Merging the E-journaling and the Workshop Methods to Reduce Prep-Year Students’ Writing Apprehension: An Experimental Study

Abstract

Preparatory (prep) year students presently encounter a significant disparity between prior to college English writing and the much superior level of competence needed for potential academic programs in Saudi Arabia. Study has verified the operational efficacy of the methods of e-journaling and writing workshop on alleviating writing apprehension but on a separate basis. This study represents an original contribution to knowledge through exploring the effects of merging these two outstanding methods. Accordingly, the degree to which this new method reduced Saudi prep-year students' writing apprehension was statistically examined. Tools included an instructional program and a writing apprehension test. The researcher applied the randomized control-group posttest-only design in the experiment. Students were randomly assigned to an experimental group, that studied the new program and a control group, that did not experience such treatment. At the end of the experiment, the two groups were post-tested using the writing apprehension test. Statistical treatment of the results was carried out, and the findings revealed that there is a statistically substantial difference between mean scores in favor of the experimental group students. This indicates that the integration of the e-journaling and the writing workshop methods has substantial effects on minimizing students’ writing apprehension as compared to the control group students. Further research is needed to develop new consistent methods of teaching writing that cope with and benefit from the current digital outbreak, especially in the Saudi, Arab and EFL foundation/prep-year contexts.