The Usage of Problem-Based Learning in Teaching High School Students’ English Writing

Problem-based Learning (PBL), a student-centered instructional approach rooted in constructivist learning theory, has been widely applied across dis-ci-plines to foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaborative skills, yet its application in high school writing instruction remains under explored. This study addresses prevailing challenges in traditional writing teach-ing—including low student motivation, rigid template dependence, and discon-nection from real-life contexts—by systematically exploring the value, imple-mentation strat-egies, effectiveness, and challenges of integrating PBL into high school writing instruction. Employing a mixed-methods design , the study first clarifies PBL’s core connotations and theoretical alignment with writing in-struction, then an-alyzes gaps in traditional writing teaching, and proposes a five-stage PBL-based writing framework. An action research was conducted in two Grade 10 classes over one semester: the experimental class used PBL, while the control class used traditional methods. Results show PBL significantly improved writing perfor-mance (experimental class post-test average 80.5 vs. control class 74.6), in-creased student motivation (87% of experimental stu-dents reported higher in-terest), and enhanced critical thinking and collabora-tion. Challenges included teachers’ limited PBL design capacity and tight class schedules, with corre-sponding solutions proposed. This study concludes PBL transforms writing from a “mechanical task” to an “exploratory practice,” offer-ing viable guid-ance for high school writing reform.