Toward Critical Thinking in Language Classroom: The Use of Jigsaw Task toEnhance Iranian Learners’ Narrative Writing Ability

In order to write a narrative text, linguistic, cognitive and narrative demands must be met. The aim of the current study was to examine whether the use of jigsaw task could improve Iranian EFL learners’ narrative writing ability. This research used pre- experimental design, static group comparison and the participants were selected based on convenience sampling. To this end, thirty EFL learners participated in this study; the quick Oxford Placement Test (QOPT) was used to determine their language proficiency level. Then, the EFL learners were assigned into two groups of control and experimental group. The experimental group received narrative writing instruction based on Labov’s (۱۹۷۲) narrative macro - structures through jigsaw II technique (Slavin,۱۹۹۶) to write picture stories. To score learners’ narrative writing, the rubric introduced by (Gutierrez,Puello,Galvis ,۲۰۱۵) was used. Independent t-test was run to show whether Jigsaw II task was significantly effective in improving students’ narrative writing ability in both control and experimental groups. The results revealed that experimental group’s narrative writing outperformed those in control group and produced a more coherent narrative writing. The research results can be advantageous to the EFL learners by making them write critically, foster their critical thinking and socio-affective learning strategies, and promote their cooperative learning in the classroom.

Keywords:

narrative writing , critical thinking , jigsaw II , narrative macro structure , sentence connector.jigsaw task , Critical thinking , Narrative writing , Cooperative learning