English abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effect of process writing workshops on writing performance and attitudes toward writing among female 10th graders of basic education schools in Oman.
The study population consisted of 1,119 female 10th graders enrolled in the second semester of the 2010–2011 academic year. The sample consisted of two intact classes (N=63) selected randomly from Bilaad Bani Bu Ali For Basic Education School (9–12) in Sharqiah South Educational Region, where the researcher teaches. One class functioned as the experimental group and the other as the control group. The experimental group was taught writing by means of process writing workshops, whereas the control group was taught in the traditional manner. Both groups received two writing lessons weekly for 2 months. Two instruments were used in the current study: a 2008 Writing National test to measure studentswriting performance and an attitude questionnaire developed by the researcher based on the available literature to elicit students' attitudes toward writing. The validity and reliability of the attitude questionnaire were established. The results of the study showed the following:
1. The experimental group outperformed the control group when it came to the minimum required level set by the Ministry of Education, as the control group performed significantly below the minimum required level. 2. There were significant differences at the.05 level in post-test writing test results in favor of the experimental group. 3. The posttest writing test results of the students in the experimental group were significantly higher at the .05 level than their pretest results. 4. There were no significant differences at the.05 level in attitudes toward writing among the experimental and control groups after the treatment. 5. There was an improvement, albeit non significant at the .05 level, in attitudes toward writing among the experimental group before and after the treatment.
In light of these findings, recommendations are made for further research.
