The Use of a Writing Center by Non-native Academic Writers: A Case Study in Taiwan

Abstract

This study aims at exploring the features of e-books that adolescent EFL (English as a foreign language) students in Taiwan favored. This study recruited 109 ninth graders in a junior high school in northern Taiwan to participate in a 10-week extensive reading program (ERP) of 140 available e-books. During the experiment, they read an e-book together and participated in a 10-minute discussion in class every Monday. They were also encouraged to read more outside class. After reading an e-book, they filled out a self-report form; and, at the end of the program, they completed a questionnaire on their overall reactions to the program. The teacher also collected field notes by observing the participants` reading behaviors and reactions as well as their spontaneous oral or written feedback in class, serving for triangulation with the other data. The results showed that our participants reported five features of e-books that they liked and found helpful, including oral reading, highlighting, pictures, animations, and music/sound effects. In addition, they were attracted to e-books that offer interactive and control functions. This study concluded that e-books with features that adolescent English learners favored were those that helped to increase their reading interest and motivation; also, e-book reading programs may help to develop adolescent learners` reading in English.

本研究探討寫作中心在以英語為外語地區（台灣）之實行結果。透過質性多重個案研究方法，深究學生及寫作中心教師對寫作諮詢的看法。結果顯示，學生和老師對於諮詢重心及諮詢方式持有不同看法。另外，寫作諮詢教師對學生專業領域之了解程度、學生指導教授所扮演的角色、及學生之英語能力皆為影響寫作中心實行結果之重要因素。本研究建議，由於寫作中心源於西方教育體系，在以英語為外語地區實施時，需針對各地區之種種特徵修改實行方式及目標。