Dictogloss in Saudi EFL Context: Potential Effects on Students’ Writing Skill and Attitudes towards Learning English

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study investigates the effects of dictogloss strategy on Saudi EFL writing skills and attitudes towards learning English. It also measures students’ attitudes towards learning English using dictogloss activities. The study opens doors for teachers of EFL towards new teaching methods and techniques for writing skills and the English language in general, away from traditional teaching. In order to answer the two main questions of the study, a sample of Saudi EFL college-level students was randomly selected and divided into an experimental group and a control group. The researcher used the dictogloss strategy when teaching the experimental group for five weeks, whereas the students in the control group were taught using the traditional way. Students were matched according to their writing proficiency, instructed by the same teacher (the researcher), and were similar in age. After five weeks of instruction, both groups completed another writing post-test and the attitude questionnaire. Measures of the means, standard deviations, and ANCOVA were used to determine the differences between the two groups. The results revealed a significant statistical difference in students writing skills, including their engagement and motivation in the class and their language output, favoring the experimental group. The study concludes with recommendations for training EFL teachers on using dictogloss when teaching writing and that dictogloss texts should be topic-based materials to integrate different language skills collaboratively.