hor introduces portfolio assessment and discusses the relevant studies on portfolioassessment at home and abroad. Next, the author describes the theoretical basis of thisstudy briefly in detail, which contain the theories of constructivism, multiple intelligenceand humanism. Then, the related concepts of the English writing are introduced, and theauthor introduces portfolio assessment’s application in English writing teaching. In the last,the author makes a summary.
2.1 Formative assessment
As we all knew, portfolio assessment is one of the most important evaluation methodsin formative assessment. This section includes the definition of formative assessment andseven propositions of formative assessment.Generally, we can divide educational assessments into three categories: diagnosticassessment, summative assessment and formative assessment according to its function andpurpose.Diagnostic assessment is usually carried out before or during educational activities toknow students’ present level and existing problems. Results of this kind of assessmentdirect following teaching activities.Summative assessment is conducted after a relatively complete teaching stage to testthe teaching and learning effects. This kind of assessment is based on teaching objectivesdesigned before the particular teaching stage.
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2.2 Portfolio assessment
Portfolio assessment, as a kind of burgeoning qualitative assessment, emerged in1980s in European countries as an alternative evaluative approach to traditional summativeassessment in the distorted exam-oriented education. In this section, the author expoundsportfolio assessment, including definition of portfolio, types and contents of portfolioassessment, and previous studies on portfolio assessment abroad and at home.Artist’s portfolios inspire the portfolio of students’ learning, such as writers, architects,photographers and designers who prefer to preserve their works. According to theircollection, they not only can reflect on their own works or arts, but also can makecomments on their development and achievement (Huang, 2003). In the meantime, Zhong(2004) argues that the so-called educational portfolio is a collection of typical workingsamples of students designed to review and assess the learning process. It is both acollection of students’ learning products and a kind of multi-evaluation material forteachers and students (Zhong, 2004).Portfolio is described as the learning process of learners’ efforts to improve anddemonstrate the achievement in the New English Curriculum Standard for senior high school. Document folders usually collect students’ representative learning products andreflection reports (Jin & Song, 2003: 159). And after that, the evaluation of educationstarted to apply portfolio in the process of evaluation. That is called portfolio assessment.Generally, there are the following six components in students’ learning portfolio:introduction of the portfolio, content of the portfolio, students’ typical work samples,students’ self-evaluation and comments of teacher and classmates, evaluation criterion andstudents’ self-reflection. Gao (2006) stated that not only students’ self-evaluation isimportant but also self-reflection is essential in these components.
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Chapter three Research methodology......20
3.1 Research questions....... 20
3.2 Research participants....20
3.3 Experiment instruments.......21
3.3.1 Questionnaires.... 21
3.3.2 Tests...... 23
3.3.3 Classroom observation..... 23
3.4 Research procedure...... 24
3.5 Teaching samples..........32
3.6 Data collection.......38
Chapter Four Data analysis and discussion.... 39
4.1 Data analysis and discussion of the questionnaires on writing strateg
