The Effect of Concept Mapping on Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners' Self-efficacy and Expository Writing Accuracy

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the questions of whether 1) Does concept mapping knowledge have any effect on Intermediate EFL learners’ self-efficacy? 2) Does concept mapping knowledge have any effect on Intermediate EFL learners’ expository writing accuracy? The following five steps determine the delivery and the sequence of the study: 1) A TOEFL test (writing section) as the pretest, 2) self-efficacy questionnaire, 3) 8 sessions of instruction on concept map construction with experimental group, 4) integration of concept mapping as a pre-writing strategy in experimental group, and 5) post-test of writing and self-efficacy questionnaire with both groups. Firstly, the writing Proficiency Test along with self-efficacy questionnaire was given to 180 learners. Based on the results of TOEFL writing test and self-efficacy questionnaire, 60 intermediate homogeneous participants were selected and randomly assigned to two groups of control and experimental. In the course of 22-sessions, during regular class time 15 minutes were devoted to concept mapping. Each session the participants of both groups were given a writing task besides their course book writing section. The students in the experimental group were engaged in concept map construction after writing each task and were organized their pre-writing activities such as discussion, doing exercises, and reflective practices according to their constructed maps. A post-test of writing and an efficacy questionnaire were administered to all the participants and the pair sample t- test, and independent sample t-test were used to answer the study questions. The results showed that concept mapping had a significant effect on self- efficacy and expository writing accuracy.