The use of models in collaborative writing: Searching for long-lasting effects

Abstract

Noticing is thought to be essential for language learning (Schmidt, 1990). Various attempts have been made to promote interventions that facilitate noticing such as collaborative work or the use of models as corrective feedback. Nonetheless, the extent to which collaborative writing or the use of models affects noticing and their potential the long-term effects is still under-research. It is against this backdrop where the current study must be considered. The study included 26 EFL early adolescents in a secondary school context. It was designed in three main stages: (i) the pre-test: an individual composition; (ii) the treatment: first, students had to write in pairs while their interactions were being recorded; second, they had to revise the model letter in pairs and finally, rewrite in pairs, and (iii) the delayed post-test: a second individual composition. Students’ writings were analysed as for their development of the content, structure, grammatical and mechanic accuracy and vocabulary use; and their oral interactions were scrutinized for language related episodes (LREs); in addition, their final individual compositions were revised for signs of incorporations from the models. Results suggest that students benefited from collaborating and the use of models, although it seems that these advantages could not be maintained in the long-run. It is argued that memory, age and proficiency might have affected retention. Pedagogical implications are drawn and a call for further research is made as sample size and proficiency pairings might have affected the results obtained