Effect of Categorizing EFL Shaqra University Students' Writing Errors on Writing Improvement

This paper aims at using a strategy of categorizing EFL Shaqra University students' writing errors and identifying its effect in improving students' writing. The study hypothesized that categorizing students' errors into main headings related to the types of error, frequencies of error, examples of errors, and causes of errors will provide precise insight into the nature of students' errors. Moreover, providing students with models to read and extract the difficult vocabularies from them, understanding their meanings, and using them in their writing will improve students' writing. Hence, the researcher gave 65 female students a title to write about in lecture number one as a pre-test. The title was "women driving in Saudi Arabia", and in lecture number eleven, she gave them a post-tester in the same title after applying the hypothesized teaching strategy. The findings of students' essay analysis in the pre-test proved that students had many grammatical and lexical mistakes but in the post-test the students writing improved significantly in terms of style, diction, developing ideas, spelling, and punctuation. Even their errors decreased from 936 errors in the pre-test to 57 errors in the post-test which indicates the success of the teaching strategy adopted by the researcher. Accordingly, the researcher recommended that: firstly, instructors should categorize their students' writing errors to have a clear insight into the nature of their students' errors hence specifying much time in explaining the areas of students' weaknesses. Secondly, instructors should provide students with a well-written model to read; and then ask them to criticize those reading models. The students will learn through criticizing and imitating the style of reading models. Moreover, the instructors of Shaqraa should specify much time explaining morphology since it was the branch that the students make many errors in it.

THE USE OF TRAVEL BLOG WRITING IN A TERTIARY LEVEL ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES COURSE

Blogs can be used as constructive means in EFL teaching allowing learners to exert control over their own writing and enabling them to communicate with the global community of internet users. Among different types of blogs, travel blogs can be employed as pedagogical means for real life based learning and L2 writing improvement. Through travel blogs, learners can both explore different places and write about their travel experience in L2. However, the use of travel blog writing in teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has not yet been investigated. In this study, travel blog writing was integrated into a tertiary level ESP course aiming to improve learners’ linguistic skills in the fields of tourism and travel. The research investigates the learners’ views about blog writing as a part of their ESP course through a questionnaire and interviews. According to the findings, travelling and writing about the tourist attractions of one’s city via a personalized blog was found to increase writing motivation but the experience was also defined to be demanding as it requires heavy workload. Overall, this experience was reported to enhance autonomous, reflective and collaborative learning, increase cultural awareness and contribute to learners’ self-expression and L2 writing improvement.

Taking Stock of a Genre-Based Pedagogy: Sustaining the Development of EFL Students’ Knowledge of the Elements in Argumentation and Writing Improvement

The capacity to make effective argumentation in English writing is considered as a crucial ability in the field of second language writing. Currently, Chinese teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) adopt the product approach to teach argumentative writing, in which they stress the mode of learners’ written production and show little concern with cognition. For students’ sustainable development in argumentation skills, teachers are encouraged to employ a genre-based approach to cultivate students’ knowledge about different elements in argumentation. However, few empirical studies have investigated the efficacy of such classroom-based instruction on learners’ comprehensive development in EFL writing, including their knowledge about writing and performance in producing argumentation. This is particularly the case with reference to Chinese students learning to write argumentative texts in EFL. To fill the research gap, this quasi-experimental study was conducted with 74 EFL sophomores, who were randomly allocated to either an experimental group or a comparison group. The experimental group received a genre-based writing approach, while the comparison group experienced their conventional writing instruction. Students’ changes were analysed using pre- and post-writing test measures, open-ended questionnaires, and stimulated recall interviews. Our findings revealed more changes in the experimental groups’ knowledge about argumentation following the genre-based writing treatment than the comparison group. Specifically, the experimental group’s progress was obvious in the way they displayed their knowledge of the structure of discourse moves and of language features specific to the argumentative genre. They began to express their knowledge of the content, process, intended purposes, and audience awareness towards producing more genre appropriate texts in argumentation. They also showed enhanced self-reflection on their knowledge of argumentation. In addition, the genre-based approach had a positive effect on the experimental group’s argumentative writing development, as evidenced in their use of discourse move structures and their overall writing quality improvement. The conventional writing approach was not as effective in helping students to write an argumentation. Writing proficiency effects were observed in terms of the extent to which the students were developed. Pedagogical implications and limitations are also discussed.

Understanding the Difference Between Self-Feedback and Peer Feedback: A Comparative Study of Their Effects on Undergraduate Students' Writing Improvement

Due to the growing popularity of Assessment for Learning in higher education, self- feedback and peer feedback are often highlighted for their role in improving writing performance. In order to provide appropriate support for students' effective implementation of the feedback, teachers must comprehend the differential characteristics of self- and peer feedback. However, empirical research comparing the two remains scarce, particularly when they are used in combination. In this study, 116 Hong Kong undergraduate students participated in an abstract writing task and engaged in self- and peer feedback processes. The amount, types, and implementation of self- and peer feedback and their effects on writing improvement were analyzed and compared. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that about 25% of the variance in the students' writing improvement was collectively accounted for by the two feedback processes. One form of feedback contributed about 15% of the variance while the other form explained 10%. Feedback types and the amount of implemented feedback were found to be positive predictors of writing improvement, whereas the overall feedback amount negatively affected the improvement. Moreover, the implementation of peer feedback was found to have a greater effect on the improvement than those of self-feedback. Several pedagogical implications of these findings are addressed.

Investigating iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ writing skills based on principal component analysis

Identifying EFL writing components involves an intricate network of principles and approaches that also involve assessment models. Methods of teaching and assessing writing are normally compatible with the purposes or expectations of writing-specific courses/programs. This study investigated the most important academic writing constructs in Iranian EFL students based on principal component analysis. To this end, an Oxford Placement Test (OPT) was administered and based on its results, 60 (out of 114) Iranian EFL male and female learners from Islamic Azad University, Broujerd Branch, Iran, were randomly selected as the homogeneous sample of the study. Additionally, 100 EFL teachers from four language institutes were asked to participate. Three instruments were used, namely OPT, a survey questionnaire, and writing tasks. The data were analyzed through principal component analysis. The findings revealed that the most important constructs in the Iranian EFL students’ writing skills were “mode”, “assessment”, and “mechanics”, respectively. The findings of the study suggested implications for L2 writing improvement from a practical and theoretical perspective. The findings, more specifically, could shed light on current practices and theories, and could prove useful for practitioners and future studies in the field of second language writing.

PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT: BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS AT DIFFERENT WRITING PROFICIENCY LEVEL

This research discusses the effects of portfolio assessment on students’ improvement in English writing which are related to their writing proficiency levels, the problems encountered by them in each writing proficiency level, and the solution can be implemented regarding the problems found in the research. The research’s subject was Grade VIII which consisted of two classes. The method applied was qualitative method by using test, documentation, and observation instruments to gather the data. All the scores of the tests are arranged in tables based on Wang and Liao’s criteria (2008) and are presented in bar chart. The results show that every level of writing proficiency has different percentage of improvement, and the low level students have the least improvement; they produced less sentences. The research also found that every level of writing proficiency had problems which were mainly in content, organization, conventions, and vocabulary, while the low level proficiency had another problem in gaining confidence to produce sentences. Beside that, the students did better in using present tense than past tense, and to improve their writing, it was proven that detailed correction and feedback were effective for the improvement.Thus, it is suggested that teacher should give different portion of attention related to correction and feedback, and the most portion should be given to the low level students of writing proficiency as they have the least improvement. Teacher should also give detailed correction and feedback as well to students to make better improvement. The research suggests that portfolio assessment program can be carried out integratedly in English lesson in every semester for all grades of Junior High School since it was proven good for students’ writing improvement.

PENERAPAN DIALOGUE JOURNALS PADA PEMBELAJARAN MENULIS BAHASA INGGRIS UNTUK MENINGKATKAN MOTIVASI MENULIS DAN KETERAMPILAN MENULIS SISWA ENGLISH AS ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE (EAL) KELAS 4 DI AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL (AIS) [THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DIALOGUE JOURNALS IN ENGLISH WRITING LEARNING TO INCREASE THE WRITING MOTIVATION AND WRITING SKILLS OF GRADE 4 ENGLISH AS ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE (EAL) STUDENTS AT AN AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL (AIS)]

<p>Writing in English takes place intensively but students’ writing motivation was low and their writing improvement didn’t meet the expectation. This situation raised concerns which led to improvement planning that aimed to 1) describe the implementation process of Dialogue Journals, 2) analyze the development of students’ writing motivation, 3) analyze the development of students’ writing skills, and 4) identify obstacles faced during the process of implementation and solutions to overcome them. This research used a classroom action research which consisted of three cycles and was conducted at Australian Independent School with six grade 4 EAL students involved. Resources of data collection were based on class observation, study of documentation, and measurement of students’ writing motivation and writing skills using writing motivation and writing rubric. The results of the research showed that 1) Dialogue Journals were applied based of suggestive steps and plans, 2) 5 out of 6 students’ writing motivation raised , 3) 5 out 6 students’ writing skills improved, 4) obstacles had been identified which included students’ absence, emotional, and behavioural problems which needed immediate solution, and teacher time management to reply to students, and learning tool availability and access. Solutions to the related obstacles were arranged and applied.</p><p><strong>BAHASA INDONESIA ABSTRACT: </strong>Kegiatan menulis bahasa Inggris siswa <em>EAL</em> kelas 4 berlangsung secara intensif namun motivasi menulis siswa rendah dan perkembangan keterampilan menulis siswa tidak sesuai harapan. Kondisi ini merisaukan. Bermula dari kerisauan ini, guru melakukan tindakan perbaikan dengan penerapan <em>Dialogue Journals </em>yang bertujuan: 1) mendeskripsikan proses penerapan <em>Dialogue Journals</em>, 2) menganalisis perkembangan motivasi menulis bahasa Inggris, 3) menganalisis perkembangan keterampilan menulis bahasa Inggris, dan 4) mengidentifikasi kendala yang dihadapi selama proses penerapan berlangsung dan solusinya. Penelitian ini menggunakan Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (PTK). Penelitian dilaksanakan dalam tiga siklus di <em>Australian Independent School</em> (<em>AIS</em>). Subyek penelitian terdiri dari enam orang siswa dan siswi kelas 4. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui observasi, studi dokumentasi dan penilaian dengan menggunakan rubrik, serta dianalisis secara kualitatif deskriptif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan: 1) penerapan <em>Dialogue Journals </em>sesuai dengan langkah-langkah yang disarankan dan direncanakan, 2) motivasi menulis 5 dari 6 orang siswa meningkat, 3) keterampilan menulis 5 dari 6 siswa meningkat dan 4) kendala dalam proses penerapan diantaranya ketidakhadiran siswa, masalah sikap yang timbul yang perlu penanganan segera, manajemen waktu guru, penggunaan dan ketersediaan fasilitas alat bantu. Solusi berupa penyediaan strategi manajemen emosi dan sikap, mengatur waktu dan mendorong siswa belajar secara mandiri.</p>

Two Models to Improve Undergraduate Writing Perception and Capabilities in Plant and Soil Sciences

Integration of professional writing with peer and instructor feedback as a graded component can be a strategy for writing improvement in an applied science undergraduate curriculum. The objective of this study was to assess the benefit of professional writing in first and second-year undergraduate courses in Agronomy and Horticulture with two different models for the writing experience. In the first-year course, students communicated the results of two plant growth experiments in the format of a standard research article. In the second-year course, students wrote a group report as a review of published research or a research-based proposal to address a soil management issue. Students were surveyed to determine their major and learning style evaluated with an18-question assessment. Students also chose their level of agreement with seven statements about the process and importance of professional scientific writing at the beginning and then at the end of the semester. Survey results showed that confidence in using and creating professional writing increased among students for both courses. Students in the first-year course showed a greater understanding of the value of peer reviewed research.