Flipping writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills in an English as a foreign language collaborative writing context: a mixed‐methods study. (26th June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Gi‐Zen; Rahimi, Masoud; Fathi, Jalil
• Is Part Of: Journal of computer assisted learning. Volume 38:Number 6(2022)
• Page Start: 1730
• Page End: 1751
• Publication Date: 2022-06-26
• Subjects: EFL learners -- flipped class -- writing metacognitive strategies -- writing skills; Computer-assisted instruction -- Periodicals; 371.334
• DOI: 10.1111/jcal.12707
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0266-4909

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The transition from teacher‐centred towards student‐centred approaches in English language teaching, accompanied by developments in educational technology, has attracted researchers' attention to reverse teaching or flipped class. The related literature asserts that this mode of instruction might influence instructors' and students' participation in the class. Objectives: To shed more light on the role of flipped class in affecting language learning strategies and skills, this study applied a sequential explanatory mixed‐methods approach to explore the impact of flipped class on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills. Methods: Forty‐six intermediate EFL learners with an age range of 21–27, studying at a private language institute, were randomly divided into two groups of 23 learners. The two groups were randomly assigned to a flipped class, which received writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills through video clips before the class time, and a non‐flipped class, which received writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills in a conventional way during the class time. Results and Conclusions: The results revealed that both flipped and non‐flipped classes improved the EFL learners' writing metacognitive strategies, writing performance, writing content, and writing organisation. Furthermore, one‐way ANCOVA analyses indicated that the flipped class outperformed the non‐flipped class in writing metacognitive strategies, writing performance, writing content, and writing organisation. Thematic analyses, which were used to help analyse individual semi‐structured interviews, uncovered a number of categories and themes, signifying the flipped learners' positive perceptions towards the flipped class, such as enhancing motivation, self‐confidence, and writing collaboration. Implications: Pedagogical implications were discussed for flipping writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Metacognitive strategies, including planning, monitoring, and evaluation strategies, help English language learners become more successful writers. Writing skills, including writing content, writing organisation, and language use, help learners deal with collaborative writing activities effectively. Flipped class has been shown to be an effective mode of instruction to improve English language learners' language learning strategies and skills. What this paper adds?: Flipped class improves English language learners' writing metacognitive strategies, writing performance, writing content, and writing organisation. Flipped class is more effective than non‐flipped class in improving English language learners' writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills. English language learners' motivation, self‐confidence, and writing collaboration are increased as a result of the flipped writing course. Pedagogical implications: Writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills need to be flipped in English language contexts in order to free up time for more effective in‐class collaborative writing activities.