寫作教學在國中的英語教育中往往被忽視，近幾年來學校和老師已經開始注重學生的英語口語表達能力，那麼寫作的溝通能力是否也應該受到同等重視呢？教學內容取決於教師本身的認知、信念和態度，因此本研究的目的在於了解教師對於寫作教學的看法，影響寫作教學的因素，並且應如何改善寫作教學的品質。此外，本研究亦調查英語教師是否贊成在國中基測中加考英文寫作。最後，本研究分析公私立英語教師的看法是否具有明顯不同。以台中市六所公私立國中的英語教師為研究對象，對57位英語教師進行問卷調查，進行次數分配表及t test統計分析。研究發現，學校和教師都忽略了寫作教學，而影響寫作教學的重要因素包括：學生的語言程度、學習動機以及檢討學生的文章。改善寫作教學品質的方法包括：能力分組、減少授課班級數、選用更合適的教材以及避免考試導向的英語課程。而大部分的英語老師不贊成在基測中加考寫作。

Writing instruction has been ignored in junior high school in Taiwan. Since teachers and schools have started to focus on communicative ability, should writing gain more attention in junior high schools? The pedagogical practices are assumed to be determined by teachers’ perceptions, beliefs and attitudes. Therefore, this study aims to examine teachers’ perceptions of English writing instruction, what factors they believe are crucial, and what measures are recommended to improve it. Besides, the study investigates teachers’ attitudes toward assessing students’ writing ability in the entrance exam. Finally, this study also intends to explore whether public and private school teachers view certain issues differently. Questionnaires are administered to 57 English teachers in Taichung City and are analyzed by frequencies and the independent t-test. The findings show that either teachers or schools downplay the importance of writing instruction. Teachers find factors affecting their teaching include: students’ language proficiency, students’ motivation, and time and efforts spent to review students’ writings. Also most teachers disapprove to include a writing test in the entrance exam. Possible measures to improve writing instruction are suggested: ability grouping, reducing the number of classes to teach, adopting more appropriate teaching materials, and avoiding a test-oriented curriculum.

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
Background and Motivation
Research Context about Writing Instruction
Statement of the Problem
Purpose of the Study
Research Questions
Research Design
Organization of the Thesis
Definition of Terms

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
Writing Approach to Writing Instruction
Grammar approach
Controlled Composition
Contrastive Rhetoric
Process Approaches
Writing Assessment
Traditional Assessment
Portfolio Assessment
Research in Writers’ and Instructors’ Perceptions
Research in writers’ perceptions
Research in teachers’ perceptions
Related Research in Taiwan

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY
Participants
Instrument
Preliminary Studies
Interview
Pilot study
Data Collection
Data Analysis

CHAPTER 4 RESULTS
Teachers Downplay the Importance of Writing Instruction.
Schools Downplay the Importance of Writing Instruction.
Factors Influencing Writing Instruction
Methods to Strengthen the Effect of Writing Instruction
Attitudes towards Testing Students’ Writing Ability in the Entrance Exam
Different Views from Public and Private School Teachers

CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
The Differences between Teachers’ Perception and Practice.
Teachers’ Attitudes toward Writing Assessment in the Entrance Exam.
Public and Private School Teachers’ Different Perceptions of Teaching Writing
Pedagogical Implications
Limitations of the Study
Suggestions for Future Study
Conclusion

REFERENCES

APPENDICES
Appendix A. Interview Guide (Chinese)
Appendix B. Interview Guide (English)
Appendix C. Cover of the Questionnaire (Chinese)
Appendix D. Questionnaire (Chinese)
Appendix E. Questionnaire (English)
Appendix F. Correlations between teachers’ attitudes and school types

LIST OF TABLES
Table 3.1
Table 4.1 Item 4
Table 4.2 Item 9-10
Table 4.3 Item 21-22
Table 4.4 Item 7-8
Table 4.5 Item 12-15
Table 4.6 Item 1
Table 4.7 Item 2
Table 4.8 Item 11
Table 4.9 Item 16-17
Table 4.10 Item 23
Table 4.11 Item 24
Table 4.12 Item 19-20
Table 4.13 Item 25
Table 4.14 Item 25
Table 4.15 Item 25
Table 4.16 Comparison of mean differences between public and private school teachers
Table 4.17 Item 4
Table 4.18 Item 9
Table 4.19 Item 8
Table 4.20 Item 17
Table 4.21 Item 11
Table 4.22 Item 19
Table 4.23 Item 20
Table 4.24 Item 23
Table 4.25 Item 25

Bachman, L. F. & Palmer, A. S. (1996). Language testing in practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bailey, Kathleen M. (1998). Learning about language assessment: Dilemmas, decisions, and directions. Pacific Grove: Heinle & Heinle Publishers.
Brown, James & Hudson, Thom. (1998). The alternatives in language assessment. TESOL Quarterly, 32, 653-675.
Chan, Yu-Wei (2005). Junior High School English Teachers' Ideas of Current English Textbooks in Tainan County. Thesis: National Kaohsiung Normal University.
Chang, Chih-Cheng. (2003). Diagnosing English Learning For Junior High Schol Students by portfolio assessment. Thesis: National Kaohsiung Normal University.
Chao, Yun-Hua (2005). A Study of EFL Students' Preference for Textbook Activities at a Junior High School in Taipei. Thesis: National Taiwan Normal University.
Chen, Chien-Ying (2006). An Exploratory Study of How EFL Junior High School Students Develop L2 Literacy through Task-Based Reading-to-Writing Instruction. Thesis: National Cheng Kung University.
Chiang, Mei-Chuan (1999). The Effects of Model-based Instruction on Chinese Students’ English Writing. Thesis: National Taiwan Normal University.
Chung, Mei-Chih (2005). Effects of Three Theme-based Projects on English Learning for a CMC Group and a Non-CMC Group in Junior High School in Taiwan. Thesis: National Kaohsiung Normal University.
Connor, Ulla (2002). New directions in contrastive rhetoric. TESOL Quarterly, 36, 493-510.
Connor, Ulla (2003). Changing currents in contrastive rhetoric. In B. Kroll (Ed.). Exploring the dynamics of second-language writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Cumming, Alister (2003). Experienced ESL/EFL writing instructors’ conceptualizations of their teaching: Curriculum options and implications. In B. Kroll (Ed.). Exploring the dynamics of second-language writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
DeRemer, Mary. (1998). Writing assessment: Raters’ elaboration of the rating task. Assessing Writing, 5, 7-29.
Ferris, Dana. (1998). Teaching ESL composition: Purpose, process, and practice. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Ferris, Dana. (1999). The case for grammar correction in L2 writing classes: A responses to Truscott (1996). Journal of Second Language Writing, 8, 1-11.
Ferris, Dana. (2002). Teaching students to self-edit. In J. C. Richards & W. A. Renandya (eds.), Methodology in Language Teaching. pp.328-334.
Ferris, Dana. (2003) Responding to writing. In B. Kroll (Ed.). Exploring the dynamics of second-language writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Flowerdew, J., Li, D., & Miller, L. (1998). Attitudes towards English and Cantonese among Hong Kong Chinese University Lectures. TESOL Quarterly, 32, 201-231.
Freeman, D., & Richards, J. (1993). Conceptions of teaching and the education of second language teachers. TESOL Quarterly, 27, 193-216.
Frodesen, J. (2001). Grammar in writing. In Marianne Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. Boston: Heinle & Heinle.
Frodesen, Jan, & Holten, Christine. (2003). Grammar and the ESL writing class. In B. Kroll (Ed.). Exploring the dynamics of second-language writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Golombek, P. R. (1998). A study of language teachers’ personal practical knowledge. TESOL Quarterly, 32, 447-464.
Graham, S., Harris, K. R., Fink, B., & MacArthur, C. A. (2001) Teacher efficacy in writing: A construct validation with primary grade teachers. Scientific Studies of Reading, 5, 177-202.
Kroll, B. (2001) Considerations for teaching an ESL/EFL writing course. In M. Celce-Murcia (ed.) Teaching English as a Second or Foreign language. pp. 219-232.
Lee, Icy. (2004) Error correction in L2 secondary writing classrooms: The case of Hong Kong. Journal of Second Language Writing, 13, 285-312.
Leki, Ilona. (1992). Understanding ESL writers: A guide for teachers. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook Publishers.
Leki, Ilona, & Carson, Joan (1997) “Completely different worlds”: EAP and the writing experiences of ESL students in university courses. TESOL Quarterly, 31, 39-69.
Hadfield, Jill, & Hadfield, Charles. (2000). Simple writing activities. Oxford: Oxford University Express.
Hamp-Lyons, Liz. (2002). The scope of writing assessment. Assessing Writing, 8, 5-16.
Hamp-Lyons, Liz. (2003). Writing teachers as assessors of writing. In B. Kroll (Ed.). Exploring the dynamics of second-language writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Huang, Chiung-Ju (2003). The Effects of Teaching Organizing Strategies in The Pre-writing Phase on Chinese Students’ English Writing Proficiency. Thesis: National Taiwan Normal University.
Huang, His-Hui (2004). A Study of Senior High Students’ Responses to Peer and Teacher Feedback on EFL Compositions. Thesis: National Taiwan Normal University.
Hyland, Ken. (2003). Genre-based pedagogies: A social response to process. Journal of Second Language Writing, 12, 17-29.
Polio, Charlene, & Glew, Margo. (1996). ESL writing assessment prompts: How students choose. Journal of Second Language Writing, 5, 35-49.
Raimes, Ann (1983a). Techniques in teaching writing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Raimes, Ann. (1984). Anguish as a second language? Remedies for composition teachers. In S. McKay (ed.) Composing in a second language. pp. 81-96.
Raimes, Ann (1993). Out of the woods: Emerging traditions in the teaching of writing. In State of the Art TESOL Essays. S. Silberstein (ed.). pp. 37-260.
Reichelt, Melinda. (1999). Toward a more comprehensive view of L2 writing: Foreign language writing in the U.S. Journal of Second Language Writing, 8, 181-204.
Reid, J. (1993a). Historical perspectives on writing and reading in the ESL classroom. In J. G. Carson & I. Leki. (eds.), Reading in the Composition Classroom. pp. 33-60.
Reid, J. (1993b). Pedagogical issues in ESL writing. In Reid, J. M. Teaching ESL writing. Englewood Cliffs: Regents/Prentice Hall. pp 49-72.
Reid, Joy, & Kroll, Barbara. (1995). Designing and assessing effective classroom writing assignments for NES and ESL students. Journal of Second Language Writing, 4, 17-41.
Peyton, J. K., Jones, C., Vincent, A, & Greenblatt, L. (1994). Implementing writing workshop with ESOL students: Visions and realities. TESOL Quarterly, 28, 469-487.
Polio, Charlene. (2003) Research on second language writing: An overview of what we investigate and how. In B. Kroll (Ed.). Exploring the dynamics of second-language writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Rippen, Randi. (2002). A genre-based approach to content writing instruction. In J. C. Richards & W. A. Renandya (eds.), Methodology in Language Teaching. pp. 321-327.
Sasaki, Miyuki (2000). Toward an empirical model of EFL writing processes: An exploratory study. Journal of Second Language Writing, 9, 259-291.
Scott, Virginia (1996). Rethinking Foreign Language Writing. Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle.
Seow, Anthony. (2002). The writing process and process writing. Methodology in Language Teaching. In J. C. Richards & W. A. Renandya (eds.), Methodology in Language Teaching. pp. 315-320.
Shi, L., & Cumming, A. (1995). Teachers’ conceptions of second-language writing: Five case studies. Journal of Second Language Writing, 4, 87-111.
Silva, Tony (1990). Second language composition instruction: Developments, issues, and directions in ESL. In B. Kroll (Ed.), Second language writing: Research insights for the classroom (pp. 11-23). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
Song, Bailin, & August, Bonne. (2002). Using portfolios to assess the writing of ESL students: a powerful alternative? Journal of Second Language Writing, 11, 49-72.
Tang, Yu-Ping (2005). Teachers’ perceptions of the use of current English textbooks in Taoyuan County. Thesis: National Kaohsiung Normal University.
Terry, Robert M. (1989). Teaching and evaluating writing as a communicative skill. Foreign Language Annals, 22, 43-54.
Thornbury, Scott (1999). How to teach grammar. Harlow, England: Pearson Education.
Troia, G. A., & Maddox, M. E. (2004). Writing instruction in middle schools: Special and general education teachers share their views and voice their concerns. Exceptionality, 12, 19-37.
Truscott, J. (1996). The case against grammar correction in L2 writing classes. Language Learning, 46, 327-369.
Wang, Yi-Jiun (2002). A Study of Portfolio Assessment in an EFL Junior High School. Thesis: National Chung Cheng University.
Watson-Reekie, C. B. (1984). The use of abuse of models in the ESL writing class. In S. McKay (Ed.), Composing in a second language (pp.97-109).
Weigle, Sara C. (2002) Assessing Writing.
Winer, Lise. (1992). “Spinach to chocolate”: Changing awareness and attitudes in ESL writing teachers. TESOL Quarterly, 26, 57-80.
You, Xiaoye. (2004). “The choice made from no choice”: English writing instruction in a Chinese university. Journal of Second Language Writing, 13, 97-110.
Zamel, Vivian. (1983). The composing processes of advanced ESL students: Six case studies. TESOL Quarterly, 17, 165-187.
Zamel, Vivian. (1987). Writing: The process of discovering meaning. In M. H. Long & J. Richards. (eds.) Methodology in TESOL. Harper and Row. pp.267-278.
Zhang, Shuqiang. (1995). Reexamining the affective advantage of peer feedback in the ESL writing class. Journal of Second Language Writing, 4, 209-222.
Zhang, Shuqiang. (1999). Thoughts on some recent evidence concerning the affective advantage of peer feedback. Journal of Second Language Writing, 8, 321-326.
Zhu, Wei (2004). Faculty views on the importance of writing, the nature of academic writing, and teaching and responding to writing in the disciplines. Journal of Second Language Writing, 13, 29-48.