The weekly column

Article 67, July 2001

How to Help Chinese English Students Overcome the Fear of Writing English Compositions

By Ji Shaobin
Wenzhou College of Profession and Technology, Wenzhou, China

Introduction

Most Chinese students studying English at Chinese Colleges and Universities seldom practise writing English compositions. Therefore, they are daunted by any forms of writing tasks. Teachers also find it difficult when teaching writing courses because of lack of enough teaching resources. Most English exercises and standardized examinations are nothing but choosing among A, B, C, D. As a result, when they pick up writing in English, many Chinese students often make lots of mistakes; are at a loss what to put down; can't organize their ideas. Just write down some broken sentences and misspell words. The worst is that they are not sure of what they are writing and the English contents are mostly unreadable. That is the main reason why most students are afraid of writing English compositions even if they have a large amount of English vocabulary and familiarity with English grammar through the abundant practice of reading and practicing. Is writing really beyond the reach of our Chinese students? Of course not. It must be realized that the work of composition is a work of art. Writing can become natural and perfect through constant learning and practice.

Valuable Procedures

There are some processes leading to satisfactory writing activity. Firstly, when you have to write a composition, try to read the given topic over again and note down the wording of the title so as to grasp its exact meaning and scope as well.

Secondly, think over the subject concerned and write down all your ideas as quickly as possible. Any sudden inspiration is easily lost unless it is promptly recorded. Such ideas will help you draw up an outline.

Thirdly, making an outline is very valuable in the process of writing as a sort of guide. Without it, you may either write too little or too much. It will prevent you from turning away from the main subject. In addition, a good outline can not only ensure the topics follow one another in their proper order but also help you pay attention to what you have said in the last sentence of a paragraph and see the next paragraph continue developing with the same thoughts.

Fourthly, try to introduce sufficient and convincing examples for your composition if you want to improve it and interest your readers.

Fifthly, try to avoid writing a long introduction at the beginning of the composition. As a matter of fact, the neat opening can lead up to the main subjects and add to the clearness of your writing.

Sixthly, try to write your composition in simple words and your own words. One of the common mistakes often made by Chinese students is the over-use of words from dictionaries or other sources, with which they are not familiar. It is not a shame to express your own ideas in your own words according to your understanding. What really counts is that the expression should be made clear through the orderly arrangement of topics and your careful choice of words.

Lastly, as soon as the composition is finished, read it carefully through and check the spelling. Are all the ideas clearly presented? Are any sentences too long and complicated? Try to avoid presenting your ideas vaguely and make sure that there are no grammatical mistakes. If it is possible, try to show your work to your Chinese English teachers or foreign teachers working in your community. Ask them for advice and proposals for the improvement of your work. When it comes to the formal test, you may not be able to go through all above-mentioned steps. But all in all, you have to bear in mind: First, collect ideas and then make a plan and finally write it out.

Conclusion

Composition is a test of one's power of expressing oneself clearly and logically and the depth of one's thoughts as well. You can impress your readers with bright ideas, fluent language and logical organization. When you have enough practice and sufficient vocabulary, the task of writing will become a routine job in your life. Just as the famous proverb says, "Practice makes perfect". If we can follow it, our writing skill will be improved steadily.

About the Author

Ji Shaobin is an English teacher who has been teaching English in Wenzhou College of Profession and Technology for more than seven years. Ji Shaobin received an BA in 1994. E-mail address: jishaobin@yahoo.com

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