An Action Research on EFL Writing Dilemmas: A Case of Saudi Students and Instructors

Learning to write in a second language is a great challenge for students; however, certain factors might minimize these challenges. In general, the Saudi students face difficulty to develop the writing competence in a foreign language because they rely on instructors as a sole source of knowledge. Therefore, the study investigated the English language writing in a university in Saudi Arabia. It implemented an action research design based on three main phases; namely, exploration, intervention, and reflection stage. The main questions asked include how the instructors view the writing style of students within the setting and how they perceived the English language writing curricula among the students. The data drew several conclusions that provided insight into the Saudi Higher Education concerning English as a foreign language (EFL) classes. The first is the spoon-feeding of Saudi learners throughout their educational years; therefore, they find it challenging to gain hold of their learning. Second, writing in English is a challenging task for Saudi students. Third, some of the students memorize writing passages to pass their English course. Fourthly, teaching to write was done by focusing on form, writing mechanics, rather than communicative aspects of writing and genre. This study has contributed towards the understanding of Saudi learners in university language classrooms analyzing their perceptions and expectations.

Through Reflective Lenses: Enhancing Students’ Perceptions of Their Media Writing Skills

Many national reports have documented students’ writing deficiencies and the need to develop rigorous writing curricula that moves the needle forward in training young professionals to write. The quasi-experimental study described herein explains the effect reflection had on journalistic writing students’ media writing self-perception scores. We found that students who participated in metacognitive reflection exercises after each major journalistic writing assignment scored significantly higher on the writing self-efficacy construct and the overall media writing self-perceptions scale. Reflection was one way the students in the study began to perceive themselves as media writers and transform from novices to professionals.

Exploring multimodal writing in secondary English classrooms: a literature review

Purpose This paper aims to explore recent research (2007-2017) on the implementation of multimodal writing instruction in secondary English courses. It seeks to highlight the varied ways in which theoretical conceptions of multimodality have been implemented in writing instruction and the impacts of these implementations on students' experiences in classrooms. Design/methodology/approach The author used a keyword search of relevant academic databases to identity articles within the search parameters. This was followed by bibliographic branching to identify additional articles and two rounds of open coding to identify themes for analysis. Findings The literature revealed a diversity of approaches to incorporating multimodal writing in classrooms; teachers mixed modalities within assignments, paired writing in print with multimodal composition and redesigned entire units or courses around multimodality. Studies showed the impact of multimodality on student learning through shifts in conceptions of communication, increases in student engagement, composition for real audiences and an increased role for students’ interests and identities. Practical implications This review has implications for teachers and researchers interested in developing multimodal writing curricula. It highlights the specific ways in which multimodal writing can be incorporated into instruction and the changes in student learning that result from this shift. Originality/value While theoretical writing on multimodality is abundant, multiple researchers have noted the difficulty of finding research on classroom implementations of multimodality (Howell et al., 2017; Smith, 2017). This review is intended to address this difficulty by contributing to a body of literature that teachers and scholars can draw on as they conceptualize and design multimodal writing experiences for students in the future.

Postsecondary Transition Programs for Underprepared Writers

There is a large population of students who enter postsecondary institutions underprepared in the area of writing,which can negatively affect their academic success in various disciplines. Lack of alignment between secondary andpostsecondary education writing curricula is a common cause of why students are underprepared in writing.Identifying gaps in writing when transitioning from secondary to postsecondary institutions is critical in creatingappropriate writing support programs which better prepare students for academic success. Moreover, in order tofacilitate successful postsecondary writing outcomes, proactive writing interventions (transition programs) betweensecondary and postsecondary institutions can be implemented to generate a positive impact on students’ ability towrite, thereby leading to greater academic success.

Explaining a Scientific Concept for Page and Screens

While students learn valuable skills by composing multimodal works, these assignments can also help students master traditional writing genres by defamiliarizing some of the "design choices" they make when writing. Requiring students to revise a traditional written essay into a video accomplishes two key goals in both lower level and advanced writing classes. It updates writing curricula to provide students experience with the kind of writing they will do in other classes. Furthermore, reflecting on the revision process enhances student appreciation for the importance of clear prose, careful exposition, and logical organization.

A New Automated Essay Scoring：Teaching Resource Program

This study focuses on the automated essay scoring system: Teaching Resource Program (TRP) from a cross-disciplinary perspective. Different from previous research, this research emphasized the functions of Teaching Resource Program in the respect of evaluation and the capacity to enhance the writing competence. In what follows, we attempt to specify Teaching Resource Program and its contributions. We start with a brief introduction to Teaching Resource Program. Then, we provide the techniques, related theories, and computer programs used in Teaching Resource Program. We have found in this research that Teaching Resource Program and evaluations of e-writing are highly significant correlation. Based on these findings, some useful implications from this study include that automated essay scoring system: Teaching Resource Program needs to be further incorporated with the evaluations of other disciplines. We end the study with the conclusion that Teaching Resource Program contributes to evaluate e-writing pieces, consequently enhances the students' writing performance and further advances the development of writing curricula and other disciplines.