An Insight into Female EFL Learners’ Difficulties and Needs in Writing: The Case of Secondary High Schools in Saudi Arabia

Curriculum development has been carried out to improve English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses in Saudi public schools; however, EFL learners still have difficulties in writing. This study examines the difficulties that Saudi female EFL learners face in writing in secondary high schools. The study also aims to identify 12th grade female EFL learners’ needs in improving their writing skills. The research findings might help curriculum designers and EFL teachers to make improvements to a curriculum that meet EFL learners’ needs. The participants were 216 female EFL learners studying in public schools in Jeddah. A questionnaire including closed items on a Likert scale and one open-ended question were used to collect data, which were then analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results illustrate that female EFL learners’ main difficulties in EFL writing are mechanics, use of proper vocabulary, and organization of texts. Additionally, female learners expressed their needs and suggestions for improving their writing skills which are related to the specific difficulties they face. Accordingly, the researchers suggest establishing a well-designed writing program which provides learners with sufficient training in writing skills by increasing the number of hours given to writing.

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Genre-based Approach to Writing in EFL Contexts

World Journal of English Language ◽

10.5430/wjel.v11n2p95 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 95

Author(s):

Vu Phi Ho Pham ◽

Thi Kim Loan Bui

Keyword(s):

Systemic Functional Linguistics ◽

Writing Skills ◽

Teaching Writing ◽

Microsoft Excel ◽

Efl Writing ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Step Structure ◽

Writing Course ◽

Efl Teachers ◽

Teachers And Students

Writing is a challenging and demanding skill for EFL learners in Vietnam. Teaching writing skills at Vietnamese universities is problematic since different approaches to writing have not been implemented effectively. Mainly, a genre-based approach to writing has not yet been implemented in EFL writing classrooms successfully. This paper investigates how the genre-based writing approach has been taught and learned at Van Lang University. The study mentions some critical notions of systemic functional linguistics, genre-based writing approach, and the importance and effects of genre-based approach to writing. 128 students turned in their midterm essays in week 5 of the 10-week writing course. These 128 expository essays were analyzed and synthesized using Microsoft Excel to calculate the differences in move-step structure. The findings indicated that the students had difficulty following the fixed move-step structure, and they also faced challenges of lexico-grammatical usage for the expository. Hence, the study suggests some implications for applying a genre-based approach to writing for EFL teachers and students and suggests further research.

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Holistic vs. Analytic Scoring between Expository and Narrative Genres: Does the Assessment Type Matter?

International Journal of Linguistics Literature & Translation ◽

10.32996/ijllt.2021.4.1.21 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 215-220

Author(s):

Sahail M. Asassfeh

Keyword(s):

Writing Skills ◽

Teaching Writing ◽

Holistic Scoring ◽

Efl Writing ◽

Analytic Scoring ◽

Efl Teachers ◽

Research Findings ◽

Efl Students ◽

The Difference ◽

Writing Instructors

The unprecedented emphasis on EFL students' development of their writing skills has invited researchers and EFL instructors to look for the most effective methods of teaching writing and assessing it. Within this context, two main dominant assessment types have been used by EFL writing instructors: holistic and analytic scoring with ambiguous research findings about the use of each. Moreover, ambiguity has also been surrounding variability in raters' scoring across genre types. This study aims at uncovering the difference between using the two scoring schemes across two genres in EFL writing: expository and narrative. Two texts each representing a genre type from 10th grade EFL writers' compositions were presented to a sample of 90 in-service EFL teachers for holistic scoring. Two months later, the same texts were presented to the same teachers for analytic scoring in order to compare between the grades assigned in each round for arriving at results. Results suggest significant differences between the scores obtained according to the grading method. Also, narrative essays received higher scores in both assessment types. These results are discussed, and recommendations are derived.

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Towards Understanding EFL Teachers’ Conceptions of Research: Findings From Argentina

PROFILE Issues in Teachers Professional Development ◽

10.15446/profile.v20n1.61881 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

pp. 57-72

Author(s):

Darío Luis Banegas

Keyword(s):

Action Research ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Teacher Development ◽

Quantitative Data ◽

Qualitative Data ◽

Language Teachers ◽

Foreign Language Teachers ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Efl Teachers ◽

Research Findings

This paper investigates the conceptions of research held by English as a foreign language teachers in Argentina. Quantitative data from 622 participants from an online questionnaire were followed by qualitative data from online interviews with 40 of those participants. Results show that the teachers conceptualised research through conventional notions closer to a quantitative paradigm. They felt research was not part of their job, and a lack of time was the main reason for not engaging in/with research. Teacher development, agency, empowerment, and autonomy could be sought by engaging teachers with forms of research which are meaningful to them, such as action research.

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The development of a CEFR-based scale for assessing young foreign language learners’ writing skills

Linguistica ◽

10.4312/linguistica.54.1.241-259 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

pp. 241-259

Author(s):

Karmen Pižorn

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Language Learners ◽

Classroom Assessment ◽

Writing Skills ◽

Age Group ◽

Young Learners ◽

Foreign Language Learners ◽

The Common ◽

Literacy Research ◽

Insight Into

The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) was designed with adults in mind, which is clearly reflected in the six levels encompassing a range of proficiency that represents lifelong learning. Therefore, any use of the CEFR levels as a basis for describing the ability of young learners requires adapting the content of each level, as well as identifying which levels on the scale are appropriate for children.The present article examines the contribution that feedback, in the form of an assessment scale, can make to valid classroom assessment of the writing of young learners, in the age group of 9–13 years. It shows that a scale of descriptors adapted from the CEFR can play a central role in this assessment. The article presents the AYLLIT (Assessment of Young Learner Literacy) research project, which developed a CEFR-based writing scale and guidelines for teachers, enabling them to provide their students with feedback, and to gain a clearer insight into their students’ progress. After describing the procedures followed in the project, the article examines the extent to which its outcomes may enable teachers to give feedback that could contribute to valid classroom assessment.

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An Attempt at Promoting Undergraduate Sudanese EFL Students’ Performance in Academic Writing Skills

10.31235/osf.io/ja5fz ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Ammar Mohammed Ahmed Mudawy

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Academic Writing ◽

Writing Skills ◽

Extensive Reading ◽

Reading And Writing ◽

Efl Teachers ◽

Holy Quran ◽

Post Test ◽

Efl Students ◽

University Level

The study aims at suggesting effective methods and techniques that could improve English as a foreign language EFL students’ performance in writing skills. The researcher uses the descriptive, analytical method. Four tools were adopted pretest, post-test, supporting program, and a questionnaire for teachers for collecting data. Twenty-five students in Holy Quran University, Sudan, were chosen purposively, and thirty EFL teachers at a university level were randomly selected as a sample for the study. Ninty percent of the teachers agree on the suggested program and techniques. The findings of the study indicate that: using varied techniques and activities in pre-writing stage promotes students’ performances in writing, integration of reading and writing skills in the classroom improves students’ writing skills, as well as encouraging extensive reading outside the classroom promotes students’ performance in writing skills. Accordingly, the researcher recommends that: teachers should focus on the prewriting stage through different activities as well as reading and writing should be used in an integrated way in-class writing to guide the writing process.

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Enjoying Learning Writing through Facebook Group

Lingua Cultura ◽

10.21512/lc.v13i1.5513 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 115

Author(s):

Zulfadli Abdul Aziz ◽

Husnul Khatimah

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Writing Skills ◽

Situational Interest ◽

Individual Interest ◽

English Writing ◽

Research Findings ◽

Efl Students ◽

Interactive Feedback ◽

Group 1

This research showed many English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in Aceh struggle in learning English writing as they had a lack of interest in it. This descriptive qualitative study aimed to find out in what ways Facebook Group might facilitate the enjoyment of the students in learning this skill. The data were collected using interviews and was analyzed through thematic analysis. The interview was done one by one at a time. Ten students from UIN Ar-Raniry were purposely chosen for the interviews in this research. The research findings show that there are four themes found that caused the participants enjoyment of the learning writing in the group: (1) it provides unlimited timing; (2) it facilitates the participants’ freedom and creativity; (3) it provides the interactive feedback; and (4) it helps them in brainstorming the ideas. These four themes directly enhance the students’ situational interest in learning writing that related to an environmental factor, but it results in the development of their individual interest. This research suggests that the teacher should combine the learning process in the classroom with the Facebook group media to fasten the enhancement of the learners’ writing skills. For the learners, it is suggested that they should utilize their social media such as Facebook group not only as their communication media but also for developing their learning in writing.

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A Qualitative Research on Portfolio Keeping in English as a Foreign Language Writing

The Qualitative Report ◽

10.46743/2160-3715/2010.1161 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Selami Aydin

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Research ◽

Data Collection ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Language Skills ◽

Writing Skills ◽

Learning Tool ◽

Efl Writing ◽

Sample Group ◽

Potential Problems ◽

Language Writing

Little attention has been paid to the problems about portfolio keeping in English as a foreign language (EFL) writing, while the existing literature mostly focuses on the effects of portfolios on writing skills of learners, rather than those of teachers or pre-service teachers. This study aims to investigate the problems encountered and contributions of portfolios to the language skills of EFL pre-service teachers. The sample group consists of 39 pre-service teachers; a background questionnaire, interviews, a survey, and essays were used for data collection. The results indicate that portfolios significantly contribute to the writing skills, and that there exist potential problems. It was concluded that teachers and teacher trainers should use portfolio as a learning tool after solving the problems.

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHING SPEAKING: VOICES OF INDONESIAN EFL LEARNERS

Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa ◽

10.31571/bahasa.v9i1.1689 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 35

Author(s):

Arif Nugroho ◽

Novrika Nartiningrum

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Oral Communication ◽

Foreign Language Teaching ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Classroom Activities ◽

Efl Teachers ◽

The Ideal

Among the four English skills, oral communication becomes crucial for undergraduate students to be more competitive in the work-places. In a foreign language teaching, designing appropriate classroom activities is a prerequisite for the success of a language learning. Therefore, this study sheds some light on 92 EFL learners’ perceptions and insights of classroom activities for teaching speaking. Drawing on the data obtained from questionnaire and focus group discussion (FGD), the findings illustrated that the students held moderately positive perceptions toward the speaking activities in their classroom. In addition, the results of FGD revealed some insights from the students with regard to the ideal classroom activities for teaching speaking. The findings of this study provide insights for EFL teachers in designing appropriate classroom activities to achieve the success of teaching speaking.Keywords: teaching speaking, classroom activities, students’ perception

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Exploring Motivational Strategies Practiced by Saudi High School Female EFL Teachers

English Language Teaching ◽

10.5539/elt.v13n6p109 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 109

Author(s):

Aisha T. Alharbi

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Public Schools ◽

Foreign Language ◽

T Test ◽

Descriptive Statistics ◽

Striking Similarity ◽

Motivational Strategies ◽

Public And Private ◽

Efl Teachers ◽

Private And Public

This study looked into Saudi female English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ perception of their motivational practices in the actual classroom in public and private schools. Forty (n=40) EFL teachers filled out a questionnaire consisting of forty-four motivational strategies that were based on a five-point Likert scale ranging from "very important" to "not important." Descriptive statistics have been used to determine the most and the least important teaching strategies viewed by EFL teachers in private and public schools. To determine if there was any difference between private and public schools’ teachers on how they viewed each strategy in terms of importance, inferential statistics, t-test has been implemented. The study revealed that participants in both educational contexts indicate that “teachers’ proper behavior” is the most significant motivational strategy while “having an encouraging environment” in the EFL classroom was ranked the least important strategy. The findings show that there existed a striking similarity between the two sets of teachers in regard to their perceptions of the importance of motivational strategies. The study suggests that English-as-a-Second-Language book planners should keep textbook materials in harmony with motivational strategies practiced by EFL teachers.

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