Implementing Process-based Writing Workshop for Students in Grades 5-6

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of process-based writing workshop on Grades 5-6 students’ writing ability and learning attitudes. For this purpose, 31 students from Grades 5-6 were divided into either a high group or a low group based on TOPEL and participated in the writing process activities through writing workshop as after-school activities at an elementary school in Pusan. The participants were given writing tests and questionnaires as the pre- and post-test. Only activities based on the separated-skill approach were done to increase vocabulary and 4 language skills before implementing the writing workshop. Eight writing workshops were used during 15 weeks (60 periods) which were designed in the order of reading aloud, minilessons, writing, and sharing. Each writing workshop was conducted on the basis of the writing process. Participants were scaffolded by their English teacher during the workshop to use four levels of support. The result showed that there was a positive effect of process-based writing workshop on Grades 5-6 students’ English writing ability. In addition, this study found that process-based writing workshop supported improvements of the low-level English proficiency group with respect to content, vocabulary, and mechanics more than the high level group. Furthermore, this study indicated that in both groups, process-based writing workshop improved Grades 5-6 students’ learning attitudes, making a difference of interest between two groups. Pedagogical implications and future research recommendations were discussed.