- Title
- The impact of collaborative writing and scaffolding practices on student writing performance in second language contexts: action research at Midlands State University (MSU)
- Creator
- Hlatshwayo, Primrose
- Subject
- English language -- Context
- Subject
- Writing -- Midlands State University
- Date Issued
- 2023-12
- Date
- 2023-12
- Type
- Master's theses
- Type
- text
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63309
- Identifier
- vital:73248
- Description
- The mixed methods action research study explored how collaborative writing and scaffolding practices impacted on the writing performance of students writing in groups. It sought to establish whether using the collaborative writing (CW) method would enhance the writing performance of 55 social work Midlands State University first-year students. Socio-cultural theory (SCT) was employed as the theoretical basis for the study as it emphasises learning in socially constructed environments in which interaction among peers and teachers leads to learning and construction of knowledge. Through the examination of student interactions in two collaborative writing activities, an analysis of student perceptions of CW, and an assessment of student collaboratively produced texts, the study found that the different peer and teacher scaffolding practices that were employed in the collaborative writing sessions significantly enhanced the students’ writing performance. Regardless of the challenges identified in CW, for example, misunderstandings and meaningless contributions from some group members, the research findings revealed that the student interactions offered scaffolding to support their writing activities. For example, validation feedback, link to previous knowledge and the use of correctional feedback were the scaffolding practices used. In addition, the students were able to collaboratively produce better texts with improved cohesive linking, mechanics, organisation, development, structure and vocabulary. The study contributed to L2 collaborative writing literature as it identifies the different student scaffolding approaches and offers an insight into the collaborative writing process and how it could support ESL writing development. However, the methodology posed some limitations, for example, the use of a questionnaire instead of interviews and recording student interactions in a journal instead of audio recording and, lastly, the researcher struggled to balance research demands and her normal teaching load. The study recommends the monitoring of students in CW groups, facilitation of peer/teacher motivation, establishment of group norms and formation of small groups with a maximum number of six members.
- Description
- Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, 2023
- Format
- computer
- Format
- online resource
- Format
- application/pdf
- Format
- 1 online resource (xiv, 248 pages)
- Format
- Publisher
- Nelson Mandela University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Humanities
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Nelson Mandela University
- Rights
- All Rights Reserved
- Rights
- Open Access
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- Visitors: 12
- Downloads: 2
Collections
NMU School of Language, Media and Culture
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | Hlatshwayo, P.pdf | 2 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |