Abstract

There are four basic skills in English learning, including listening, speaking, reading and writing. These four skills have interaction among them, so that no one should be ignored. Among these skills, it is said that writing ability is the reflection of the other three skills and at the same time, it consolidates the other three abilities. The application of Mind Mapping to English teaching in Junior High School can improve teachers’ teaching methods so that students can enjoy more room for their writing creation, activate students’ English creativity and develop their divergent thinking. As a result, students’ writing ability can be improved. Based on the theories of radiant thinking, modern schema theory and constructivism, this thesis adopts observation in class, interview and analysis of cases to answer the following three questions: What method does the teacher use to teach English writing in Junior High School? What method does the teacher use to develop students’ thinking ability in English writing classes in Junior High School? What are the problems of the application of Mind Mapping to English writing teaching in Junior High School? The research suggests that Mind Mapping, a thinking tool, can develop students’ thinking ability, make students’ language fluent and orderly, and enrich students’ writing content and their vocabulary, leading to improvement in English writing. 

Key words: writing teaching; Mind Mapping; English in Junior High School 

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1 Introduction-1

1.1 Research background-1

1.2 Research purpose-5

1.3 Significance of the research -6

1.4 Structure of the research-6

2 Literature Review-4

2.1 Concept of Mind Mapping-7

2.2 Theoretical basis of Mind Mapping-7

2.3 A review of English writing teaching-9

3 An Investigation of Current English Writing Teaching in Junior High School-16

3.1 Research questions-16

3.2 Participants-12

3.3 Data collection-17

3.4 Data analysis-14

4 Application of Mind Mapping to English writing teaching-20

4.1 The application of Mind Mapping in argumentation writing-20

4.2 The application of Mind Mapping in narration writing-17

4.3 The application of Mind Mapping in expository writing-18

4.4 A sample of the application of Mind Mapping to English writing-19

5 Conclusion-22

Bibliography-25