Effects of Self-Regulatory Strategy Development on EFL Learners’ Descriptive Writing and Reflective Thinking
Subject Areas : Research in English Language PedagogySima Samanian 1 , Ali Roohani 2
1 - Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch
2 - Shahrekord University, Iran
Keywords: SRSD, Descriptive writing, reflective thinking, Writing,
Abstract :
Writing is a demanding, complicated, and fundamental skill which is highly noticeable in the process of learning a foreign language. Thus, it is so important to teach English as a foreign language (EFL) learners how to write effectively in English through effective strategies and instructions and prompt their reflective thinking during EFL learning. This study investigated the effectiveness of using self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) instruction in improving Iranian EFL learners' descriptive writing and reflective thinking skills and compared the effectiveness of such instruction with nonstrategic-based (i.e., traditional) instruction. To these ends, 30 Iranian advanced EFL learners were selected to participate in the two (experimental and control) groups. To collect data, two descriptive essays and a reflective thinking questionnaire were used as the pretest and posttest. The analysis of covariance on the descriptive essay and reflective thinking scores in the control and experimental groups showed that both SRSD and non-SRSD instructions had a positive impact on the EFL participants' descriptive writing skill but, the participants in the SRSD group achieved better outcomes in their descriptive writing; the SRSD instruction was effective in improving the completeness, length, and overall quality of the EFL learners' descriptive writing performance. Also, SRSD instruction improved the learners' reflective thinking more than the non-SRSD instruction by making them metacognitively aware of their cognitive processes and monitoring, analyzing, and evaluating their descriptive writing performance. The findings draw attention to the importance of using SRSD as a possible way for moving EFL learners away from traditional instructions to process-oriented strategies in writing courses.
Akincilar, V. (2010).The effect of PLEASE strategy training through the SRSD model on fifth grade students' descriptive writing: Strategy training on planning. Unpublished master's thesis, Middle East Technical University, Turkey.
Allen, L. (2004). The Oxford Placement Test. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Baghbadorani, E. A., & Roohani, A. (2014). The impact of strategy-based instruction on L2 learners's persuasive writing. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 98, 235-241.
Bakery, M. S., & Alsamadani, H. A. (2014). Improving the persuasive essay writing of students of Arabic as a foreign language: Effect of self-regulation strategy development. Procedia-Social and Behavioral, 182, 89-97.
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Boud, D., Keogh, R. & Walker, D. (1985). Reflection: Turning experience into learning. London: Kogan Page.
Burns, A., & Richards, J. C. (Eds.) (2012). Pedagogy and practice in second language teaching. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Davidson. J. & Strenberge, R. (2003). The Psychology of Problem Solving. New York: Cambridge University Press
Dehghan, M., & Chalak, A. (2015). Code glosses in academic writing: The comparison of Iranian and native authors. Research in English Language Pedagogy, 3(2), 21-29.
Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the educative process. Boston, M. A.: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Flander, Ch. (2014). Self-regulation strategy development: A Tiere2 for fifth grade. Unpublished doctoral thesis, The University of Southern Main, Southern Main.
Flower, L. & Hayes, J. (1980). The Cognition of discovery: Defining a rhetorical problem Composition and Communication, 31(1), 21-32.
Graham, S. (2008). Effective writing instruction for all students. Renaissance Learning Advanced Technology for Essential Practice, Inc.
Graham, S., & Harris, K. R. (2005). Writing better: Effective strategies for teaching students with learning difficulties. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
Haghparast, Sh. (2015, September). On the relationship between critical pedagogy and reflective thinking with L2 teachers’ pedagogical success. Unpublished masters’ thesis, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran.
Harris, K. R., & Graham, S. (2006). Programmatic intervention research: Illustrations from the evolution of self-regulated strategy development. Learning Disability Quarterly, 22, 251–262.
Harris, K. R., Graham, S., & Adkins, M. (2015). Practice-based professional development and self-regulated strategy development for Tier 2,at-risk writers in second grade. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 40, 5-16.
Graham, S., Harris, K. R., & Santangelo, T. (2008). Using self-regulatory strategy development to support students. Remedial and Special Education, 29(2), 78-98.
Kember, D., Leung, D., Jones, A., Loke, A. Y. (2000). Development of questionnaire to measure the level of reflective thinking. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 25(4), 381-395.
Khomeijani Farahani, A, & Faryabi, F. (2017). The role of self-regulated learning capacities in Iranian EFL undergraduates’ argumentative writing task performance. Research in English Language Pedagogy, 5(2), 203-222.
Kim, Y. (2005). Cultivating reflective thinking: The effect of reflective thinking tool on learners' performance and metacognative awareness in the context of on-line learning. Unpublished doctoral thesis, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania.
Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential learning as the science of learning and development. Londen and New Yourk : Routledge.
Larson-Hall, J. (2010). A guide to doing statistics in second language research using SPSS. New York: Routledge.
Limpo, T., & Alves, R. A. (2013). Teaching planning or sentence-combining strategies: Effective SRSD interventions at different levels of written composition. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 38(4), 328-341.
Little, M. A. (2007). Self-regulated strategies development for improving the writing skills of students with internalizing behavior patterns and writing concerns. unpublished doctoral dissertation, Vanderbilt University.
Mann, k. (2007). Reflection and reflective practice in health professions education: A systematic review. Springer Science, 14, 595–621.
Mason, L. H., Harris, K. R., & Graham, S. (2011). Self-regulated strategy development for students with writing difficulties. Theory into Practice, 50(1), 20-27.
Matsoda, P.K. (2002). Contrastive rhetoric in context: A dynamic model of L2 writing. Journal of Second Language Writing, 61(1), 45-60.
Mertens, N. L. (Ed.). (2010). Writing: Process, tools and techniques. New York: Nova Science Publisher.
Moon, J. (1999). Reflection in learning & professional development: Theory & practice. London: Kogan Page.
Nabavi Ekhlas, N., & Shangarffam, N. (2012). The relationship between determinant factors of self-regulation strategies and main language skills and overall proficiency. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 70, 137-147.
Naghdipour, B., & Emeagwali, O. L. (2013) (2013). Assessing the level of reflective thinking in ELT students. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Science, 83, 266-271.
Nami, Y., Enayati, T., & Ashouri, M. (2012). The relationship between self-regulation approaches and learning approaches in English writing tasks on English foreign language students. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 47, 614-618.
Negreti, R. (2012). Metacognition in student academic writing: A longitudinal study of metacognition awareness and its relation to task perception, self- regulation and evaluation of performance. Written Communication, 29(2), 142-147.
Nicholas, K. R., Menchetti, B. M., & Nettles, S. M. (2005). An exploratory investigation of structured writing strategy training for African-American college students with learning disabilities Journal of College Reading and Learning, 36(1), 37-59.
Oxford, R. (2011) Teaching and researching: Language learning strategies. London: Longman.
Phan, H. P. (2009). Exploring students’ reflective thinking practice, deep processing strategies, effort, and achievement goal orientations. Educational Psychology, 29(3), 297-313.
Pintrich, P. R. (2000). The role of goal orientation in self-regulated learning. In M. Boekaerts, P. R. Pintrich, & M. Zeidner (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation (pp. 451-502). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Pintrich, P. R. (2003). A motivational science perspective on the role of student motivation in learning and teaching contexts. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95(4), 165-213.
Rodgers, C. (2002). Defining reflection; Another look at John Dewey and reflective thinking. Teachers College Record, 104(4), 842-866.
Rudd, R. D. (2007). Defining critical thinking. Techniques, 82(7), 46-49.
Santagelo, T., Harris, K. R., & Graham, S. (2008). Using self-regulated strategy development in writing: Going beyond NLEs to more balance approach. Instructional Science, 36(5), 395-408.
Schunk, D. H. (2005). Commentary on self-regulation in school context. Learning and Instruction, 15(2), 173-177.
Schunk, D. H. (2005). Self-regulated learning: The educational legacy of Paul R. Pintrich. Educational Psychology, 40(2), 85-94.
Schunk, D. H. , & Zimmerman, B. J. (1997). Social origins of self-regulatory competence. Educational Psychology, 32(4), 195-208.
Scheuer, N., de la Cruz, M., Pozo, J. I., Huarte, M. F., & Sola, G. (2006). The mind is not a black box: Children's ideas about the writing process. Learning and Instruction, 16(1), 72-85.
Tracy, B., Reid, R., & Graham, S. (2009). Teaching young students strategies for planning and drafting stories: The impact of self-regulation development. The Journal of Education Research, 102(5), 323-332.
Welch, M. (1992). The “PLEASE” strategy: A metacognitive learning strategy for improving the paragraph writing of students with mild learning disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 15(2), 119-128.
Wilson, Y. & Murdoch, K. (2006). Helping your pupiles to think for themselves. New York: Routledge.
Wong, B. & Butter, D. ( 2012). Learning about learning disabilities. New York: Elsevier Academic Press.
Zimmerman, B. J. (2000). Attaining self-regulation: A social-cognitive perspective. In M. Boekarts, P. R. Pintrich, & M. Zeidner (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation (pp. 13-39). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Zimmerman, B. J. (2002). Becoming a self-regulated learner: An overview. Theory into Practice, 41(2), 64-70.
Zimmerman, B.J. (2010). Self-regulated learning and academic achievement: An overview. Educational Psychology, 25(1), 3-17.
Yun, J. A. H. (2008). Critical reflection among elementary school teachers: An examination of content, cognitive style, and integrative complexity. London: Longman.