| dc.description.abstract | Research on first language (L1) writing quality has explored the relations between areas of cognitive psychology, sociocultural perspectives and linguistic features that have enhanced the body of knowledge with valuable information for informed teaching and learning. However, similar research projects that have targeted those three areas in English as a foreign/second language (ESL/EFL) when writing, are scarce. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the effects of planning and revising on EFL writing quality considering all the three areas combined. This attempt to understand the underpinning factors about writing is driven by the ambition to create a comprehensive image of EFL writing to enhance and inform our theoretical and pedagogical conceptions. To achieve this purpose, a mixed-method research design that consists of a pre-test post-test protocol, and semi-structured interviews with teachers and students of 12th grade in the State of Kuwait was adopted. The writing tests were provided to 452 students who were divided into three intervention groups, (i.e., outlining and keywords’ planning groups plus a revising group) and a control group. After completing the writing tests, interviews were conducted with thirteen teachers and twenty-four students, and they were invited to reflect on the impact of planning and revising on writing. Statistical results showed that interventions data did not yield any significant change in students’ writing performance. On the other hand, qualitative analysis of interviews showed that most students are socially bound to teachers’ instructions by writing and following a process. Also, students tend to revise written texts by focusing on detecting and correcting grammatical errors. However, some students manipulated the classroom writing instructions and recursively handled writing tasks by engaging cognitively with different writing processes while writing, rather than moving step-by-step through the processes. Theoretical and pedagogical implications that should inform our understanding and practice on teaching and learning writing are also discussed. | en_GB |
