A Journey of Apprentice Story Writers:Self-awareness and Decentering

• Main Authors: Fei-ju Chuang, 莊斐如
• Other Authors: Hui-ling Huang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/41015885178034357596

碩士 === 國立雲林科技大學 === 應用外語系碩士班 === 99 === The purpose of this study aimed to investigate students’ learning outcomes and writing process after the instruction of narrative writing with the use of picture books. The participants in this study were 21 college freshmen students who enrolled in the basic writing course for one semester in the applied foreign language department of a university of science and technology. Students were required to compose and develop their own original 1000 words stories individually. Interview data, classroom observations, and students’ works were employed to examine students’ learning outcomes and narrative writing process as well as writing problems. Results showed that with the explicit instruction of narrative writing, students had been aware of writing structure, the importance of logic reasoning to the storyline, the existence of readership and the rhetorical styles of writing. They were able to create stories following the story grammar. Moreover, undergoing eight weeks process writing, including planning, drafting, peer editing, revising and tutoring, students had gradually developed a self-decentered perspective which they were able to reflect on their writing process and realize their problems. Besides, students’ common difficulties in writing included language proficiency, logic and coherence, and creativity, which resulted in unidiomatic expressions and incoherent storyline in their stories. The problems mostly were diagnosed by the course instructor who was viewed as a more knowledgeable other and the professional audience. The role of the instructor was the key factor which helped students to develop a self-decentered perspective in the writing process. The findings suggested that first, narrative writing may be feasible to be taught and emphasized as students started to learn writing. Through creating stories, students could not only be familiar with basic writing structure but also practice organizing thoughts and ideas. Second, the tutorial program was significant and needed in the writing instruction. Although peer editing may raise students’ awareness in readership, the teacher was the key person who helped students decentered themselves from subjective perspectives. Last, the EFL instruction could focus on communicative or discourse aspect. Language teachers could provide situational contexts, such as picture books for students to learn foreign languages at discourse level in order to achieve idiomatic English.