An Action Research On Improving English Writing Ability Of Junior Middle School Students By Lexical Chunks Teaching

The ultimate goal of English writing teaching is to improve English writing ability of students and to reach the corresponding level of English writing standard.However,the author finds that students are weak in English writing in the process of English learning.They fail to reach the required English writing standard and there are some problems in their English writing such as word-for-word translation and shortage of vocabulary,cohesion and coherence.According to the results of the preliminary questionnaire,the author confirms that for students,the difficulties of English writing lie in vocabulary and grammar.Lexical chunks are fixed or semi-fixed structures,which are between traditional grammar and vocabulary.They can be stored and retrieved as a whole without grammar generation and analysis,and can reduce the pressure of language coding.Thus,they are ideal units for language teaching.Theoretically,the advantages of lexical chunks are in favor of students to overcome writing difficulties.Therefore,taking 41 junior middle school students as participants who are from Class One Grade Seven,Jinghu School in Huadu,Guangzhou,the author carried out a four-month action research to improve the English writing ability of junior middle school students by applying lexical chunks teaching and answered the following two research questions: 1)How is lexical chunks teaching conducted to address the problems that occur in English writing of junior middle school students? 2)How effective is lexical chunks teaching in improving English writing ability of junior middle school students?Following the steps of planning,implementation,observation and reflection,there are two rounds of action of lexical chunks teaching in this action research.In the first-round action,students received,memorized and internalized lexical chunks in the second period of English reading class.After that,students produced lexical chunks in the English writing class.In order to examine the teaching effect of the first-round action,the author collected data through English writing tests,interview and teaching log.In the second-round action,the author adjusted the plan based on the reflection on the first-round action.Students were required to sort and classify the lexical chunksby taking notes in a lexical notebook to strengthen their attention to lexical chunks.At the end of the second-round action,the post-test and the second-round interview were conducted.According to the paired samples T-test analysis of writing scores,content scores,accuracy scores and fluency scores of pre-test and post-test,as well as the qualitative data analysis of interviews and teaching log,it is concluded that lexical chunks teaching can improve the English writing ability of junior middle school students,especially in the aspect of content and accuracy.And the pedagogical implications are as follows: 1)Lexical chunks teaching can effectively improve English writing ability of students and teachers should establish a new understanding of lexical chunks.2)The exercises about lexical chunks should be designed in context.3)Teachers are suggested to enhance students’ awareness and attention to lexical chunks and foster the autonomous learning ability of lexical chunks.