Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number3. September 2022 Pp.185-201
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no3.12
Exploring the Effect of Instructional Scaffolding on Foundation Level Students’
Writing at the City University College of Ajman: A Case Study
Faiza Mohamed Tabib
General Education Department
City University College of Ajman
United Arab Emirates
Email: b.faiza@cuca.ae
Received: 06/14/2022 Accepted: 8/13/2022 Published:09/24/2022
Abstract:
The present research is a small-scale case study with a 15-week intervention aiming to identify lower intermediate language learners’ major writing challenges and explore the effect of instructional scaffolding on their writing skills and abilities. Scaffolding is central to the broader theories of constructivism and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. Nine Foundation Level students enrolled in an Intensive English Program at the City University College of Ajman, United Arab Emirates, participated in this study. This study is observational, descriptive, and interpretive. The researcher used three qualitative and quantitative data collection instruments: pre-and post-writing tests, a focus-group interview, and a student attitude questionnaire to triangulate and gain reliable, valid data. The findings revealed some major writing issues, including paucity of ideas, lack of grammatical and lexical knowledge, proper organization, and problems with spelling and punctuation. However, the pre-posttest results indicated improved students’ writing skills and abilities, mainly in task completion, paragraph organization, lexical range, and writing fluency. The study also finds that students need more time and practice to produce accurate and error-free essays. Accordingly, the researcher recommends engaging students in research-based strategies and activities in all writing phases to raise their awareness of grammatical and lexical mistakes, increase their learning and reflection, and boost their confidence.
Keywords: constructive feedback, interactive strategies, scaffolding, second language, language competence
Cite as: Tabib, F. M. (2022). Exploring the Effect of Instructional Scaffolding on Foundation Level Students’ Writing at the City University College of Ajman: A Case Study. Arab World English Journal, 13 (3) .185-201.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no3.12
References
Adas, D. & Bakir, A. (2013). Writing difficulties and new solutions: Blended learning as an
approach to improve writing abilities. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 3, 9, 254-266.
Ahmed, A. (2010). Students’ problems with cohesion and coherence in EFL essay writing in
Egypt: Different perspectives. Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), 1, 4. 211-221.
Al Badi, I. A. (2015). Academic writing difficulties of ESL learners. The 2015 WEI
International Academic Conference Proceedings. Barcelona: Spain.
Andrade, H. G. (2000). Using rubrics to promote thinking and learning. Educational Leadership, 57, 5, 13-18
Bakker, A., Smit, J., & Wegeri, R. (2015). Scaffolding and dialogic teaching in mathematics
education: Introduction and review. ZDM Mathematics Education, 47, 1047–1065.
Benko, S. (2012). An ongoing process to support adolescent writing development. Journal of
adolescent & adult Literacy, 56, 4, 291-300.
Carless, D. (2013). Trust and its role in facilitating dialogic feedback. In Boud, D. & Molloy,
- (Eds). Feedback in higher and professional education(pp. 90-103). Routledge.
Choi, T. H. & Wong, W. C. C. (2018). Platform nine and three-quarters and more:
Scaffolding ESL writing through teacher modeling and creative imitation. TESOL Journal, 9, 4, 1-23.
Dakun, W. (2000). Vocabulary acquisition: Implicit learning and explicit teaching. REACT, 2, 15-22.
Fareed, M., Ashraf, A., & Bilal, M. (2016). ESL learners’ writing skills: Problems, factors,
and suggestions. Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 4, 2, 81-92.
Farrokh, P. (2012). Raising awareness of collocation in ESL/EFL classrooms. Journal of
Studies in Education, 2, 3, 55-74.
Gibbons, P. (2002) Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
McLeod, S. A. (2019). Constructivism as a theory for teaching and learning. Simply
Psychology. Simply Psychology.
Melrose, S., Park, C., & Perry, B. (2013). Teaching Health Professionals Online: Frameworks and Strategies. A.U. Press.
Meyer, D. K. & Turner, J. C. (2002). Using instructional discourse analysis to study the
scaffolding of student self-regulation. Educational Psychologist, 37, 17–25.
Mohseni, A. & Samadian, S. (2019). Analysis of cohesion and coherence in writing
performance of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. Issues in Language Teaching, 3, 2, 213-242.
Piamsai, C. (2020). The effect of scaffolding on non-proficient EFL learners’ performance in
an academic writing class. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network
Journal, 13, 2, 288-305.
Rabiee, F. (2004). Focus-group interview and data analysis. Proceedings of the Nutrition
Society, 63, 655–660.
Raymond, P. (1988). Cloze procedure in the teaching of reading. TESL Canada Journal
Review, 6, 1, 91-97.
Richardson, V. (2003). Constructivist pedagogy. Teachers College Record, 105, 9, 1623-1640.
Salisu, A. & Ransom, E. N. (2014). The role of modeling towards impacting quality education.
International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences Online, 32, 54-61.
Spycher, P. (2017). Scaffolding Writing through the Teaching and Learning Cycle. San
Francisco, CA: WestEd.
Tharp, R. G. & Gallimore, R. (1988). Rousing Minds to Life: Teaching, learning, and schooling
in Social Context. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Van de Pol, J, Volman, M., & Beishuizen, J. (2010). Scaffolding in teacher-student
interaction: A decade of research. Educ Psychol Rev, 22, 271–296.
Van Lier, L. (2004). The Ecology and Semiotics of Language Learning: A Socio-cultural
Perspective. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Vasquez, J. M. V. & Coudin, R. Z. (2018). Graphic organizers as a teaching strategy for
improved comprehension of argumentative texts in English. Revista Electrónica Actualidades Investigativas en
Educación, 18, 2, 1-23. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325328644
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Walqui, A. (2006). Scaffolding instruction for English language learners: A conceptual
framework. The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 9, 2, 159-180.