Inspired by Glasser’s (1998) choice theory, the author set out to explore the differences between Chinese students’ self-selected topics and largescale test prompts. She asked sixty-two English major sophomores to rate a corpus of seventy topics and prompts and to write reflective comments on them with regard to topic authenticity, difficulty, involvement and impact. The results show significant differences in topic orientation, accessibility and impact between students’ selfselected topics and test prompts. Factors causing such differences include students’ failure to adopt more effective strategies in the topic selection process, their lack of topic choice training in early writing instruction and their inability to learn topic generation from reading prompts. To narrow the above differences, we should give students learner strategy training, add a section of topic choice to course books on basic writing and engage students in reflective writing.
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ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION METHODOLOGY Research Questions Participants Data Collection RESULTS Participants’ Selection of Writing Topics Differences between Topics and Prompts DISCUSSION Failure to Adopt More Effective Strategies in the Process Lack of Topic Choice Training in Early Writing Instruction Inability to Learn Topic Generation from Reading Prompts CONCLUSION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS THE AUTHOR REFERENCES APPENDIX
The goals of Asia TEFL are to promote scholarship, disseminate information, and facilitate cross-cultural understanding among persons concerned with the teaching and learning of English in Asia. In order to accomplish this, Asia TEFL will pursue the following goals:
1. To link ELT professionals in joint research on issues and concerns regarding English teaching and learning in the Asian context.
2. To publish an academic journal, The Asia TEFL Journal, as an internationally recognized journal in the field of English language teaching.
3. To host conferences and seminars addressing important issues concerning ELT in Asia.
4. To develop proficiency guidelines and assessment methods designed for the needs of the Asian context.
5. To develop programs for Asian learners and teachers of English to build their English language proficiency and cultural understanding and provide them with the skills required to be efficient English teaching professionals.