Multi-Method Approach to Writing Strategy Instruction on Saudi Secondary Students Perception - Research Paper Example

CONCLUSION To conclude on the research, both the qualitative and quantitative study set out to answer the three research questions and specifically, the effect of a multi-method approach to writing and writing strategy instruction on Saudi secondary students’ perception and writing performance within the framework of theories of second-language acquisition. The above findings particularly comparisons as made regarding experimental and control group makes this research conclude that writing and writing strategies within Saudi Arabia secondary schools is neither isolated process nor one time activity that students should acquire automatically instead, a multi-method approach which should also incorporate different writing strategies. Additionally, assessment or attempts to answer the first research question through elements such as “strategies used to avoid writing blocks”, “coping with personal blocks” and “effect of the process approach” as captured in the qualitative research section writing fundamentally depends on three critical issues; first, strategies that have been used. Secondly, approaches to writing and thirdly, students’ purposeful interaction with writing materials, purposeful interaction with fellow students and with literate communities of practice. In addition, a conclusion can be made in line with what Ferris & Hedgcock (2005) said regarding the adoption of multi-method approaches to writing within non-English speaking countries. In their conclusion, Ferris & Hedgcock argued that the dichotomy between ‘process’ and ‘product’ in terms of instruction is false. To conceptualise their argument this research has found that the process of writing and the product or the outcome of writing are two distinct and different aspects. That is, students in the research had divergent views concerning the types of texts they generally write in English classes. Therefore the best conclusion to draw from the “dichotomy between ‘process’ and ‘product’” is that pedagogical approach to teaching must me divergent thus a call for a multi-method approach approaches which will take care of different students who may be having appeal in writing different genres of texts. However, there is need for establishing an interactive process with students especially of writing strategies, tendencies towards writing a particular texts and not the other and general understanding so that researchers will be able to compare findings in a multifaceted contexts. This is also the conclusion in this research as the view will help teachers diagnose different needs of learners for a given type of approach or strategy instruction and establish priorities not only on their cognitive abilities but also among them, and students can raise their strategy-use awareness. When secondary school students tend to diversify the chosen writing approach or strategies as discussed above, it is possible to argue that the type of English writing is likely to be more dynamic, sophisticated or complex for their levels. As a consequence, the perspective taken from the discussion or the study at large is that teachers are supposed to adopt multifaceted view of writing of English writing instruction and procedure and be flexible to allow for periodic access to different types of approaches to writing. Considerable researchers have shown that diverse and reciprocal relations between teacher using multi-method and students learning give positive results especially in the assessment of changes that could be observed in students’ writing as a result of their exposure to the multi method approach and metacognitive writing strategies (Patrick, 1992; Trigwell, Prosser & Waterhouse, 1999). Concluding on the aspect of multi-method approaches, there is one critical question that has not been touched in the study: what is the nature and type of correlation between the instructional type of students’ writing strategies and the type of writing instruction that has been adopted by their teacher? In other words, there are some instances in the discussion which begged to know whether the research captured instances where students’ writing strategies reflected the understanding and knowledge that has been accessed and learned during writing classroom. With regard to multi-method approaches and particularly the first research question, the recommendation that can be given is that researchers should investigate whether strategies or broadly, multi-method approach to writing and writing strategy within Saudi Arabia can or cannot be self-instructed. Basing on the findings of the qualitative and quantitative findings there are a number of conclusion that the study can draw from. Firstly, researches on concerning the rapidity of acquisition and success of students in Saudi Arabian secondary schools learning how to write on account of the teaching approaches have gained equivocal results. It is seems therefore that on the basis of qualitative and quantitative studies assessed above that there is a discrepancy in the conceptualization of the utility of different teaching strategies and approaches. Just like Gallagher (2001) noted, without attempts to determine whose viewpoint or perception in the matter is closer to the actual fact and truth, it is worth concluding based on responses to questions such as “what equivalence exist between the two groups: control and experimental?” that teachers need to give considerations to viewpoints of students as this will help in the initiation of a dialogue with them that can only be of help in the implementation of the multi-method approaches that have been chosen. To be specific, there is need to adopt the extensive or rapid writing methods which have been found to conform to specific needs of the implementations of multi-method approach to writing and writing strategy instruction and also helpful in the acquisition of second language (Johnson, 2010). This of course, should not be practiced or implemented at the cost of fundamental language skills. Following contributions made by Krashen (2005), this paper also concludes that for the assessment of multi-method approach to writing and writing strategy instruction, there is no need of over relying on the good will of teachers in the process of implementing the suggestions above instead, there may be a need to fuse the “multi-method approach to writing and writing strategy” with “business as usual” pedagogies. Still on results of qualitative and quantitative data, the findings of the study have thrown light regarding the implementation of “multi-method approach to writing and writing strategy” in Saudi Arabian secondary school English learning classroom. To begin with, the study sought to highlight strategic awareness in dealing with group work and student initiated discussions or handling of classroom activities. Such awareness has been found to be essential strategy which is also likely condition for the process of developing unobserved, latent and declarative knowledge use, which can be the first step in developing procedural and observable use of strategy. A multi-method approach to writing and writing strategy could be a new phenomenon and since this study has fused it with other approaches to be so, for its successful implementation, repeated exploration as well as practice over an extended period should be considered an option. It is for this reason that incorporation of strategy-based methods of instruction into this strategy is another option scholars such as Laborda (2007 have suggested with regard new strategies to teaching writing English as second language learners. Cognitive influences have also been discussed as one of the critically aspect that could help the research answer the second and the third research questions. Linking the aspect of metacognitive aspect (as incorporated in the second and third research question) with findings of the research, it is important to consider matching the aspect of linguistic and or cognitive demands of the strategy use with the proficiency levels of these learners or the targeted students. Assessing the research methodology with the approaches discussed, a multi-method approach is an important aspect as it helps in gaining linguistic accuracy in writing so that students can know how to use writing strategies to good effect. Still on research methodology, a multi-method approach assist in complementing the weaknesses and strengths that have been inherent in each and every research methodologies related to this task performance but such methodologies have constantly failed in giving information on strategy use. Whereas questionnaires as they have been used in this study have attempted to provide such information, (information on strategy use) they do not actually reflect the real behaviours of all the participants, especially the control group. While observations have been found to be reflecting behavioral learning outcomes, they are unable to bring to practice learner’s strategic thought process the way or in a manner the structure of the methodology does. The reason for this is that as some aspects of learning may not or may be observable, it is imperative to adopt research instruments that gauge the observable and unobservable characters or students’ process of writing in order to get a full picture of the effects of strategy interventions. As each research question, method and questionnaire makes a distinct contribution to the general understanding of a multi-method approach to writing and writing strategy instruction on Saudi secondary students’ perception and writing performance within the framework of theories of second-language acquisition, findings emanating from the eclectic strategies and approaches provide this study with information concerning: ratings of students’ task performance (via questionnaire data), strategic thinking (through observational data) and strategized self-perceptions (via questionnaire data). Contrariwise, the study notices some limitations with its methodologies and approaches. First, the sample size is relatively small compared to other researches that have attempted to answer similar research questions (Sessa, 2005; Turner, 2005). Still on the sample, it lacks dynamics and homogeneity since it is comprised of only female respondents as students. Likewise, the reliability and validity of the instrument that the study has used still lack 100% accuracy and dependency and such limits have been expressed through different margins especially in the qualitative and quantitative data analyses. Therefore is such accuracy lacks then there is likelihood that it may not be able to help succeeding researchers to correlate these instruments especially with other standard instruments, in any case, used by similar studies. In connectedness, there is possibility that the respondents might have been affected by the halo effect, Hawthorne effect, and expectancy of the subject, which have been recorded in other researches to contribute negatively towards realization of research questions and thesis statements. Basing on the possibilities of such biasness, there is no any reason either against or in support of the fact that they significantly affected the outcome of the study. Thirdly, the research has brought to the surface, a number of issues that are pertinent to multi-method approach to writing and writing strategies. However, its inability to ascertain or establish whether the students and teachers jibe in their anticipated utility of the many pedagogical materials and techniques is itself a weakness that future research should consider. Alsamadani (2008) noted that gender is plays important role in writing and writing strategies with girls doing somewhat better but with different results when boys and girls are integrated, particularly in Saudi Arabia where girls have social restrictions. It may be interesting and significant for this study if future studies try to determine whether integration of gender as research sample is a significant variable as well. While the research has been able to ascertain, to the larger extent, instances where the different methods were effective to writing, it was also able to pinpoint the delimiting issues on the instructional methods to attain the desired achievement by the respondents (students) regarding writing and to attain the writers’ specific needs. Succinctly put, to have fuller and even effective multi-method approach within Saudi Arabian secondary school classroom, encouraging greater interaction and negotiation among members is essential. Read More