The implementation of PLEASE, SFV, and TTW teaching strategies on the development of students’ descriptive writing skills in an EFL classroom

Abstract

Descriptive writing stands as the pillar of other writing types. This quasi-experimental study, which integrated an action research implemented with EFL learners of an English Afterschool Program based in Armenia elucidated the role of PLEASE (Pick-List-Evaluate-Activate-Support-End), SFV (Sensory Details, Figurative Language and Vivid Words), and TTW (Think-Talk-Write) teaching strategies for the amelioration of descriptive writing. The research comprised three groups of EFL learners from the age range 15 to 18 with an intermediate level of English. It discovered the role of the strategies in different sequential orders by concluding the extent of the advancement in descriptive writing ability based on their executed orders. Furthermore, the study explored the learners’ perspectives about the three strategies. Consequently, by applying a mixed method, quantitative and qualitative data were gathered. There were incorporated the pre-test and post-test essays, post-teaching weekly essays, and four surveys as a base for the quantitative data during the study. The qualitative data was gathered with online interviews. The findings explored the influence of PLEASE strategy on the development of the organization, SFV on the improvement of vocabulary, while TTW on the progress of content in students’ descriptive writing. Besides, the study indicated that among three varying incorporated orders of strategies, PLEASE, SFV and TTW order resulted in considerable growth of writing descriptively among the learners. Finally, the results of the qualitative data revealed that the learners’ preferred strategy among all three was PLEASE.