Writing Instruction Research Articles

Effects of Online Professional Development on First-Grade Writing Instruction: Coaching plus Manual Improves Teachers’ Implementation, Confidence, and Students’ Writing Quality

This mixed-methods study examined the effects of different models of online professional development (PD) on 21 US elementary teachers’ writing instruction, on the teachers’ confidence, and on students’ writing quality. Participants were first-grade teachers who were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Coaching-plus-Manual (C+M), Manual (M), or Business-as-Usual (BAU). All teachers received online-PD but the C+M and the M conditions received PD on genre-based writing-strategy instruction. The M group taught using only the manual of that approach but the C+M also received coaching. Results found that C+M teachers increased the most in their writing confidence, and C+M students wrote papers of better quality at posttest compared to the M and BAU students.

Integrating ChatGPT in Descriptive Writing Instruction: Insights and Best Practices for Junior High School Students

This study examines the integration of ChatGPT, an AI-based language model, into teaching descriptive writing to eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 3 Luwuk. The research, conducted in the digital class VIII.B, employed a qualitative descriptive methodology, including classroom observations and interviews with 35 students. It aimed to explore students' perceptions of ChatGPT and develop effective teaching procedures for descriptive writing. Findings revealed that ChatGPT positively impacted students' writing skills by improving grammar, vocabulary, organization, and creativity. Students reported increased confidence and efficiency in producing descriptive texts, though challenges such as vocabulary alignment and idea generation persisted for some. Proficient students excelled in generating detailed, well-organized texts, while less-skilled students required structured guidance and additional practice. A step-by-step teaching procedure was designed to accommodate diverse student abilities, incorporating tasks that progressed from basic to advanced levels. The study highlights ChatGPT's potential to enhance writing skills when integrated thoughtfully, with continued teacher support to address individual student needs. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on AI applications in education, offering insights for teachers, students, and researchers. Recommendations include fostering student creativity, supporting teacher training in AI tools, and exploring ChatGPT’s use in other text types and long-term skill development. Keywords: ChatGPT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Descriptive Writing, English Language Learning

The Impact of Mobile Technology on English Writing Teaching: The Relationship between Interactive Feedback and Autonomous Learning Abilities

With the rapid development of information technology (IT), mobile technology has been widely applied in the field of education, particularly in language learning. English writing, as one of the core skills in language acquisition, faces numerous challenges within traditional teaching models, such as limited learner autonomy and the difficulty of meeting individualized needs. In recent years, mobile technology-assisted English writing teaching has become a new research focus, with interactive feedback mechanisms and the enhancement of autonomous learning abilities being identified as key factors influencing instructional effectiveness. This study aims to explore mobile network-based English writing teaching, specifically analyzing how locationaware features and interactive feedback can enhance students’ autonomous learning abilities. In particular, the study investigates the forms and challenges of mobile network-assisted English writing teaching, examining mobile network discovery technologies, similarity calculation, and evolutionary computation methods relevant to English writing teaching, and proposes strategies for enhancing autonomous learning through interactive feedback.

Exploring the Affordances and Challenges of GenAI Feedback in L2 Writing Instruction: A Comparative Analysis With Peer Feedback

Exploring the Affordances and Challenges of GenAI Feedback in L2 Writing Instruction: A Comparative Analysis With Peer Feedback

Exploring the Landscape of Generative AI (ChatGPT)-Powered Writing Instruction in English as a Foreign Language Education: A Scoping Review

Purpose Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI)-powered technologies, particularly ChatGPT, have sparked significant interest in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education. This review aims to explore the landscape of ChatGPT's application in EFL writing. Design/Approach/Method Given the nascence of this field, the study conducts a scoping review by analyzing 16 empirical studies published before December 2023 to investigate the role of ChatGPT in EFL writing. Findings The review explores the current and potential uses of ChatGPT in EFL writing, highlighting its dual role as both a writing assistant and an assessment tool. On one hand, ChatGPT is widely acknowledged for providing real-time feedback that enhances writing quality and efficiency. On the other hand, challenges and concerns remain prevalent. Originality/Value The findings reveal key gaps in the literature, such as the need for more interdisciplinary research, the adaptation of AI models to meet the linguistic and cultural needs of EFL learners, and the integration of multimodal AI tools. The review emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and information literacy training for educators and students while addressing ethical considerations. These insights offer a roadmap for future research and the practical implementation of AI in language education, providing valuable guidance for different stakeholders.

EFL Students’ Challenges & Solutions During and After the Pandemic: A Four-Year Study in an Academic Writing Class

Academic writing is a genre of writing which is considered challenging and difficult by many language learners. The underlying reason is that there are many requirements to make a good piece of writing. Many skills are required in this type of writing, including, for example, paraphrasing, synthesizing, and summarizing. Academic Writing students therefore often face various problems in this “nightmare” course. This study was thus conducted to delve into the problems that 60 Academic Writing students faced, and their alternative solutions during and after the pandemic. From the data collected, it was found that in general, the students faced similar problems like having difficulties in paraphrasing, finding ideas, collaborating with others, understanding the materials, having a lack of confidence, and concentrating on the lectures. In a particular situation, that is, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were two other significant problems faced by the students: an unstable Internet connection and hindrances to work collaboratively online. Three university lecturers were also interviewed to find their opinions about what Academic Writing lecturers could do to help students minimize their learning obstacles. This study is hopefully useful for teachers of Academic Writing to discover the common problems that their students may encounter. As for the students, it is hoped that through this study, they can anticipate emerging problems and solve them.

Spacious Grammar: Agency and Intention in the Teaching of Research Writing

Spacious Grammar: Agency and Intention in the Teaching of Research Writing

Benefits of Digital Editing for Japanese Writing Instruction

This study examined the benefits of digital editing for Japanese writing instruction for Indonesian students. The participants of this study were 44 Indonesian university students who had majored in Japanese language and culture for approximately one year. The author of this study taught this course online for seven weeks and asked the participants to email photographs of their essays to him. The teacher first typed the texts of the participants’ essays into Microsoft Word and then he corrected them, adding notes to the students. In this study, students were assigned points for their practice essay and final examination to the maximum of 50 to facilitate the comparison of the scores across individuals. The participants’ practice essays were not scored. The participants were asked to compose on a sheet of 400-character manuscript paper. The teacher deducted one point for each error in grammar, spelling, particle, vocabulary, and conjugation. On average, out of 50 possible points, the participants obtained 37.82 points in the first writing practice and 46.91 points in the final examination. At a 5% level, the scores before and after the instruction through digital editing showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.001, df = 43, t = 15.33). These results show that digital editing using Microsoft Word improves Japanese-language learners’ writing proficiency.

A Case Study of Junior High School English Writing Teaching Based on “Reading-to-Write Model”

A Case Study of Junior High School English Writing Teaching Based on “Reading-to-Write Model”

Revisiting EFL Writing Instruction : An Analysis of Japanese University Syllabi

Revisiting EFL Writing Instruction : An Analysis of Japanese University Syllabi

An Initial Exploration of College English Collaborative Writing Teaching Model Based on Scaffold Theory

Current college English writing instruction faces problems such as outdated teaching models and limited feedback mechanisms, which hinder the development of students’ writing skills. This paper, reflecting on the current state of writing instruction, integrates scaffolding theory with collaborative writing, and then proposes a teaching model consisting of five key stages: context setting, scaffolding, collaborative writing, feedback and evaluation, and independent writing. By adopting scientific grouping and constructing linguistic scaffolds as well as cognitive framework scaffolds, instructors aim to effectively enhance students’ writing proficiency, critical thinking abilities, and collaborative abilities.

The Effects of the Guided Dialogic Peer Feedback-Based Writing Instruction on Chinese EFL Students’ Writing Performance in an Integrated Blended Learning Environment

While extensive research exists on peer feedback and its effects on writing, there are few experimental studies that rigorously investigate the effects of guided dialogic peer feedback on students’ argumentative writing performance. This study, adopting a mixed-methods approach, examined the influence of guided dialogic peer feedback within a blended learning setting on the writing performance of 63 university students studying English as a second language (L2). The participants from two intact classes were randomly assigned as an experimental group (31 students) and a control group (32 students). Over a period of 18 weeks, the experimental group engaged in guided dialogic peer feedback instruction, whereas the control group was given traditional teaching. Both groups were assessed through writing assignments on two different topics, administered as a pre-test and a post-test. Additionally, students from the experimental group filled out a questionnaire and some engaged in semi-structured interviews after the treatment. The study’s findings, derived from a series of t-tests and ANCOVA, revealed that dialogic peer feedback significantly enhanced the students' writing performance. Furthermore, the questionnaire responses indicated a positive student perception towards this instructional approach, a sentiment echoed in the interview analyses.

Enhancing Writing Skills through Cultural Integration: Exploring the Impact of Culturally-Responsive Writing Instruction in Diverse EFL Classrooms

In an increasingly multicultural and interconnected world, the integration of culturally-responsive teaching methods into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction has emerged as a vital pedagogical approach. This study examines the impact of culturally-responsive writing instruction on the development of EFL learners' writing skills, comparing it with traditional writing instruction. The objective is to explore how integrating cultural elements into writing pedagogy enhances linguistic competencies, fosters engagement, and promotes inclusivity in diverse classrooms. A mixed-methods research design was employed, combining a quantitative pre-test and post-test experimental approach with qualitative interviews and focus group discussions. The quantitative phase of the study involved assessing writing performance in two groups: one experimental group that received culturally-responsive instruction and one control group that followed traditional teaching methods. Writing samples were evaluated using standardized rubrics to measure key competencies such as content, organization, grammar, and critical thinking. The qualitative phase gathered insights into students' perceptions, motivation, and engagement through thematic analysis of interviews and focus group discussions. The results demonstrated significant improvements in the experimental group's writing performance, with notable gains in grammar (+40.9%), critical thinking (+41.7%), and vocabulary (+35.3%). Students reported higher engagement, confidence, and personal connection to writing tasks. Teachers observed improved participation and deeper critical analysis in student writing. However, challenges such as balancing curriculum demands and limited institutional support were highlighted. Overall, the findings underscore the transformative potential of culturally-responsive instruction in improving writing outcomes, fostering cultural appreciation, and creating inclusive learning environments. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence advocating for educational equity and culturally-responsive practices in EFL classrooms.

The Problems Faced in Primary-level Reading and Writing Teaching to Students whose Mother Tongue is not Turkish

The study had a quantitative design and aimed to evaluate the problems faced in primary reading and writing teaching to students whose mother tongue is not Turkish from the perspectives of teachers. The general survey model, which is one of the quantitative study methods, was used in the study. A total of 205 classroom teachers participated in the study. Classroom teachers were selected from those who had taught first grade at least once. The scale of problems faced in teaching primary reading and writing to primary school students whose mother tongue is not Turkish was used in the study. The obtained data were analyzed by using the SPSS 24 package program. According to the findings, teachers who had low professional seniority in some stages of the primary literacy teaching process faced more problems than teachers with higher professional seniority, teachers who did not know the mother tongue of the student when compared to the teachers who knew the student’s mother tongue, and teachers who taught first grade once compared to teachers who taught it three times. Also, according to the scale, classroom teachers faced various problems at all stages of primary reading and writing teaching.

Advancing the Science of Teaching Reading: Introduction to the Special Issue

ABSTRACT In this introduction to the special issue, “Advancing the Science of Teaching Reading,” we explore how the four articles featured in this special issue address important themes, such as teaching practices as essential factors for student literacy development, identifying active ingredients, and effective approaches to integrating active ingredients. We recognize that the four studies are just examples, and future research is needed to explore different areas and approaches, addressing teacher instruction, teacher development, and approaches that creates the conditions under which children can develop the literacy skills. We also reflect on the relation of the Science of Teaching Reading to the Science of Reading, and propose two directions in which the Science of Teaching Reading should be expanded: including writing on an equal footing with reading (the Science of Writing, the Science of Teaching Writing, and the Science of Teaching Reading and Writing), and acknowledging that approaches to teaching reading and writing must respond to the full diversity of learners, teachers, and contexts. In conclusion, we suggest future directions to advance the field.

The Significance and Path of Developing Students’ Critical Thinking Ability in English Writing Teaching

In today’s society, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence, fostering students’ critical thinking is especially important for nurturing their innovative capabilities. The “National English Curriculum Standards for General High School (2017 edition, revised in 2020)” outlines that the core competencies in English education encompass four dimensions: linguistic competence, cultural awareness, quality of thinking, and learning ability. Among these, the quality of thinking is primarily reflected in the logic, criticality, and creativity of thought. Critical thinking not only enhances students’ language skills but also plays a crucial role in mental growth and the cultivation of independent thinking. It encourages students to go beyond the surface meaning of texts, delving into the analysis of the structure, argumentation, author’s intent, and implicit meanings of articles. Whether for further education, employment, or personal development, critical thinking is an indispensable skill. This paper emphasizes the importance of cultivating critical thinking within the context of adolescent life themes, providing a new perspective for high school English teaching practices. It holds significant importance for promoting the comprehensive development of students’ competencies in a globalized context.

Supporting Teachers' Data-Based Individualization of Early Writing Instruction: An Efficacy Trial.

In a multiyear, multisite, randomized control trial, we examined the effects of comprehensive professional development designed to support teachers' data-based instruction (DBI) for students with intensive early writing needs. Teachers (N = 154; primarily special educators or intervention specialists) were assigned randomly to a treatment group (n = 76), in which they received tools, learning, and coaching to support their DBI implementation over 20 weeks, or to a control group (n = 78). Students either received DBI in early writing (n = 155) from treatment teachers or their usual writing instruction (n = 154) from control teachers. Treatment teachers outperformed controls on measures of DBI knowledge and skills (d = 1.57) and self-efficacy for writing instruction (d = .94), and treatment students outperformed controls on proximal and distal writing outcomes (ds = .14-.29). Student characteristics (grade, special education status, English learner status, and race/ethnicity) did not moderate intervention effects. We discuss findings in terms of the importance of supporting students with intensive learning needs, the efficacy and feasibility of implementing DBI-TLC, and implications for pre- and in-service teacher training and support.

Exploring AI-Assisted Writing Instruction from the Perspective of Human-Computer Collaboration

Exploring AI-Assisted Writing Instruction from the Perspective of Human-Computer Collaboration

Exploring the Pancasila Values in the English Writing Teaching Materials Made by Microteaching Student

In Indonesia, the education curriculum underwent significant changes with the introduction of the Independent Curriculum. Meanwhile, curriculum changes have not been followed by the development of adequate teaching materials. Researchers conducted an analysis of English writing teaching materials for junior high school documents made by microteaching students. This research aims to identify how Pancasila values are integrated into English writing teaching materials created by micro-teaching students of the English Department for use in the independent curriculum. The research design in this study used qualitative and content analysis. The data collection method uses content analysis with the Miles and Huberman model approach. The findings of this research reveal that the English writing teaching materials developed by microteaching students at a university in Indonesia for junior high school effectively embody Pancasila values, making them appropriate for implementation in the independent curriculum.

Research on Computer-Assisted Task-Based Instruction in College English Writing Teaching

In the digital era, the application of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) in the field of foreign language teaching has been explored by many researchers. In addition, Task-based instruction (TBI) is also a widely accepted method in language teaching, which requires language learners to complete a series of meaningful tasks to improve their language abilities. In this research, I will combine the CALL and TBI teaching method, drawing on the advantages of both methods, aiming to enhance students' writing skills and studying interest by introducing technological means. This paper also explores the effectiveness of the application of a combination of CALL and TBI in improving college English writing teaching.