The Effects of Problem-Based Learning on Improving Mattayomsuksa 6 Students' English Descriptive Paragraph Writing

Abstract

The aims of this study were threefold: 1) to compare the effects of two teaching methods: problem-based learning (PBL) teaching method and non-PBL teaching method on improving Matthayomsuksa 6 students' English descriptive paragraph writing ability, 2) to investigate factors affecting their learning through PBL approach and 3) to explore students' perceptions toward learning through PBL approach. The participants of this study were eighty students at a school in Yala, southern Thailand. They were divided into two groups of 40 participants. The experimental group receiving PBL approach and the controlled group receiving non- PBL teaching approach. The research instruments included two sets of lesson plans, identical pre and post writing tests, scoring rubrics, questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The quantitative data were analyzed for the arithmetic means and qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis and presented in a descriptive way. The findings show that after the treatment, there was a significant difference between the mean scores of posttest of the experimental group (x=13.55, SD=1.95) and that of the controlled group (x=11.80, SD=1.40). The effect size was discovered with a large practical significance (d=1.10). Considering aspects of descriptive paragraph writing, structure of a paragraph was found as the most developed aspect (t=7.808, p=.01) and paragraph unity was found to be the lowest developed (t-4.210, p=.01). The students in the experimental group outperformed the controlled group possibly because of three supporting factors: working with others in group, help of a teacher and the relevancy of the problem provided by the teacher. However, obstructing factors found included confusion of PBL process and roles of the students and the teacher, medium of instruction, students' deficiency of English and difficulty of the problem. In addition, students have positive perceptions toward learning in PBL approach (x=3.45) as it was not only helpful for developing their writing ability but also communicative and cooperative learning skills. The findings of this study suggest that PBL can be implemented to develop English writing in EFL high school students with careful considerations of involving factors.