The Effects of Portfolio Use in Teaching Report Writing: EFL Students' Perspective

Hussein Taha Assaggaf, Yousef Salem Bamahra

Abstract


Portfolio has widely been used in various areas including second language writing. The purpose of this study is to investigate the views of students in using portfolio in teaching technical report-writing. The participants are computer science students enrolled in a report writing course at a university in Yemen. For data collection, the study used three techniques; namely, group discussions, written reflections and a short questionnaire. The findings showed participants' positive views towards the use of portfolio in teaching writing in general and report writing in particular. The main views concerning the use of portfolio in teaching writing in general are: improving writing learning, making writing more fun and monitoring one's writing. The main findings regarding report writing were improving areas such as elements of writing, getting better feedback and report writing elements. The study concluded with a number of recommendations pertaining to both the practice of portfolio in EFL writing settings, as well as the future research.

 


Keywords


Second language writing, EFL writing, Portfolio

Full Text:

PDF

References


Apple, M., & Shimo, E. (2004). Learners to teacher: Portfolios, please! Perceptions of portfolio assessment in EFL classrooms. In Proceedings of JALT pan-SIG Conference. Tokyo Keizai University, 53-58.‏

Assaggaf, H.T; Stapa, S.H. & Mustafa, J. (2012). Investigating teaching and learning practices of second language ESP writing at tertiary level in Yemen. Arab World English Journal, 3(2), 48-75. [Online] Available: http://www.awej.org/images/AllIssues/Volume3/Volume3Number2June2012/3.pdf (November 7, 2015).

Assaggaf, H.T. (2010). L2 writing in an ESP context: investigating the current practices and needs at a tertiary institution in Yemen. Unpublished PhD thesis, National University of Malaysia, Malaysia.

Axton, K. (2012). The role of portfolios in student motivation. 紀要 visio: research reports= Visio, 42, 23-42.‏

Caner, M. (2010). Students views on using portfolio assessment in EFL writing courses.‏ Anadolu University Journal of Social Sciences, 10(1), 223–236.

Cecen, S. (2007). The effects of portfolio keeping on writing anxiety of EFL students. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 3(2). [Online] Available: http://www.jlls.org/index.php/jlls/article/view/48 (November 4, 2015).

Chen, Y. M. (2006). Self-assessment of oral performance in the EFL university classroom. In Proceedings of 2006 International Conference on English Instruction & Assessment (pp. 1-12).‏

Çimer, S. O. (2011). The effect of portfolios on students' learning: student teachers' views. European Journal of Teacher Education, 34(2), 161-176.‏

English Language Unit. (2004). Courses Outline. Al-Ahgaff University. Document.

Ezza, E. (2010). Arab EFL learners’ writing dilemma at tertiary level. English Language Teaching, 3(4), 33-39.

Fahim, M., & Jalili, S. (2013). The impact of writing portfolio assessment on developing editing ability of Iranian EFL learners. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 4(3), 496-503.‏

Flower, L., and Hayes, J. (1981). A cognitive process theory of writing. College Composition and Communication, 32, 365–87.

Ghoorchaei, B., Tavakoli, M., & Ansari, D. N. (2010). The impact of portfolio assessment on Iranian EFL students’ essay writing: A process-oriented approach. GEMA: Online Journal of Language Studies, 10(2), 35-51.‏

Hashemian, M., & Azadi, G. (2011). Arguing for the use of portfolio in L2 classrooms. TPLS Theory and Practice in Language Studies,1(5), 501-506.

Horowitz, D.H. (1986). Process, not product: less than meets the eye. TESOL Quarterly, 20(1): 141-144.

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

Hyland, K. (2002). Teaching and researching writing. London: Pearson education.

Johns, A. M. (2003). Genre and ESL/EFL composition instruction. In B. Kroll (ed.). exploring the dynamics of second language writing, pp. 195-217. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Johnson, R. S., Mims-Cox, J. S., & Doyle-Nichols, A. (2006). Developing portfolios in education: A guide to reflection, inquiry, and assessment. California: Sage Publications.

Khodadady, E., & Khodabakhshzade, H. (2012). The effect of portfolio and self-assessment on writing ability and autonomy. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 3(3), 518-524.‏

Khuwaileh, A. and Al Shoumali, A. (2000). Writing errors: a study of the writing ability of Arab learners of academic English and Arabic at university. Language, Culture and Curriculum: 13(2), 174-183.

Lam, R. (2013). Two portfolio systems: EFL students’ perceptions of writing ability, text improvement, and feedback. Assessing Writing, 18(2), 132-153.‏

Lincoln, Y. S. & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. California: Sage Publications.

Martinez-Lirola, M., & Rubio, F. (2009). Students’ beliefs about portfolio evaluation and its influence on their learning outcomes to develop EFL in a Spanish context. IJES, International Journal of English Studies, 9(1), 91-111.‏

Nunes, D. (2004) Portfolios in the EFL classroom: disclosing an informed practice. ELT Journal, 58(4), 327-335.

Öztürk, H., & Çeçen, S. (2007). The effects of portfolio keeping on writing anxiety of EFL students. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 3(2).‏

Paulson, F. L., Paulson, P. R., & Meyer, C. A. (1991). What makes a portfolio a portfolio. Educational leadership, 48(5).‏

Raimes, A. (1983). Anguish as a second language? Remedies for composition teachers. In Learning to write: First language/second language, ed. A. Freedman, I. Pringle, and J. Yalden, 258–72. New York: Longman.

Raimes, A. (1991). Out of the woods: Emerging traditions in teaching writing. TESOL Quarterly, 25(3), 407-430.

Silva, T. (1990). Second language composition instruction: developments, issues, and directions in ESL. In B. Kroll (ed.). Second language writing: research insights for the classroom, pp. 11-23. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Taylor, B. (1981).Content and written form: a two way street. TESOL Quarterly, 15(1), 5-3.

White, R. V. (1988). Academic writing: process and product. In P. Robinson (ed.). Academic writing: process and product. ELT Documents 129. London: Modern English Publications in association with The British Council.

Williams, J. D. (2003). Preparing to teach writing: research, theory, and practice. 3rded. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Zamel, V. (1982). Writing: The process of discovering meaning. TESOL Quarterly,16, 195-209.

Zubizarreta, J. (2009). The learning portfolio: Reflective practice for improving student learning. John Wiley & Sons.‏




DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.5n.3p.26

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.




Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2012-2023 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD

International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature

To make sure that you can receive messages from us, please add the journal emails into your e-mail 'safe list'. If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox', check your 'bulk mail' or 'junk mail' folders.