Does Scaffolding-Based Instruction Improve Writing Performance? The Case of Jordanian EFL Learners

The present study investigated the effect of using scrambled cloze procedure on reading and writing among intermediate EFL learners. To fulfill the purpose of the study, 60 participants were tested on a PET test, from whom 48 homogeneous participants were selected and assigned randomly to two groups of 25 and 23, as experimental and control group. Then, both groups were given a pre-test of writing and reading comprehension. During 14 sessions, the experimental group were provided with scrambled cloze samples and tasks while practicing paragraph writing and reading, whereas the control group did not, while they were practicing paragraph writing and reading. At the end, the two groups were tested in reading comprehension and writing, based on a posttest. Two raters scored the writing samples collected from two groups in the pre and posttest. Pearson correlation was used to compute the inter-rater reliability. The results showed the experimental group outperformed the control group in paragraph writing and reading comprehension. However, it was found that gender did not make a significant difference in reading comprehension and writing performance.

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A Study of Relationship Between Depth of Vocabulary Knowledge and Semantic Set in Iranian EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Used in Writing

International Linguistics Research ◽

10.30560/ilr.v1n2p77 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. p77

Author(s):

Parisa Barkhodari

Keyword(s):

Data Analysis ◽

Significant Role ◽

Word Association ◽

Vocabulary Knowledge ◽

Intermediate Level ◽

Appropriate Use ◽

Writing Performance ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Intermediate Learners

This study investigated the Relationship between Depth of Vocabulary Knowledge and Semantic Set in Iranian EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Used in Writing. The purpose of this study was to see the role of depth of vocabulary knowledge in making appropriate choices among words in a semantic set in EFL learners’ writing performance. 70 lower-intermediate and upper-intermediate learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) from the language learners of English institute in Bandar Abbas, Iran participated in this study. Instruments for the data collection include Word Association Test (WAT), Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS), and four writing tests. In the first phase, using MANOVA statistical procedure for data analysis, the role of depth of vocabulary knowledge in writing performance and appropriate use of words in a semantic set in overall writing quality was investigated. The second part of the study attempted to explore the role of appropriate use of words in a semantic set in the participants’ overall writing performance using independent sample t-test. Finally, attempts were made to identify the role of depth of vocabulary knowledge and appropriate use of words in a semantic set in the overall use of words in the participants’ writings using a two-way ANOVA as the data analysis technique. The results of the data analysis provided empirical evidence supporting that: a) depth of vocabulary knowledge played a fundamental role in appropriate use of words in a semantic set in lower-intermediate level but not in upper-intermediate level, b) depth of vocabulary knowledge has a significant role in overall writing performance only in upper-intermediate level, c) using words appropriately in a semantic set played a significant role in writing performance of the lower-intermediate participants, while the opposite was revealed for the upper-intermediate group, d) the upper-intermediate learners could benefit from their knowledge of depth of vocabulary in using words, in general, correctly and appropriately. The findings promise some pedagogical implications for vocabulary and writing curriculum development, material development, and course designing.

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The Effect of Portfolio-Based Assessment on Jordanian EFL Learners’ Writing Performance

Bellaterra Journal of Teaching & Learning Language & Literature ◽

10.5565/rev/jtl3.629 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 32 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Salameh F. Obeiah ◽

Ruba Fahmi Bataineh

Keyword(s):

Writing Performance ◽

Efl Learners

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The Effects of WebQuest Writing Instruction on the Writing Performance of Saudi Male EFL Learners

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences ◽

10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.06.179 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 83 ◽

pp. 960-968

Author(s):

Yousif A. Alshumaimeri ◽

Ebrahim M. Bamanger

Keyword(s):

Writing Instruction ◽

Writing Performance ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Saudi Male

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The Effects of Communicative Pronunciation Instruction on Suprasegmental Performance in an EFL Context

Theory and Practice in Language Studies ◽

10.17507/tpls.0710.06 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (10) ◽

pp. 860

Author(s):

Nasrin Shah Mohammad Nazari ◽

Atefeh Sadat Mirsaeeidi

Keyword(s):

Language Production ◽

Explicit Instruction ◽

Read Aloud ◽

Control Group ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Efl Context ◽

Pronunciation Instruction ◽

Picture Description ◽

Based Instruction ◽

Learned Features

This study investigated the effects of communicative suprasegmental instruction on Iranian EFL learners’ pronunciation performance. To this end, 24 pre-intermediate EFL learners were randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group receiving communicative pronunciation instruction in which after receiving conventional explicit instruction students were given communicative tasks to practice learned features, and the control group receiving only conventional explicit exercise-based instruction. The learners’ pronunciations were assessed in controlled read-aloud and communicative picture-description/picture-driven contexts in terms of two suprasegmental features (i.e. compound words stress and interrogative intonation). The results of the study revealed that the explicit exercise-based instruction was significantly effective in controlled contexts but modestly effective in communicative picture-description and picture-driven tasks. On the contrary, communicative pronunciation instruction was not only significantly effective in the controlled context but also in communicative tasks. This finding reveals that communicative suprasegmental instruction is more effective than conventional explicit instruction in both controlled and communicative language production contexts. In the end, some pedagogical implications of the findings are also discussed.

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