metacognitive scaffolding

Scaffolding as an instructional strategy significantly contributes to learning development. However, there is a lack of studies assessing the comparative effects of various scaffolding strategies. The present study intended to evaluate the effects of motivational, metacognitive, and computer-based scaffolding on Iranian intermediate EFL learners' writing according to Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. In this quasi-experimental study, sixty male and female intermediate EFL learners in the age range of 14 to 23 were chosen by convenience sampling from the Jahad language center in Tehran, Iran. They were enrolled according to their performance on Preliminary English Test (PET) in the 2020 spring English courses and were randomly assigned to three equal groups. The IELTS writing test was used as a pretest and posttest. Learners received a scaffolding instruction package on writing. A statistically significant improvement in the participants’ posttest writing scores was observed in all groups, and motivational scaffolding was the most effective strategy in developing the writing skill of EFL learners. The results could have implications by providing insights helpful for language teachers, learners, and syllabus designers.

Scaffolding as an instructional strategy significantly contributes to learning development. However, there is a lack of studies assessing the comparative effects of various scaffolding strategies. Drawing on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, the present study intended to evaluate the effects of motivational, metacognitive, and computer-based scaffolding on Iranian intermediate EFL learners' writing. In this quasi-experimental study, sixty male and female intermediate EFL learners aged 14 to 23 were chosen through convenience sampling from the Jahad language center in Tehran, Iran. They were tested on Preliminary English Test (PET) and were randomly assigned to three equal groups. The IELTS writing test was used as a pre-test and post-test. Learners received a scaffolding instruction package on writing. A statistically significant improvement in the participants’ post-test writing scores was observed in all groups, and motivational scaffolding was the most effective strategy in developing the writing skill of EFL learners. The results could have pedagogical implications for language teachers, learners, and syllabus designers.

Teaching grammar has always created some challenges for EFL teachers. Therefore, this study explored the effect of four scaffolding strategies as contextualizing, modeling, metacognitive scaffolding, and bridging on Iranian EFL students’ grammatical knowledge. Moreover, this study examined Iranian EFL learners’ attitudes towards scaffolding strategies. To fulfil the purpose of this study, 40 language learners were chosen based on convenience sampling as the participants of this study. They were both males and females between 20 to 30 years old divided into two groups as the control and experimental groups. After assuring the homogeneity of the students in terms of their English proficiency in general and grammatical knowledge in particular, a parallel achievement test was administered to both groups as the pre-test. Following that, as the treatment, scaffolding strategies were applied for the experimental group to teach grammar and a traditional way of teaching grammar for the control group. After running the classes, a parallel achievement test was administered to both control and experimental groups as the posttest. The data analysis revealed that the experimental group that received scaffolding strategies significantly outperformed in the grammar part compared to the control group which received a conventional way of teaching grammar. It is believed that utilizing scaffolding strategies can motivate learners and facilitate the tough task of grammar learning and thereby make teachers aware of their ability to obtain success in their teaching process.