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Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 17. Number 2, June 2026 Pp. 94-108
Assistant Professor, Foreign Languages Department
Community College of Qatar, Qatar
This study investigated the effectiveness of the Six Thinking Hats strategy in improving the writing skills of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students at the Community College of Qatar. The study was motivated by the challenges EFL learners face in organizing ideas, developing arguments, and producing coherent written texts through traditional writing instruction. It also addressed the limited research on the use of the Six Thinking Hats strategy in Arab tertiary EFL contexts. The study aimed to examine whether integrating the strategy could significantly improve students’ writing performance compared to conventional teaching methods and to explore differences among low-, intermediate-, and high-achieving students. The participants were 60 female students enrolled in a lower-intermediate college-level EFL course during the Fall 2025 semester, divided into an experimental group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30). A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was employed. The experimental group was taught using the Six Thinking Hats strategy, while the control group received traditional instruction. Data were analyzed using t-tests and One-Way ANOVA. The findings revealed a statistically significant improvement in the experimental group’s writing performance, with a higher mean score (81.11) than the control group (68.10). Achievement-level analysis also showed greater improvement among higher-achieving students. The study concludes that the Six Thinking Hats strategy effectively enhances EFL writing skills by promoting critical thinking and organized idea development. The findings provide practical implications for improving EFL writing instruction in higher education contexts.
Alsadi, H. Z. (2026). The Effectiveness of the Six Thinking Hats Strategy in Enhancing EFL Writing Performance among Qatari College Students. Arab World English Journal, 17(2):94-108.
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Dr. Hanan Zaki Alsadi is an Assistant Professor in the Foreign Languages Department at the Community College of Qatar. She holds a Ph.D. in English Curriculum and Instruction (TEFL) and an M.A. in Linguistics. Her research interests include EFL teaching methodologies, language assessment, and second language acquisition, with a particular focus on improving instructional practices and student learning outcomes. https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7273-1064