摘要
在英语学习的五项基本技能——听、说、读、写、译中,英语写作作为英语语言学习不可缺少的一项技能,越来越受到重视。遗憾的是许多学习者不知道如何练习写作,不能有效地采取一些策略安排、监控、评价自己的写作行为。究其原因,在传统的写作教学中,教师过多地强调语言知识和写作理论的输入,轻视写作实践过程中对学生能力的培养。这种教学方法容易使学生养成盲从和不善于思考的习惯,很难引起学生的学习兴趣。而且,由于教学内容脱离具体的写作环境,忽略了学生的主动性和创造性。有鉴于此,本文选取以元认知策略培养为切入点,并探讨了如何将元认知策略融入大学英语写作教学中以提高学生的自主学习意识,旨在了解英语专业学生在写作时的元认知策略使用状况,并探讨元认知策略培训是否有助于提高学习者元认知意识和写作成绩,从而保证写作教学的顺利实施。
本文以孝感学院外国语学院英语专业二年级学生为研究对象。对实验班和对照班各35名学生进行为期四个月的实证研究。具体研究问题包括:英语专业学生写作过程中元认知策略使用的总体情况如何;基于元认知基础上的写作培训有否增强学生的元认知意识;基于元认知基础上的写作培训有否促进写作成绩的提高。教学实践从激发学生元认知意识,传授写作元认知策略等方面进行。试图将元认知策略培训融入写作教学中来提高学生的自主学习能力,进而达到提高其写作能力和综合语言能力的目的。
通过对研究结果进行定量和定性分析发现:英语专业学生在写作中元认知策略的使用情况并不十分乐观;以元认知训练为基础的写作教学增强了学生的元认知意识;并且对提高学生的写作能力有积极的影响。因此,教师在教学中应注意培养学生学习的积极主动性,提高其自主学习的能力。
Among the five communicative skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing, translating) in English, writing is regarded more and more important. But to our dispointment, many students don't know how to improve their writing skill in English. In the traditional teaching approach, teachers tend to overemphasize the importance of linguistic knowledge and writing theory while ignoring the cultivation of the student's autonomous learning competence. In order to change the traditional writing instructive method, this paper attempts to set up teaching principles of English writing under the theoretical framework of metacognition constructed by Flavell, aiming at motivating students,conveying writing knowledge and improving writing ability.
This paper reports a four-month empirical study in Xiaogan University. The subjects in the experimental group involved 70 second-year students in the English Department. Three questions are disgussed in the study: 1) To what extend do English majors know and use metacognitive strategies?2) Can metacognitive strategies training enhance the students' metacognitive awareness? 3) Can metacognitive strategies training improve the students' English writing ability?
Results of the study indicate that: 1) The English majors frequently use self-monitoring strategies, self-evaluation strategies, but occasionally use plan strategies and self-management strategies; 2) Metacognitive strategies training can enhance the students' metacognitive awareness; 3) Metacognitive strategies training may exert a positive effect on the students' writing ability. So the teachers should help students improve their writing ability and comprehensive linguistic ability through the application of the metacognitive strategies.
引文
Ann Brown.Metacognitiort,Executive Control,Self-regulation,and Other More Mysterious Mechanisms[A].1987:65-116.
Blacky,E.& Spence,S.Developing Metacognition.ERIC Digest(ED327218).Available:http//ericps.ed.uiuc.edu/npin/respar/texts/home/metacog.html.990.
Devine J.The role of metacognition in second language reaading and writing[J].Second language perspective,1993.
Flavell,John H.Metacognition and cognitive monitoring:a new area of cognitivedevelopmental inquiry[J].American Psychologist,1979(34)906.
Flavell,John H.Cognitive Development(second edition)[M].New Jersey:Prentice Hall,1985.
Kasper,L.F.Assecessing the Metacognitive Growth of ESL Students Writers[J].TESL-EJ,1997,3(1):1-20.
O'Malley,J.M and Chomot,A.U.Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition [M].Cambidge:Cambridge University Press,1990.
O'Malley,J.M and Chomot,A.U.Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition [M].上海:上海外语教育出版社,2001。
Oxford.Language Learning Strategies:What Every Teacher Should Know[M].Rowley:Rewbury House,1990.
Victori,M.EFL Writing Knowledge and Strategies:an Intergrative Study[PhD].1995.
Victori,M.An Analysis of Writing Knowledge in EFL Composing:A Case Study of Two Effective and Two Less Effective Writers[J].System,1997(27):537-555.
Wenden & J.Rubin.(Eds)Learner strategies in language learning:Prentice-Hall,1987.
初浩楠.论高中英语元认知学习策略[M].华中师范大学,2001.
董奇.自我监控与智力[M].杭州:浙江人民出版社,1996.
吴红云,刘润清.二语写作元认知理论构成的因子分析[J].外语教学与研究,2004(3).
吴红云.二语写作元认知理论的实证研究[D].北京外国语大学,2006.
吴红云.教育活动条件下大学生英语写作元认知的特点[J].心理发展与教育,2006。
文秋芳.英语学习策略论--献给立志学好英语的朋友[M].上海:上海外语教育出版社,1995.