Using Dictogloss Strategy for Enhancing EFL Written Language Conventions among Freshmen Students at the Faculty of Education

This quasi-experimental pre-posttest single design study aimed at investigating the effect of using the Dictogloss strategy on enhancing EFL freshmen students' writing conventions namely; spelling, capitalization, punctuation, handwriting and grammar. For the purpose of the study, three instruments were used; a pre-post writing test, a training program of a number of 24 short texts implying various topics with the aim of training EFL freshmen students to use their own language in reconstructing them when dictated by their instructor, and a rubric to score students' written work. The participants consisted of 78 EFL students who were enrolled in the first year English Department at Arish Faculty of Education during the second semester of the 2020-2021 academic year. The results of the study revealed a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the experimental group students in the pre and post administration of the writing test in favor of the posttest. These results were ascribed to using the Dictogloss strategy for enhancing EFL freshmen students' writing conventions. In addition, using the proposed strategy had approved to be effective in developing all language skills, combining individual, pair and group work, promoting students' self autonomy, maximizing their class participation and minimizing their anxiety in learning.