Promoting Learners’ Appropriate Conjunctions Use in Argumentative Essay Writing through a Text-Based Approach

Abstract

This study hypothesised that adopting a Text-Based Approach (TBA), that is using a variety of text samples to highlight the argumentative essay conventions, would enable learner-writers to write more-efficient argumentative essays, and hence, achieve proficiency in argumentative writing. More particularly, this research suggested that the more EFL learners are aware of the appropriate use of linking words and phrases relevant to the argumentative essays, the coherent and cohesive their writing would be. Therefore, methodologically, the researchers opted for a mixed-methods approach. Relevantly, a quasi-experiment and case study strategies were chosen. To collect data, a test and an interview were held with the concerned participants. The targeted population was EFL learners at the Teachers‟ Training School of Constantine (ENSC). For the sample, a group of second year students was selected. In doing so, the researchers used the purposive sampling technique. The results indicated that integrating reading in the writing course through the adoption of TBA is efficient since it could strengthen theargumentative essay conventions. Additionally, interview results held with some writing teachers at the ENSC indicated that they are satisfied with the proposed approach to teach writing and, therefore, advocated its adoption in the instruction of writing for EFL learners.