A Study Of The AWAS-Based Multi-Assessment Mode In Senior High School English Writing

The Automatic Writing Assessment System(AWAS)is a kind of network system which uses the computer software to mark and grade writings automatically and is a practical tool for English writing teaching which can lighten the burden of teachers’ manual grading to a certain extent.Although many experts and scholars in China and overseas have carried out a number of researches on AWAS,there are few studies on how to better apply it and what assessment mode to adopt in English writing teaching in senior high schools.Therefore,it is necessary to conduct more empirical teaching researches and explorations on the writing assessment mode based on AWAS in order to ensure its effective application and provide enlightenment and reference for senior high school English writing teaching.Under the guidance of relevant theories and drawing on the previous studies,the existing technologies and teaching practices,the author combines online writing correction with peer review and teachers’ explanation and establishes the AWAS-based multi-assessment writing teaching mode.Three issues are to be addressed in this study:(1)Can the AWAS-based multi-assessment mode improve the English writing ability of senior high school students?(2)What advantages does the AWAS-based multi-assessment mode have over the traditional writing assessment?(3)What are the problems that need to be solved in the implementation of the AWAS-based multi-assessment mode? The experiment was implemented in two parallel classes in Chengtou Senior High in Ganyu District of Lianyungang City.One class is designed as the control class and the other as the experimental class.Questionnaire,interview,writing test are used as the research instruments with a view to find out whether the AWAS-based multi-assessment mode can promote and improve the English writing ability of senior high school students and whether the new assessment mode is conductive to the senior high school English writing teaching.The experiment lasted for one whole semester,which proves that the AWAS-based multi-assessment mode is conductive to improving both students’ English writing ability and writing achievement.It can provide students with more timely and effective suggestions on the improvement of their English writing,which is helpful to reduce students’ writing errors,improve the text structure and enrich the vocabulary dimensions in their writings.Compared with the traditional assessment mode,the new mode has many advantages.It can lessen students’ writing anxiety,stimulate their writing interest and enhance their self-confidence in writing;Students become more active in doing writing tasks assigned by their English teachers,and thus their autonomous learning consciousness and ability have been greatly enhanced.Besides,most teachers agree that the efficiency of their English writing teaching has been effectively improved.However,some problems with the AWAS-based multi-assessment mode are identified and still need to be solved.Teachers should provide proper guidance on the correcting strategies of students’ writings.What’s more,the correction tips provided by the AWAS are too general and not specific.In terms of some contents,specific corrections and suggestions are still need to be provided by teachers and peers.