EFFECTS OF SCAFFOLDING STRATEGIES INSTRUCTION ON EFL STUDENTS’ WRITING ACHIEVEMENT AND PERCEPTIONS

This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of scaffolding strategies instruction on students writing achievement and perceptions in an Ethiopian EFL setting. From the total of 9 sections in Grade 10, two were randomly identified as comparison and experimental groups. 48 students participated in each group, and data were collected through pre-post writing tests and follow-up questionnaires. Results from paired samples t-test revealed that the treatment had a significant impact on improving students’ writing achievement in each aspect of writing except for mechanics, as indicated by p=.001, pα, at α=0.05 for each aspect of writing except for mechanics, use that had p=.-307, pα. The findings implied that the treatment enabled experimental group participants to improve each aspect of writing skills except mechanics use. Analysis of the questionnaire data further demonstrated that the experimental group participants had positive perceptions towards the value of the scaffolding strategies instruction for improving their writing skills.