The Impact of Topic Selection on Writing Fluency: Making a Case for Freedom

Authors

  • Joshua Cohen Kinki University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v18i1-2.10328

Keywords:

Fluency development, EFL writing, Free writing, Topic selection

Abstract

This study sought to test the hypothesis that topic-selection control influences fluency in writing. A total of 29 second-year university students (9 men, 20 women) in two separate classrooms engaged in a free writing activity using different topics (both teacher-selected and self-selected) in order to determine which approach was more likely to increase writing fluency. Participants’ written output was then textually analyzed for fluency using a type/token formula. A total of 116 samples written by participants over four weeks were examined to measure their writing fluency by counting the total number of unique words produced in a free writing task. Participants’ writing samples were then analyzed by conducting a correlated-samples t-test. The results showed the effect of topic-selection had a statistically significant influence on increasing students’ writing fluency. The results also support the claim that fluency development deserves a prominent role in second and foreign language classrooms and curriculums.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v18i1-2.10328

Journal of NELTA, Vol 18 No. 1-2, December 2013; 31-40

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Author Biography

Joshua Cohen, Kinki University

Joshua Cohen teaches English in the Intensive International Program in the Faculty of Business Administration at Kinki University. His professional interests include ELT, reading fluency development, and L2 writing.

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Published

2014-05-02

How to Cite

Cohen, J. (2014). The Impact of Topic Selection on Writing Fluency: Making a Case for Freedom. Journal of NELTA, 18(1-2), 31–40. https://doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v18i1-2.10328

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 1-2 (2013)

Section

Articles

License

© Nepal English Language Teachers’ Association (NELTA)

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The Journal of NELTA is copyright by Nepal English Language Teachers’ Association (NELTA). Apart from citing/referencing in academic works, no part of any materials may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from its copyright owner – NELTA. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights may be addressed to NELTA or the editorial board at neltaeditorialboard@gmail.com.