Integrating the Writing Process Approach into EFL Writing Instruction in Saudi Arabia (Published)
This study sought to integrate the writing process approach into EFL writing instruction at Hail University, Saudi Arabia. Based on the related literature review as the main source of data collection, it attempted to identify the paragraph writing skills which first year preparatory students lack, pinpoint the writing strategies suitable for those students and provide elements of a framework illustrating how to integrate the writing process approach accompanied with the writing strategies into writing instruction at Hail University. The study is a concept paper adopting the descriptive analytical method. Findings of the related literature review revealed that the paragraph writing skills fall into five main writing categories (content, organization, grammar, vocabulary and mechanics of writing) each with three writing skills. Findings also identified five types writing strategies (cognitive, meta-cognitive, compensation, social and affective) as suitable for students at Hail University. Moreover, the study showed how to integrate the process writing approach and the five writing strategies (cognitive, meta-cognitive, social, affective and compensation) into the three stages of writing: (1) The Pre-writing Stage ,(2) The Writing Stage (drafting, revising and editing) and The Post-writing Stage ( publishing and reflection). Various recommendations and suggestions for further research were provided.
Keywords: Writing Skills, Writing Strategies, writing process approach
Users’ Perception on the Use of Facebook as A Medium of Learning English as A Second Language with Specific Reference to Writing Skills (Published)
This is a descriptive survey that sampled the opinion of 60 regular users of facebook among students of a Federal government College in Lagos, Nigeria. The purpose was to determine the effect of facebook on learners of English; the official language of Federal Republic of Nigeria. Facebook as a social media provides a template for learners to discuss, interact, write, speak and exchange messages. The study focused the possible effect of staying long on facebook and the students’ consequent writing interest and fluency. Facebook messages (120 in all) were downloaded and analysed on the basis of language features. The students’ sheets totaling sixty — written in an examination condition were considered. These sheets were content-analysed to determine to what extent “social speak” as observed in their Facebook messages also occurred in the students’ answer sheets.The findings show that there is a gross influence of the emerging social media media language on students writing skills. Recommendations were made on how to control students’ exposure to siciual media and the damaging effects such may have on their language learning.
Keywords: English Second Language, Facebook, Learning, Users’ Perception, Writing Skills
Exploring the problems faced by the teachers in developing English writing skills for the students in Saudi Arabia. (Published)
Teaching one of the productive skills of the English language i.e., writing skills mostly involve developing the linguistic competence of the students which many Enlish Second Langauge teachers may perceive as a challenging task. The main aim of the study is to look into various challenges encountered by Enlish Second Langauge teachers in teaching writing skills to students in ordinary classrooms in the context of universities. Specifically, this research focuses on identifying the problems faced by teachers of the Arts Colleges within the University of Jazan context. The researcher employed a survey method in the form of questionnaires to investigate the problems faced by the teachers when teaching writing skills. To report the problems identified among the sampled teachers in teaching writing skills, the researcher employed a descriptive method. The questionnaire contained 12 items. The findings of this research did not only reveals the problematic factors, but also proposed some practical measures to help address the situation. The findings along with recommendations of this study may help the teachers reflect on teaching practices and the concerned authorities to facilitate teachers’ efforts to improve the writing skills of their students in the University of Jazan.
Keywords: Writing Skills, government intervention, teachers’ problems
The Effect of a Proposed Strategy-Based Writing Model on EFL Learners’ Writing Skills (Published)
This study investigated the effect of a proposed strategy-based writing model on Saudi EFL students’ writing skills. Out of three classes from Al-kuds School, two male third-year intermediate classes were randomly assigned into the control group (N=32) or experimental group (N=33). Class (B), serving as a control group, were taught the course-book “Say It in English” in the traditional method, while Class (C), serving as an experimental group, were taught the same course-book, supplemented with the strategy-based writing model which included six types of strategies: cognitive, meta-cognitive, compensational, social, affective and multiple strategies. Both groups were pre-post tested using a writing test prepared by the researcher. Two hypotheses were formulated and tested. Results obtained from T-test revealed that the strategy-based writing model was effective in enhancing the participants’ writing skills. In addition, compared to the traditional instruction, the strategy-based writing model was more effective in improving the participants’ writing skills. These results adduce the importance of implementing the strategy-based writing model in EFL classrooms as it enabled the participants to conceive writing as a recursive process which entails flexible and purposeful movement through the three stages of writing.
Keywords: Approaches to Writing Instruction, Strategy Instruction, Strategy-Based Writing Model, Writing Skills, Writing Strategies