Advancing EFL Students’ Writing Skills through the Collaborative Jigsaw II Learning Technique

This study examines the effect of the Jigsaw II cooperative learning method on the writing proficiency of Iranian ۸th-grade (A۱ level) EFL students. Using a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test control group design, the research compared two study groups: ۳۶ students were instructed via the Jigsaw II method (experimental group) and ۳۶ students by traditional methods (control group) over a duration of three weeks, with three sessions. Quantitative data were collected from two writing assessments and analyzed by SPSS, containing: descriptive statistics, independent and paired samples t-tests, and Cohen's d effect sizes. Qualitative data were derived from the observation of the experimental group's post-test writing products to examine the vocabulary use, grammatical structures, and sentence formation. Results demonstrated that both groups showed improvement, but the magnitude of experimental group was greater, and they outperformed the control group. They showed richer use of words, more accurate grammar, and better-organized sentences as well. By resonating and supporting previous research and theories, this study concludes that the Jigsaw II method can be an effective instructional strategy to be implemented in low-level learners' writing classes for improving students’ engagement and performance.

کلیدواژه ها:

Cooperative Learning ، Jigsaw II Method ، Writing Proficiency ، Sentence Construction ، EFL Learners ، Quasi-Experimental Design