The Effects of Data-Driven Learning on EFL Learners' Improvement in Micro Level Skills of Writing

The general purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of data-driven learning (DDL) on the development of English language learners' writing skills. "Writing skills" in the present study are limited to the formal or structural aspects of language, the way linguistic elements, words, phrases, clauses, and sentences form larger units of language to convey ideas and concepts. The objectives of the study were to compare the learning effects of DDL method with the conventional teaching method's effects on the measures of learners' declarative knowledge of the taught materials, and analytic scoring of their written products. A pre-test and post-test control group research design was used to collect the required data. Two groups of students who participated in the "Paragraph Writing" course were compared in terms of writing skills at the micro level. The control group was trained with the conventional method of using textbooks, teacher's explanations and classroom exercises. The experimental group, in addition to textbooks, received lessons prepared based on concordance lines. Statistical analyzes showed that there is a significant difference between the two groups in terms of declarative knowledge. This result can be interpreted as an indication of superiority of DDL-based courses over conventional textbooks in terms of learners' (declarative knowledge) writing skills development. The results of the analytical scores showed that there is no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of "content", "vocabulary" and "organization". However, the DDL group showed more knowledge in "Language Use", which indicates the greater advantage of DDL-based lessons in learning and applying grammar patterns. The practical implications of this research are presented in three separate but related areas of using corpora in language instruction, applying concordancers in language education, and preparing DDL-based materials in language classes. Textbook developers are also recommended specifying certain sections of class activities to DDL-based materials.