Facilitating L2 writers’ metacognitive strategy use in argumentative writing using a process-genre approach

Abstract

This paper reports on an empirical study that examined changes in L2 writers’ perceived use of metacognitive strategies after receiving a process-genre writing instruction. Following a mixed-methods approach, this study was conducted in two intact College English classes at a university in China. Participants were 72 first-year undergraduates, with an experimental group (n = 40) taught by the process-genre writing approach and a comparison group (n = 32) receiving conventional writing instruction. A Likert-scale questionnaire was used to examine students’ changes in their conceptualized metacognitive strategies. Think-aloud protocols were conducted to gain an in-depth understanding of students’ application of metacognitive strategies and genre knowledge in performing writing tasks. Findings revealed that the process-genre instruction had a significantly positive impact on the “considering the audience” factor, and students’ conception of the audience was clearer and more diversified. An in-depth analysis of the think-aloud protocols showed that the participants incorporated the acquired metacognitive strategies and genre knowledge in completing writing tasks, with more pre-task planning time focused on both global and local aspects. Students’ metacognitive monitoring also shifted from surface-level lexical and grammar regulation to discourse-level text control.

Examining the relationship between socioeconomic status, self-regulated learning strategies, and writing proficiency in English as a second language learning context.

“…Third, argumentative writing can effectively evaluate linguistic competence in terms of writing CAF, as well as the articulation, development, and organization of ideas, which are among the main focuses of this study (L. S. Teng & Zhang, 2020). Fourth, students are expected to utilize various strategies when writing argumentatively (Huang & Zhang, 2022), which is relevant to the present research.…”

Scripting success: a systematic literature review of the process genre approach for writing in Asian education

“…Universal journal of educational research [26] Pen-and-paper or online? An academic writing course to teachertrainees Cogent education [27] Process genre approach to L2 academic writing: An intervention study XLinguae [28] Reflections on employing innovative approaches in an academic writing course PONTE international scientific researchs journal [29] Analysing a faculty learning community strategy based on a process-genre approach supported by videos to develop the writing competence of English teaching students DELTA: Documentação de Estudos em Lingüística Teórica e Aplicada [30] A process-genre approach to teaching writing report text to senior high school students Indonesian journal of applied linguistics [31] A pre-experimental study on a process-genre approach for teaching essay writing Journal of language & education [32] Pre-writing and post-writing explicit instruction: Differential effects on L2 learners' writing accuracy RELC journal [33] Impacts of process-genre approach on EFL sophomores' writing performance, writing self-efficacy, writing autonomy Journal of language & education [34] Exploring the impact of process-genre approach on learners' academic writing and higher order thinking skills Journal of language & education [35] Explicit instruction in an EFL writing class: A process-genre perspective Linguistics research [36] Bringing innovation to EFL writing: The case of a primary school in Hong Kong…”

“…Figure 8 is shown below to show the frequency of dependent variables researched. PhD English academic writing skills; Feasibility of the approach for a doctoral EAP program [25] Asian EFL pre-university students' writing performance; Writing quality; Learners' engagement [26] Needs of university students and lecturers in writing instructions [27] Effectiveness of a writing course; Senior ELT students' writings in pen-and-paper (portfolio) work and online work [28] Master degree program's students' academic writing skills; Students' perceptions [29] Challenges faced by the lecturer of an academic writing course for pre-service EFL teachers [30] Writing competence in an English Teaching Program from the trainee English teachers/students' perspectives [31] Senior high students' writing skills of report text [32] Undergraduate students' EFL academic essay writing; Students' perceptions [33] College students/L2 learners' overall writing accuracy and errors [34] Vietnamese university EFL students' writing performance, self-efficacy and autonomy [35] University students' academic writing competence on HOTs, students' attitudes and expectations on their learning experience [36] University students' writing improvement [37] Primary school EFL teachers' incorporation of focus on writing program; Primary school students' writing performance; Factors facilitating change in the writing classroom; Challenges teachers face [38] Undergraduate students' individual writing performances; Levels of the cognitive load [39] College L2 students' perceived metacognitive strategy; Students extent of metacognitive strategies deployment…”

Effects of teacher explicit instruction in stance-taking on students’ perceptions of stance and on their academic writing beliefs

“…To date, however, little attention has been granted to the effects of such an instruction on students’ understanding of stance, as well as their more general understanding of academic writing. To test the efficacy of explicit stance instruction, these two aspects should not be neglected as learners’ understandings of stance and writing have affinities with how they convey ideas and integrate sources in writing practice ( Zhang and Zhang, 2021a ; Huang and Zhang, 2022 ).…”

“…These aspects are influential on how a writer convey ideas, engage readers in the writing process, and take stances in the written product ( Graham et al, 1993 ; Neely, 2014 ; Chang, 2016 ). Given the research gap, this study aimed to examine the effects of explicit instruction of stance metalanguage based on the Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) Engagement framework ( Martin and White, 2005 ; see also Huang and Zhang, 2022 ) on EFL students’ understandings of stance and writing, particularly focusing on two psychological factors: learners’ perceptions of stance and their writing beliefs.…”