The Effects of Rhetorical Task Type, English Proficiency, and Writing Anxiety on Senior High School Students' English Writing Performance
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Date
2009-09-??
Authors
蔡必箴
程玉秀
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
英語學系
Department of English, NTNU
Department of English, NTNU
Abstract
在大學入學考試中心所主辦的學科能力測驗（學測）和指定科目考試（指考）裡，英文寫作是英文考科必考項目；但學測和指考的英文寫作所著重的文體不盡相同。學測英文寫作以敘事文為主，而指考的英文寫作則重說明文和描述文。由於學測所設定評量的知識和能力比指考來得基礎，學測和指考英文寫作所著重文體之不同似乎表示試務單位假定敘事文比說明文來得容易。為了要驗證這種假定，本研究試圖比較敘事文和說明文兩種文體對高中生英文寫作表現之影響。有鑒於英語文能力和寫作焦慮對英文寫作也可能造成影響，本研究同時探究上述兩種文體類型與英語文能力或寫作焦慮的交互作用。此外，本研究也收集學生對不同英文寫作文體的看法。研究結果顯示文體類型的主要效果及其與英語文能力或寫作焦慮的交互作用，皆未達顯著水準；但英語文能力的優劣和寫作焦慮的高低則分別對學生的英文寫作表現有顯著的影響。
English writing tests form a designated section in the General Scholastic Ability English Test (GSAET) and the Department Required English Test (DRET), two nationwide tests for college admission in Taiwan. However, the types of rhetorical writing tasks emphasized in the two tests are different. The GSAET focuses on narrative tasks, whereas DRET, on expository tasks. Because the DRET is designated to assess more advanced knowledge and ability than the GSAET, their difference in focus of rhetorical task suggests that narrative writing is less challenging than expository writing. To validate the assumed relative ease of the two writing tasks, the present study examined the difference the two tasks made in senior high school students' English writing performance. In light of the potential effects of language proficiency and anxiety on writing performance, this study also explored how the two task types interacted with English proficiency and writing anxiety in influencing the quality of English writing. Students' opinions about different rhetorical writing tasks were also explored. The results show neither a significant main effect of rhetorical task type nor a significant interaction effect between task type and English proficiency or writing anxiety. In contrast, significant main effects of English proficiency and writing anxiety were observed.
English writing tests form a designated section in the General Scholastic Ability English Test (GSAET) and the Department Required English Test (DRET), two nationwide tests for college admission in Taiwan. However, the types of rhetorical writing tasks emphasized in the two tests are different. The GSAET focuses on narrative tasks, whereas DRET, on expository tasks. Because the DRET is designated to assess more advanced knowledge and ability than the GSAET, their difference in focus of rhetorical task suggests that narrative writing is less challenging than expository writing. To validate the assumed relative ease of the two writing tasks, the present study examined the difference the two tasks made in senior high school students' English writing performance. In light of the potential effects of language proficiency and anxiety on writing performance, this study also explored how the two task types interacted with English proficiency and writing anxiety in influencing the quality of English writing. Students' opinions about different rhetorical writing tasks were also explored. The results show neither a significant main effect of rhetorical task type nor a significant interaction effect between task type and English proficiency or writing anxiety. In contrast, significant main effects of English proficiency and writing anxiety were observed.