Investigating L2 Grammatical Accuracy in Digital Multimodal Writing

Abstract

This study examines and compares L2 grammatical accuracy in digital multimodal writing (DMW) and monomodal text-based writing (TBW). Utilizing a mixed-methods design, the research incorporates a dataset comprising 180 written texts, a questionnaire, and text-based interviews. Sixty EFL learners were assigned to two groups (TBW and DMW) and completed three writing tasks on identical topics. The findings reveal that there are no significant differences in grammatical accuracy between TBW and DMW. Moreover, learners' perceptions indicate that the integration of multi-semiotic recourses has no detrimental effect on grammatical accuracy. Additionally, learners adopted a preferred recursive strategy, involving text writing followed by integrating nonlinguistic components to complete and revise their DMW compositions. Consequently, two factors emerge as crucial in elucidating the comparable level of grammatical accuracy in DMW and TBW: (1) active engagement in each linguistic and nonlinguistic component, and (2) an awareness of the essentiality of the text component, necessitating the prioritization of the linguistic resource or the deliberate separation of text writing from other components within the DMW process. This study concludes with pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research.