Learning English as Foreign Language through Guided Writing Practice: An fMRI Study of Healthy Taiwanese Students

This study conducts a guided writing practice inside the fMRI machine and investigates differences of neural correlations in the brains between the participants' native language (traditional Chinese) and English as a foreign language (EFL). This is a cross-sectional study adapts a 2X2 clusters time-series experimental design. 27 subjects were sampled and grouped by their English proficiency level (high vs. low). Each subject did four writing tasks and received fMRI scanning during 40 minutes writing periods, which generates large amounts of spatial temporal data. Results showed: (1) the lower level group had significantly higher activation in the right insula when doing English writing; (2) activations were observed in areas associated with motor, visual, and language circuits in the brain; (3) learners had stronger brain activations on relevant areas when doing familiar tasks. Teaching implications suggest that the learning effects may help reduce learners' risk-taking perceptions and anxiety, and handwriting activities deserve more attention from the teachers and educators. Moreover, novice writers are advised to establish stronger brain networks through drill practices to become more proficient in performing writing skills.