A Contract Learning-Based Strategy for Developing Essay Writing and Attitudes towards English Language Writing among Pre-Master Degree in Education Students

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Faculty of Graduate Studies for Education, Cairo University - Egypt

Abstract

The present study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of utilizing a contract learning-based strategy in developing essay writing and attitudes towards English language writing among pre-master degree in education students. The participants were randomly assigned to one hundred students for the experimental group and one hundred students for the control group. Three instruments were used for data collection: a grading contract (A & B), an essay writing test and an attitudes scale towards English language writing. The experimental group was taught using the contract learning-based strategy for three months, while the control group was taught an English language course in the conventional method. Data collected through the pre and post administration of the instruments was treated by t-test. The results revealed that the post-performance of the experimental group significantly exceeded its pre-performance and the post-performance of the control group. Consequently, the results verified the study hypotheses. They proved the effectiveness of the contract learning-based strategy in developing EFL essay writing and positive attitudes towards English language writing among pre-master degree in education students.

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