The Effect of Self-Selected Topic and Checklist-based Peer Feedback on Indonesian EFL Students’ Writing Ability

Wahyu Diny Sujannah, Bambang Yudi Cahyono

Abstract


It has been known that the use of self-selected topic enhances students’ writing achievement. It is also known that
peer feedback helps improve students’ writing achievement. However, research investigating self-selected topic in
combination with peer feedback is a rare undertaking. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of
self-selected topic and checklist-based peer feedback on the writing ability of students of English as a foreign
language (EFL). This study involved 68 eleven-grade students of Multimedia Program of a Vocational High School
at Malang, a city in the Province of East Java, Indonesia. Two intact classes assigned to be experimental and control
groups. The experimental group received treatment of self-selected topic and checklist-based peer feedback, while
the control group did not. Pre-test and post-test were administered in the form of writing tests to both groups and the
results of those tests were analyzed by using independent sample t-Test to know the effect of the treatment. The
results showed that the students taught to write with self-selected topic and checklist-based peer feedback
outperformed those taught without using self-selected topic and checklist-based peer feedback. Accordingly, it is
recommended that English teachers consider assigning the students to write a topic of their own and using
checklist-based peer feedback.


Full Text:

PDF

References


Al Badi, I. A. H. (2015). Academic writing difficulties of ESL learners. In the 2015 WEI International Academic Conference, Barcelona, Spain. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1079082.pdf

Altstaedter, L. L., & Doolittle, P. (2014). Students’ perceptions of peer feedback. Argentinian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2(2), 60-76.

Bonyadi, A., & Zeinalpur, S. (2014). Perceptions of students towards self-selected and teacher-assigned topics in EFL writing. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 98, 385-391.

Cahyono, B. Y., & Amrina, R. (2016). Peer-feedback, self-correction, and writing proficiency of Indonesian EFL students. Arab World English Journal, 7(1), 78-193.

Dickinson, P. (2014). The effect of topic-selection control on EFL writing fluency. Journal of Niigata University of International and Information Studies, 17, 15-25.

Ferreira, D. (2013). Researching the effects of students’ self-selected topics on writing fluency. Ferris Studies, 48, 297-306.

Ghanbari, N., Karampourchangi, A., & Shamsaddini, M. R. (2015). An exploration of the effect of time pressure and peer feedback on the Iranian EFL students' writing performance. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 5(11), 2251-2261.

Hyland, K. (2003). Second language writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Jacobs, G.M., Curtis, A., Braine, G. & Huang, S. (1998). Feedback on student writing: Taking the middle path. Journal of Second Language Writing, 7(3), 307-317.

Jacobs, H. L., Zinkraf, S. A., Wormuth, D. R., Hartfiel, V. F., & Hughey, J. B. (1981). Testing ESL composition: A practical approach. Rowley, MA: Newbury House.

Ji, X. (2011). Topic effects on writing performance: What do students and their writing tell us? The Journal of Asia TEFL, 8(1), 23-38.

Li, L.T. (2012). Embracing the diversity: Learning from EFL students’ self-selected reading and writing. TESL Reporter Journal, 45(2), 41-62.

Lin, G. H. C., & Chien, P. S. C. (2009). An investigation into effectiveness of peer feedback. Journal of Applied Foreign Languages Fortune Institute of Technology, 3, 79-87.

Lubold, S. L., Forbes, S., & Steveson, I. (2016). The effect of topic selection on writing fluency among Japanese high school students. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 5(2), 231-241.

Maarof, N., Yamat, H., & Li, K. L. (2011). Role of teacher, peer and teacher-peer feedback in enhancing ESL students’ writing. World Applied Sciences Journal (Innovation and Pedagogy for Lifelong Learning), 15, 29-35.

Oshima, A., & Hogue, A. (2007). Introduction to academic writing. White Plains, NY: Pearson-Longman.

Shippen, M. E., Houchins, D. E., Puckett, D., & Ramsey, M. (2007). Preferred writing topics of urban and rural middle school students. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 34(1), 59-66.

Shulin, Y. (2013). EFL teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding peer feedback in L2 writing classrooms. Polyglossia, 24, 74-79.

Sukumaran, K., & Dass, R. (2014). Students’ perspectives on the use of peer feedback in an English as a second language writing class. Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Education (JIRE), 4(1), 27-40.

Villamil, O. S., & Guerrero, M. C. M. de. (1998). Assessing the impact of peer revision on L2 writing. Applied Linguistics, 19(4), 491-514.

Wolf, J. P. (2013). Exploring and contrasting EFL learners’ perceptions of textbook-assigned and self-selected discussion topics. Language Teaching Research, 17(1), 49-66.

Yastiba, G. C., & Yastiba, A. E. (2015). The effect of peer feedback on writing anxiety in Turkish EFL (English as a foreign language) students. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 199, 530-538.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.5430/ijelt.v4n2p1

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2017 International Journal of English Language Teaching



International Journal of English Language Teaching ISSN 2329-7913 (Print) ISSN 2329-7921 (Online)

Copyright © Sciedu Press

To make sure that you can receive messages from us, please add the 'sciedu.ca' and ‘sciedupress.com’ domains to your e-mail 'safe list'. If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox', please check your 'spam' or 'junk' folder.