scholarly journals The effect of structured versus unstructured collaborative pre-writing task on writing skills of the Iranian EFL students

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Beiki ◽  
Neda Gharagozloo ◽  
Reza Raissi
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Translation ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Writing Groups ◽  
Writing Proficiency ◽  
Writing Ability ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Writing Task

Abstract Writing is considered a very complicated task for many EFL students and Iranian EFL learners have many problems in this regard. Present study through a mixed method design, attempted to investigate the effect of Structured Collaborative (SC) pre-writing task versus Unstructured Collaborative (USC) pre-writing task on the writing ability of Iranian EFL students. Among a population of 300 freshmen learners of English language translation of Islamic Azad University, 169 students were selected based on criterion sampling. The criteria for selecting the sample were English language proficiency of the learners, age of the participants and major of their study. On the other hand, 30 teachers were selected based on convenience sampling for the interview part of the study. Then the students were assigned to Unstructured Collaborative (USC), and Structured Collaborative (SC) pre-writing groups. These two clusters were considered as experimental group and as control group. The study was implemented over a period of 16 weeks and involved pre and post-tests. Results of the quantitative data analysis shows that students’ writing proficiency in both groups were improved. However, the outcomes of the study reveals that the (USC) group outperformed the (SC) group. The qualitative data analysis through classroom observation and teachers interview reveals that teachers of (IAU) practiced the collaborative tasks at the three stages of writing in their classes and they also favored and applied the five components of Cooperative Learning (CL). In this study, the researchers took the initiative to make a distinction between structured and unstructured collaborative pre-writing tasks. Consequently, the results of the current study are of benefit for several groups of people, namely language practitioners, university students and educational administrators.

The Effect of Native Model Writing on the Vocabulary Richness of Iranian EFL Learners’ Written Text in a Four-stage Writing Task

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. 1713
Author(s):  
Seyed Mohammad Reza Amirian ◽  
Azam Behshad
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Writing Ability ◽  
Written Text ◽  
Vocabulary Richness ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Writing Task

Vocabulary is a main part of English language teaching because without sufficient vocabulary students cannot understand others or express their own thoughts. “A repeating inquiry in the historical backdrop of language teaching research has been that of how vocabulary can be best organized for learning “(see McArthur 1998; Howatt and Widdowson 2004 for historical reviews). The present study investigated a group of Iranian EFL students’ knowledge for vocabulary learning and their vocabulary size. This study aimed at investigating the role of native-like writing in enhancing learners' writing ability by sensitizing them to select more native-like terms and expressions through improving their vocabulary knowledge. For this purpose the researcher used native models in two revisions of story in four-stage writing task that consisted of output, comparison, and two revisions. The question that researchers asked was whether giving native models later turns into better performance. At the end it is concluded that the 4-satge native model of writing helps L2 learners to write a well-formed English narrative and make use of better terms and expressions as well as helping teachers understand the formulation problems of EFL writers and what the students notice. That is, the gap between the way that they write and the native models to which they compare themselves.

Salute ed elaborazione scritta di eventi emotivamente rilevanti in ambito lavorativo

2009 ◽  
pp. 113-137
Author(s):  
Luisa Pepe ◽  
Fiammetta Nicolardi ◽  
Fiorella Bucci ◽  
Luigi Solano
Keyword(s):  
Control Group ◽  
Writing Groups ◽  
Negative Experience ◽  
Task Instructions ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Dependent Variables ◽  
Physical Examinations ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Positive Results ◽  
Writing Task

- J.W. Pennebaker's studies showed positive results on health through the use of the writing technique in different subjects. In line with these studies and Health Psychology's goals, in this research we applied Pennebaker's Writing Technique to subjects in a fire brigade sample who are often exposed to emotional experiences during their work. The sample was divided in three groups. The first group wrote about their most traumatic working experience (Negative exp. Gr.). The second group wrote about the most rewarding working experience (Positive exp. Gr.). The third group didn't receive any writing task (Control Gr.). The aims of the present study were to assess: 1) an improvement on health parameters in the two writing groups in respect to the control group; 2) an effectiveness of writing in the Positive experience gr. in the short period, in the Negative experience gr. in the long period; 3) a possible interaction between writing and alexithymia levels. Comparing the data of the three groups we found out significant differences confirming our hypothesis on our three dependent variables: sick leave days (F = 3.60; p < 0.04); SCL-90 scores (F = 5.56; p < 0.0005) and number of physical examinations reported in the Health Interview (F = 4.11; p < 0.03). Regarding our second hypothesis, results of this study suggest the need of adapting the writing task instructions to the context for a more effectiveness of the technique. Finally, interaction between writing and alexithymia was not found, possibly due to low alexithymia levels in the sample in general.

scholarly journals Utilization of Edmodo as an Online Tool in EFL Writing Class to Increase Students’ Writing Ability

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
M. Zaini Miftah
Keyword(s):  
Small Group ◽  
Small Groups ◽  
Efl Writing ◽  
Online Tool ◽  
Writing Ability ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Writing Class ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Writing Task

This article reports the results of investigation on the utilization of Edmodo as an online tool in EFL writing class to increase the students’ ability in producing an argumentative essay. Classroom Action Research was applied in the study. 15 Indonesian EFL students who enrolled in the course of Argumentative Writing became the participants of the study. Observation, writing task, questionnaire, and field notes were used for the data collection. The data obtained were categorized into qualitative and quantitative data. The collected data were then analyzed for the conclusion drawn. The results show that the utilization of Edmodo in EFL writing class could significantly increase the students’ ability in producing an argumentative essay in the Cycle 2. The Appropriate teaching procedures are; prepare the teaching materials, introduce Edmodo, guide students to get ready to use Edmodo, give an opportunity to students to get in the Edmodo group, train students to use Edmodo group, group students in the small group via Edmodo, give students writing tasks through Edmodo, provide a guideline and tell students to follow the guideline to access their small group, ask students to post their first drafts of an argumentative essay on their small groups, ask students to give feedback on their peers’ works, ask students to revise their drafts of the argumentative essay based on the their peers’ feedback and teacher, and ask students to post their final products of an argumentative essay on their Edmodo account.Keywords: Edmodo; Online tool, EFL writing class, Writing ability, Argumentative essay

scholarly journals “The Course Was Not Only for the Semester but Also for Life”: Scaffolding Summary Writing for EFL Students Across Academic Disciplines

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 203-212
Author(s):  
Carina Sjöberg-Hawke
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Teacher Response ◽  
Summary Writing ◽  
Learning Path ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Specific Learning

It can be a challenge for a university teacher to arrange the teaching of written tasks so that weak foreign language students with differing disciplinary backgrounds can develop their written communication skills. The difficulty is to avoid the focus from becoming just language proficiency. In one course at a technical university in Sweden, three written summaries are scaffolded to address such a challenge. The purpose of this teaching practice paper is to show how employing a specific strategy of repetition facilitates the writing skill development in low-level English language multidisciplinary students. The repeated features are the genre of the task, the writing process used and the occurrences of teacher response. They are organised along a specific learning path so as to encourage the students to build on the knowledge gained in each iteration, between tasks and potentially beyond the course. The paper describes the journey the students take writing the three summaries, working on fulfilling criteria concerned with aspects such as content organisation, coherence and cohesion, and limited grammar errors. A brief analysis of excerpts from one case student’s first and third summaries is included. It is suggested that while the scaffolding can remain the same, the material could be replaced to suit other skills and language level needs.

scholarly journals Implementing a Cultural Model to Increase English-Language Proficiency at an International College

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Janice Lee Scarinci ◽  
Edward Howell
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Emerging Economies ◽  
English Language ◽  
Research Question ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Cultural Model ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
International College ◽  
And Control

Research Question: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the addition of an American Cultural Model to an existing English as a Second Language (ESL) program improved the performance of international students.  Idea: The English language proficiency is essential for students in global emerging economies in order to be competitive, and our study can be generalized to learning other languages within the respective cultural model. Motivation: The results of our study can be applied to higher education worldwide since currently the international business language is English.  Data: The data collected were analyzed and interpreted to determine whether cultural training improved scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).  Tools: Two groups of incoming students were compared as the treatment and control groups, using the t-test with appropriate statistical package. Findings: Data analysis showed a statistically significant difference in TOEFL scores between the control group and the experimental group benefiting from the implementation of the Introduction of the American Cultural Model. Contribution: The English language proficiency is essential for students in global emerging economies in order for them to be competitive, and our study can be generalized to learning other languages within a respective cultural model.

scholarly journals The Effect of the Mind Mapping Strategy on the L2 Vocabulary Learning of Saudi Learners

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 54
Author(s):  
Nesreen Saud Alahmadi
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mind Mapping ◽  
Mapping Strategy ◽  
Post Test ◽  
The Mind ◽  
L2 Vocabulary ◽  
Experimental Group

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of using the mind mapping strategy on learning vocabulary for Saudi Learners. Fifty female students from the English Language centre at Taibah University in Saudi Arabia were selected to participate in this study. All students were homogenous in terms of their English language proficiency. The students were performing at the intermediate level of the English language. Their level of English language proficiency was determined by the Oxford Placement Test. Participants were divided into two groups: the experimental group and the control group. Twenty-five students in the experimental group were taught vocabulary using the mind mapping strategy for six weeks. The control group was taught using traditional methods of vocabulary teaching, such as memorising. To test the effectiveness of the mind mapping strategy, two types of tests were applied for both groups: a pre-test and a post-test. At the end of the treatment, the results of the post-test showed a significant improvement in Second language (L2) vocabulary acquisition by Saudi learners in the experimental group. The findings of this study indicate some important implications for L2 learning, such as that mind mapping facilitates vocabulary learning by increasing the knowledge and the acquisition of the meanings of the vocabulary words used. It also helped with the vocabulary learning process by increasing the level of the motivation of Saudi students in learning new words.

Effect of Environmental Problem-based Learning on the Indonesian EFL Students’ Environment-related Vocabulary Mastery and Writing Ability

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 608
Author(s):  
Dyah Christina Iswandari ◽  
Johannes Ananto Prayogo ◽  
Bambang Yudi Cahyono
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Environmental Problem ◽  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
School Students ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Student Centered Learning ◽  
Writing Ability ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Efl Students

This study aims at examining the effect of environmental problem-based learning (PBL) on the environment-related vocabulary mastery and writing ability of Indonesian EFL students. Previous studies showed that problem-based learning is a student-centered learning approach that affects students’ learning positively and significantly. This study employed a quasi-experimental design by involving two classes of senior high school students, each consisted of 30 students. One class was assigned to be the experimental group and treated with environmental PBL, while the other class was assigned to be the control group and taught conventionally. A vocabulary test was used to measure the students’ environment-related vocabulary mastery, while a hortatory writing test was used to examine the students’ writing ability. The data were analyzed by using independent sample t-test. The results of the study showed that the students who were taught by using environmental PBL improved their environment-related vocabulary mastery and their writing ability significantly. The PBL approach is then recommended for future teaching and research. Nevertheless, before implementing this approach, other teachers and future researchers should consider the readiness of the curriculum, the students, and the school infrastructure.

The impact of computer-assisted language learning on Iranian EFL students’ vocabulary learning

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 210-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Rahimi ◽  
Samira Mouri
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Computer Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

This study aimed to explore the impact of computer-assisted language learning on Iranian EFL students’ vocabulary learning. Participants of the study were 76 students – 29 males and 47 females – learning English as a foreign language in Parto, Sadr, Poyesh and Andishe Institutes in Ahvaz who were selected after taking the Nelson English Language Test as a proficiency test. They were randomly divided into two groups. One group was taken as control and the other as experimental group. Both groups participated in the teacher-made test of vocabulary, Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT), and Word-Associates Test (WAT) as pre-test. During class sessions the control group was taught the vocabulary, in the conventional way, through the printed textbook while the experimental group taught by the software version of the same book. Three ANCOVAs were run to compare the performance of experimental and control groups after the treatment period. The results of the ANCOVAs revealed that using vocabulary learning software was more effective than using printed book on vocabulary learning, vocabulary breadth, and vocabulary depth of the participants. The results of the present study could help EFL course book designers, foreign language institutes, educational planners, material developers, teachers, and learners to provide a better context for EFL learning. Keywords: computer-assisted instruction, computer-assisted language learning, information communication technology, vocabulary breadth, vocabulary teaching software.  

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