المستخلص: |
This study was aimed to investigate the effectiveness of using a four square writing method on the students' improvement in writing English paragraphs in the foundation year at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah. To fulfill this purpose, the researcher undertook an experimental study (Two Groups Pre-Test, Post Test Design) during the first semester of the academic year 2012. The sample of the study consisted of (60) students. The sample was randomly divided into two groups: the experimental group which was taught the target lessons by using the four square writing method, and the control group which was taught the same target lessons by the traditional lecture method. Each group consisted of (30) students. The topics chosen for the writing lectures were: (write an e-mail about your class, write about a friend or relative, describe your house, write about your last holiday, write about an old friend, and write about meals in your country), and the students' improvement was studied in relation to the following criteria: content \ organization, vocabulary, grammar, and mechanics. The researcher designed a writing test as an instrument for the study. The test content was validated by a team of educators in methods of teaching English and English language specialists. Reliability of the test was measured by using a test - retest method which was calculated by using Pearson correlation formula (0.81). The experiment lasted for six weeks. It started by a pre-test and ended with a post test. After collecting data, the null hypotheses of the study were tested by ANCOVA, and a confidence level of (0.05) was used as a criterion level for determining statistical significance. \
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