimes, students copy the words, phrases, idioms, and even sentence structure from the reading part.
Eric: Moreover, cram schools give students some models to follow.
Eric 2: Having reading and writing test together interrupts our streams of thoughts. It is impossible for students to do writing first, however, after we finish the reading part, we are exhausted in it and we feel nervous in doing writing. As a result, we should write fleshly and we never really write what we want to write. So, having the two tests separately makes us more concentrate on different test.
Sharon: As we have reading and writing courses separately, reading and writing test should be divided into two parts and tested separately. Having them together makes a big mass. We got lost easily and our mind got confused, too.
Angela: Writing test is for evaluating our English level. If there were a lot of multiple-questions to do
before doing writing, we might face a conflict, which one should be done first. If we were lucky to finish the reading test fast, we might have more time to finish the writing par. Otherwise, we have to run the risk giving up the writing test or causally have the writing done. Then the test loses its effectiveness.
6. The earlier teenagers start writing, the more likely they will write easily, smoothly and correctly.
Due to the interference of L1, the subjects often wrote English compositions with Chin-English. Also, being unfamiliar with the structure of English, they often wrote in spoken language. They cannot write English as naturally as their mother tongue. In the interviews, they suggested that schools should start writing from junior high. They thought the earlier they started writing, the more likely they would write easily, smoothly and correctly. They thought questions
& answers (Q&A) are a good practice for junior high students. The practice will help them a lot in their English writing when attending senior high. Compared with Q & A, free writing is a piece of longer essay. The Chinese summary of semi-structured group interview is listed below:
The Experimental Group (Class 302)
Rachel: Hoping that we can use colloquial language to write a composition.
Wina: The reason for that is maybe because English is not as our mother tongue that we can use to write naturally. Therefore, we should learn writing earlier. When we were young, we learned English step be step, in the process of learning we should learn four skills together. Only when we have background in English writing, we will be accustomed to writing in English when attending senior high.
James: I do not think it make any difference about the time in learning English writing.
Tin: No, I think it make a lot of difference. In my opinion, the earlier we learn to write in English, the better we do.
Leonie: Right! We learn step by step. We make some mistakes, and we correct them step-by-step. If we learn writing later, there are more conflicts we have to face. We come afraid of making grammatical mistakes; our language interfered by out interlingua. We make more mistakes.
Jeremy: Learning should not divide into pieces; it should be a whole one.
Tina: If there were nay interruption in any four skills, we will not be able to build up a firm memory.
The Control Group (Class 308)
Pearl: What’s your opinion about the time for leaning English writing? Do you think it is proper to start wetting in senior high?
Eric: No, junior high.
David: We should learn how to use the words we learn to express our thoughts.
Sharon: Writing actually is to combine different sentences together so that to learn writing sentences first.
Ken: In fact, we should start writing from primary school. Take me as an example, I started learning phonics in junior high and it was too late. My cousin learned it in primary school and his English is better me.
Learning writing earlier, we can practice more about the words we learned. We have more to write when we practice more.
Pearl: Starting writing practice in junior high help more in senior high writing class.
Eric: It must have. At least, we are not afraid.
Shirley: I think to learn earlier is better because, in senior high, most teachers only teach the form of the writing. We know how to cook, but we lack the material.
Ark: If we have been experienced a variety of writings, we are capable to write smoothly when encountering different topics.
Eric: In fact, I favor to have questions and answers to help beginners to write. Questions should be not restricted in the text but should have students to think, to express their personal points of views and reflection. Actually, composition is another essay question. Composition is a long answer for a question.
