Comparing the Impact of Conceptual and Strategic Scaffolding on Paragraph Writing Proficiency among Iranian EFL Learners

This study examined the comparative effects of conceptual and strategic scaffolding on paragraph writing proficiency among Iranian EFL learners. A total of ۴۰ intermediate-level female learners from a language institute in Hamedan, Iran were selected via the Oxford Placement Test (OPT) and randomly assigned to two groups: one received conceptual scaffolding, and the other strategic scaffolding for paragraph writing. Over eight sessions, the conceptual scaffolding group focused on foundational writing principles such as topic sentences, coherence, and unity, while the strategic scaffolding group learned techniques like brainstorming, outlining, and revising. A pretest and posttest, scored using Jacob’s (۱۹۸۱) rubric, assessed learners' writing proficiency. Both groups showed significant improvement, as indicated by the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test. However, the Mann-Whitney U test revealed that the strategic scaffolding group outperformed the conceptual scaffolding group in terms of writing gains. These findings suggest that while both scaffolding methods are effective, strategic scaffolding may lead to greater improvements in writing proficiency. The study has important implications for EFL instructors, learners, and curriculum developers.

Keywords:

Conceptual Scaffolding , Strategic Scaffolding , writing proficiency , Paragraph Writing , Iranian EFL learners