[[alternative]]The Verification of A Writing Process Model-Integrated Reading and Composition: The Effects of the "Integrated Reading and Composition Program"

[[abstract]]The Verification of A Writing Process Model-Integrated Reading and Composition: The Effects of the "Integrated Reading and Composition Program" Feng-Ru Chen ABSTRACT The purposes of this study were (1) to investigate students' writing process with the use of qualitative analysis, and further to explore the differences between the students with high ability and with low ability in writing; (2)to verify the goodness of fit between empirically observed data and "the Writing Process Model-Integrated Reading and Composition" proposed by the author; (3) to examine the effects of the "Integrated Reading and Composition Program". For these three purposes, the whole study was divided into three parts. Study I was related to qualitative analysis involving thinking-aloud and thinking-by-questioning methods. The participants chosen were consisted of 10 high writing ability and 10 low writing ability students from a junior high school in Taipei. The study intended to analyze the students' writing process, and further to explore the differences between the students with high writing ability and with low writing ability. The results show that, between the participants with high writing ability and with low writing ability, there were a large amount of differences in their writing process. The participants with high writing ability were more excellent readers than those with low writing ability. Consequently, their writing quality were sure to be better. In Study Ⅱ, the researcher proposed that the Writing Process Model-Integrated Reading and Composition included the components of "reader-role function", "writer-role function", affective reaction, and writing performance. The purpose of this part was to verify the goodness of fit between empirically observed data and "the Writing Process Model-Integrated Reading and Composition". The participants were 270 eighth-grade students from three junior high schools in Taipei. The results indicated that the Writing Process Model-Integrated Reading and Composition fitted the observed data well, either when overall or when internal structure model fit criteria was used. Study Ⅲ was to evaluate the effects of the "Integrated Reading and Composition Program". The participants were 40 eighth-grade students with high writing ability and 40 eighth-grade students with low writing ability. The subjects of high writing ability and low writing ability were randomly assigned into experimental group and control group. The experimental group received the "Integrated Reading and Composition Program" developed by the present author, while the control group received general writing instruction. The results showed that the "Integrated Reading and Composition Program" could promote their writing performance (including quality of writing, creative writing, the aspect of writing), self-awareness of reading and writing, and affective reaction. The experimental group from both high writing ability and low writing ability students performed better than control group in quality of writing, creative writing and "self-awareness of reading and writing". There were interaction between "group" and "assessment stage" on the quality of writing and creative writing. In the experimental group, the quality of writing and creative writing would increase gradually with the number of Instruction. In short, it's because their aspects of writing increased. According to this, the experimental students with high writing ability would increase more "intertext", while the experimental students with low writing ability would not. In addition, the experimental students with low writing ability performed better than control group in affective variables and "self-awareness of reading and writing". Based on the results of study I, Ⅱ,and Ⅲ,the effects of the "Integrated Reading and Composition Program" is supported. The researcher also provided a discussion on the results of the study. Some recommendations have made regarding instructional assistance and future studies.