A strategy based on scaffolding to develop EFL essay writing and reduce writing anxiety level among secondary stage students

Abstract EN

The current study aimed at investigating the effect of using scaffolding in teaching on developing EFL essay writing and reducing writing anxiety level among secondary stage students.

The participants were first year secondary stage students.

They were randomly assigned to forty students for the experimental group, and forty-two students for the control group.

Three main instruments were used for data collection: writing sub-skills checklist, essay writing test and writing anxiety scale.

The experimental group were taught using the proposed strategy based on scaffolding for twelve weeks.

Data collected through the pre and post administration of the instruments was subjected to t-test.

The results revealed through the post-administration of the essay writing test and the writing anxiety scale showed that the post-performance of the experimental group significantly exceeded its own pre-performance and exceeded the post-performance of the control group.

Thus, the results reflected support for the research hypotheses.

They proved the positive effect of the strategy on developing EFL essay writing, and reducing writing anxiety among first year secondary stage students.