An Experimental Study On The Effect Of Planning Type And Task Complexity On Junior High School Students’ English Narrative Writing Performance

With the prevalence of task-based language teaching,researchers have investigated various factors that affect L2 learners’ task performance,especially pre-task planning,which has an important effect on writing performance.Task complexity is important in measuring the cognitive demands of tasks,the research on task complexity can provide a basis for rational and effective task selection.However,few studies have explored the relationship between pre-writing planning and task complexity with second language writing performance.Under the guidance of Flower & Hayes’ Writing Model,Cooperative Learning Theory,and Robinson’s Cognition Hypothesis,this study adopted a mixed experimental design with pre-writing planning type as the within-subject variable and task complexity as the between-subject variable.The present study investigated the effects of pre-writing planning type and task complexity on junior high school students’ English narrative writing performance through picture writing tasks.A total of 72 students from two parallel classes in a junior high school in Guangzhou were selected for the study,and then they were assigned to simple task group and complex task group randomly.Each group performed two picture writing tasks: one using individual planning and the other using collaborative planning in pairs.After pre-writing planning,the participants performed their writing tasks individually.Based on this,three research questions are proposed as follows:(1)Does planning type(individual vs.collaborative)affect junior high school students’ English narrative writing performance?(2)Does task complexity(simple vs.complex)affect junior high school students’ English narrative writing performance?(3)Does planning type and task complexity have an interactive effect on junior high school students’ English narrative writing performance?The results of the study showed that(1)Planning type has a significant effect on junior high school students’ English narrative writing performance.Junior high school students’ English narrative writing performance in collaborative planning conditions are better than individual planning conditions,especially in terms of narrative writing content and organization.(2)Task complexity has a significant effect on junior high school students’ English narrative writing performance.Simple task group’s English narrative writing performance is better than complex task group,including narrative writing content and organization,grammar,and vocabulary use.(3)There was a significant interactive effect between planning type and task complexity on junior high school students’ English narrative writing performance.This study has some implications for English teachers as well as English learners in exploring effective ways to teach and learn English narrative writing.The study suggests that teachers should give students enough time to plan before writing and adjust task complexity flexibly according to students’ cognitive level and English proficiency in order to promote their English narrative performance.