Chapter One Introduction
1.1 Background of the research
Language teaching and learning has always drawn the utmost interest in thecontemporary society, and the pivot of how to facilitate methods and approaches topromote language teaching and learning will remain be highlighted. The panorama of theSecond Language Acquisition (SLA) study from 19th century to now is rich andvaried. Many linguists and language educators attempting to solve the problem focus onthe teaching methods and approaches. With their great efforts they try to provide thelanguage teachers and learners with recipes for successful practice or a panacea for alllanguage teaching and learning circumstances. Therefore, new methods are created oneafter another, among which Grammar-translation method, Direct method, Audio-lingualapproach, Communicative approach dominate the second language teaching and learningclass successively and Cooperative learning is expanding its impact in the SLA field.In the ESL or EFL classes, English teachers in China have witnessed that variousmethods and approaches changed one from another. Since 1960s when English as thecardinal foreign language gained its supremacy, English educators and teachers havegroped for the most effective way for Chinese students. The Grammar-translation methodonce and the Communicative approach now are most popular among the teaching methodsadopted by Chinese pedagogical practitioners in ESL or EFL classes. TheGrammar-translation method is criticized unduly focusing on obtaining linguistic andgrammar knowledge while language learning and acquisition actually are beyond that.Students’ communicative competence has been neglect and such English is ironicallycalled “dumb English” or “deaf English”.
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1.2 Significance of the research
Considering the importance of English writing and problems existing in the presentstudents’ English writing situation this research is necessary to be done. Writing as acomplex language communication process is a creative thinking process and also is aprerequisite of mastering English. It is becoming much more important in the teaching andlearning process. Under the teacher and exam centered and book oriented teaching mode,students have usually been driven by teacher-talk and depend heavily on the fixedknowledge in the textbook. Little space has been left for students’ initiative thought,communication and interaction. Some students even leech on to teachers’ instruction badly.Since normally there are several dozens of students in one class the teachers cannot payattention to everyone in the classroom. It is impossible that the teachers can give thestudents personal guidance. And the students barely have the chance to speak and express.Cooperative Learning advocating a positive and harmonious relationship, providinglearning opportunities for students’ to communicate with and learn from each other, hasbeen an effective method in arousing students’ writing interest, and fostering students’ English language competence. But the application in English writing is not wide andmature enough though there are increasing studies being done.This thesis attempts to testify the effectiveness of cooperative learning in collegeEnglish writing, and hereby are the addressed research questions in this study: (1) Does thecooperative learning in English writing influence college students’ writing attitude? (2)Can the cooperative learn，英语论文，英语论文范文
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