The Efficacy of an SFL-Oriented Register Instruction in Improving Iranian EFL Learners’ Writing Performance and Perception: Language Proficiency in Focus
Subject Areas : آموزش زبان انگلیسی
محمد
یوسفی اسگویی
1
(Department of English Language Teaching, Ahar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahar, Iran)
نادر
اسدی آیدینلو
2
(Department of English Language Teaching, Ahar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahar, Iran)
مسعود
ذوقی
3
(Department of English Language Teaching, Ahar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahar, Iran)
Keywords: EFL learners, writing performance, register, SFL, teaching/learning cycle,
Abstract :
The current study sought to explore the impact of SFL-oriented register instruction on Iranian EFL learner’ writing performance with a central focus on their English proficiency level. As its secondary aim, the study delved deeply into the learners’ perception of the register-based instruction. To these ends, 50 intermediate and 50 advanced Iranian EFL learners were selected randomly and assigned to four groups: two experimental and two control groups. Employing an experimental pretest/posttest design, the learners of the two experimental groups received instruction on the three components of register; that is, field, tenor, and mode along with the implementation of a three-phase teaching/learning cycle, whereas the learners in the control groups were exposed to a conventional writing instruction. Quantitative analysis of the learners’ writing performance on the pre- and posttest measures revealed the contributory role of register instruction in improving Iranian EFL learners’ writing performance, regardless of their English proficiency level. Furthermore, having been surveyed through a researcher-made questionnaire, the advanced and intermediate learners expressed their positive attitude towards the instruction. The findings highlighted the necessity of superseding the traditional linguistic-based writing instruction by a contextual and situational teaching methodology similar to what has been implemented in the current study.
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