The weekly column

Article 80, November 2001

Reading vs Writing

By Ji Shaobin
Wenzhou College of Profession and Technology

Abstract
Recently, many college students in China have acquired a relative higher level of proficiency in English reading while they have made little progress in English writing. This is partly due to the fact that inadequate importance is attached to writing in the classroom, and that students have vague ideas about the role of writing in English learning and about the different discourse patterns existing between English and Chinese. Therefore, this paper tries to find the ways to solve the present problems of students’ writing ability.

1. Introduction
Since the rapid entry into the world community by Chinese for the past few years, great progress has been made in Chinese English teaching and learning for non-English majors. Such progress is best reflected in the field of English reading due to the competitive College English tests. Chinese students are able to read with ease English materials on general topics or relevant to their own fields of study without any difficulty. However, what puzzles and worries tertiary English teachers in China is that there is an obvious gap between students’ reading and writing ability. Although non-English majors have taken a large step further in reading competence, they are rather poor in writing. They can not write acceptable and understandable English sentences, let alone well-organized paragraphs or the whole essays.

2. Reasons behind the problems of English writing
Even though there are many reasons for the ineffective teaching and learning of writing at Chinese tertiary institutions. The following three main reasons are quite perceived:

1. Misled by the College English Tests
   Compared with other language skills, little emphasis has been put on the writing task in the traditional classroom. Believe it or not, most College English teaching in China has been somehow guided by the College English tests, which put a lot of emphasis on the test of reading comprehension through knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. As a result, both teachers and students have not paid enough attention to the importance of writing in class.
2. Students’ false perceptions about English writing
   Most Chinese English learners hold a false belief that learning a foreign language means learning grammatical rules, remembering words and memorizing individual structures and patterns. As to writing, it is not as important as reading in the examinations. Because of this perception, most students are reluctant to spend much time writing for perfection.
3. Students’ ignorance of the characteristics of English writing
   Another important reason why Chinese students write poorly in English is that they lack the basic knowledge of nature of English discourse. As we know, English discourse patterns are different from Chinese ones. When students are unaware of these differences, they are inclined to transfer discourse patterns directly from Chinese to English. So it is not surprising to some native speakers, Chinese students’ writing is always appearing to be unclear with confused logic.

3. Nurturing students’ awareness of importance to writing
Fortunately, more and more Chinese tertiary English teachers have realized the urgent need for developing Chinese learner’s writing ability. Research shows that what learners know about their learning tasks can directly influence the process and even the outcome of their learning, and that learning how to learn is more important than the learning itself. When learners are conscious of their learning targets, they will learn automatically and effectively. A common problem with non-English major students in Chinese tertiary institutions is their vague knowledge of writing task. Once students have the awareness about importance in English writing, the teaching and learning of writing will be less painful and more effective and pleasant.

4. Means to help in writing
First, the role of writing in language learning should be emphasized. Many Chinese students take it for granted that if one can remember a large number of English words and show a fair performance in reading, he has learned the language well. Therefore, they spent a large amount of time in and out of class in learning grammatical rules, memorizing word by word and reading various kinds of topics and books in English. Not enough attentions have been paid to the development of their productive skills, such as writing skills. In view of this, we English teachers should try our best to help our students to take a reasonable attitude toward the English test(s) and make it clear that writing is an inseparable procedure of language learning and it can be reinforced in language learning as well. Without learning to write, we can not have effective acquisition of a target language. Once students know the importance of writing in foreign language learning, they will take the initiative and learn it successfully and naturally.

Second, the difference between Chinese and English discourse patterns should be realized.

1. The nature of discourse
   English writing is more direct compared with Chinese in expression. The topic is explicitly stated while details or facts are required to support the main idea. On the contrary, Chinese writing is more or less indirect. They may not introduce the topic explicitly, rather repeat it in several other ways, leaving readers to wonder. Therefore, Chinese writers tend to make assertions without many explanations or elaboration.
2. The difference of reasoning
   English discourse emphasizes logical reasoning and clear organization of ideas with the main ideas clearly stated, appropriate facts provided to support the main idea and references cited if available. Unlike English reasoning, Chinese reasoning, in general, offers assertions instead of evidence with fewer references sometimes. One concrete example after another is presented without caring too much on their connection to the conclusion.
3. Styles of expression
   English rhetoric prefers a detective approach and emphasizes creativity and individuality. So the students are encouraged to use their own words in their ways to express their own ideas. However, Chinese rhetoric prefers an inductive way of expression. Therefore, Chinese English learners seem to prefer quotation and paraphrase of well known words or the use of set phrases rather than their own personal ideas. Traditionally, the dominant teaching for writing class in China is that the teacher gives a general explanation of certain writing skills and then assigns either a topic or outlines. Students write dependently in class and hand in their assignments to their teacher for marking. The teacher normally marks the composition with “correction” in red ink, occasionally with added comments, focusing on form of the writing instead of the content. This traditional approach of teaching writing does not work well in helping students to improve their writing capacity. Instead, students can be allocated for the time to do some pre-writing and planning activities such as discussion, debate, reading and list making and so on. They can share prompt ideas, selected words and constructive sentences with themselves. This process of teaching can provide students for a chance to think in depth, to try out new ideas and to help and learn from each other.
   He other available method to teach writing is to introduce students’ designed reading materials as a source of writing. It is well known that the most important English course in tertiary level in China is reading, especially intensive reading, which is taught and learned in exhaustive details and students are forced to memorize ever detail of the information coming from their reading materials. When students are quite familiar with the reading materials, we can take advantage of it to ask our students to pay close attention to the authentic writers’ organization of their ideas and their carefully chosen words. Even students can be encouraged to imitate the way of native English writers but copying with careful thinking should be forbidden.

5. Conclusion
Learning to write needs time and efforts. In order to improve Chinese students’ writing competence, students should depend more on themselves than on their foreign language teachers or on a certain teaching tips. Therefore, it is essential to help our Chinese students have a correct idea between reading and writing. With this in their mind, students will become efficient learners in writing, which is likely to help them evolve into life-long learners.

About the Author
I am a college English teacher in China. My main teaching interest is to help Chinese College students with their writing. I can be reached at jishaobin@yahoo.com

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