Self-Assessment and Scaffolding Strategies to Improve Writing in High School Students

Abstract

This study investigated the significance of self-assessment and scaffolding strategies to improve students’ writing skills in a high school in Ecuador. The research sample consisted of 11 male and female intermediate EFL students, learning English language in a private dual high school. To meet the purpose of the study, the participants received instruction on scaffolded tasks oriented to enhance their business writing skills and how to self-assess their output using a writing rubric. An action research was adopted to structure the objective of the study. Data were collected from pre and posttests, field notes, students’ self-reflections and interviews to measure business writing progress. The results demonstrated that the scores of the posttests in the sample group were significantly higher than the scores of the pretest, showing an effect size of 1.66. Therefore, the study revealed that the application of scaffolding strategies with emphasis on business vocabulary and structure helped students improve their business writing. The students’ perspectives towards scaffolding strategies also affirmed that self-assessment using a writing rubric helped them improve their writing skills and learning autonomy. This study is oriented to scholars and researchers pursuing ways to apply scaffolding strategies in the classroom of the Ecuadorian environment.