Improving Productive Vocabulary Knowledge through Writing

To improve and activate the vocabulary of EFL learners, an alternative to common advice in trying to use them in speech can be invited. Mclaughlin, B. et al. (2000) previously argued for the role of reading comprehension in improving the vocabulary knowledge of nonnative speakers. The same can be shown through writing. As two quite different methodologies in writing pedagogy are process and product writing, it is interesting to find which holds more promise for the vocabulary improvement. Product writing pedagogy encompasses accuracy-based and error-corrective tradition and students acting one-off (Gabrielatos, 2004), while process writing enacts students learning how to write by writing involving brainstorming and production of multiple drafts based on teacher’s feedback (Paribakht, 2003). For the purpose of this study, sixty four from a hundred interested students at the intermediate level of English proficiency, set by a TOEFL score, pursued and consummated the weekly classes of writing instruction. A class is selected to be instructed in process writing by the flip of a coin and the other taught product writing then. After a semester period of teaching process and product writing to respective homogeneous groups and applying a pretest-posttest design, the researchers used a T-test to compare mean difference of group scores from pretest and posttest which is a productive vocabulary test. The results of study demonstrate that process group improved their vocabulary significantly better over product group. Controlling that all subjects be of the same age range, language proficiency level and of both sexes in balanced divisions, while every other factor is held constant to make a fair estimate of the role of writing method on vocabulary