ERIC Number: EJ1362612
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2146-0655
EISSN: EISSN-2148-239X
A Model for Teaching Paragraph Endings to L2 Students
Thomas, Anuja M.; McCarthy, Philip M.; Ahmed, Khawlah; Kaddoura, Noor W.; Duran, Nicholas D.
Pegem Journal of Education and Instruction, v12 n3 p1-11 2022
Paragraph structure has been identified as consisting of three distinct parts, which are the topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a paragraph ending sentence. Although topic sentences have been widely researched, similar consideration for paragraph endings has been less forthcoming. This discrepancy may be problematic as research suggests that instruction on textual endings can positively impact students' writing. With this issue in mind, the current study establishes a model for paragraph endings and discusses pedagogical and computational implications. The model stems from the categorization of the varieties of paragraph endings observed in a corpus of papers written by advanced ESL college-students in the Arabian Peninsula. We identified the varieties of paragraph endings to form a multi-dimensional model featuring the categories of 'goal,' 'type,' and 'cue.' 'Goal' refers to the function of the sentence (e.g., summarizing). 'Type' refers to whether the sentence is a claim or a support statement. 'Cue' refers to explicit language indicating the goal. The model was assessed quantitatively through interrater-reliability of expert-judge evaluations. Qualitative analysis was also incorporated to assess possible subjective differences. Quantitative analysis provided validation of the model. Specifically, even with the most conservative analysis, the findings show that 67.5% of the total assessments agreed, with 75% agreement for goal and 70% agreement for type. The subsequent qualitative analysis also broadly supported the quantitative findings. The study concludes that the validated model has viable implications for pedagogical practices and software development. Thus, the study provides a pathway that may benefit students in the writing of more effective paragraphs.
Descriptors: Writing Instruction, Paragraph Composition, Text Structure, Models, Advanced Students, College Students, Second Language Learning, English (Second Language), Foreign Countries, Taxonomy, Sentences, Cues, Writing Evaluation
Pegem Academy Publishing and Educational Guidance Services TLC. Mesrutiyet Caddesi, No: 45, Ankara, Kizilay 06420, Turkey. e-mail: editor@pegegog.net; Web site: https://www.pegegog.net/index.php/pegegog
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Kuwait; Bahrain; Qatar; United Arab Emirates; Oman; Yemen; Saudi Arabia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A