Abdullah A Al-Bargi | King AbdulAziz University (KAU) Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (original) (raw)
Papers by Abdullah A Al-Bargi
The current paper presents a critical review of two TESOL related research studies conducted in d... more The current paper presents a critical review of two TESOL related research studies conducted in different research paradigms in order to highlight their strengths and weaknesses in light of established research norms. The paper evaluates the overall contribution of these studies to the body of knowledge in the light of relevant ontologies, epistemologies, and methodologies. Moreover, it offers a flexible framework for writing research critiques. In a reader-friendly style, the paper offers precise guidance to new researchers for critical analysis and evaluation of various research studies.
Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Aug 1, 2014
This article explores the perceptions of teachers regarding post observation conferences in a pre... more This article explores the perceptions of teachers regarding post observation conferences in a preparatory year English language program in a university in Saudi Arabia. Semi-standardized interviews were used to gather qualitative data from ten teachers. Five themes emerged from the interview data after qualitative analysis: (1) Concerns about the means-oriented view of some observers (2) Blurring of lines between developmental supervision and evaluation (3) Post observation conference as a formality (4) Concerns about the difference of opinion between teachers and observers (5) Concerns about supervisors' credentials, training and experience in supervision. These themes are discussed in detail with reference to current literature on supervision.
English Language Teaching, May 25, 2017
This study examines the effect of questions on fostering interaction in English as a Foreign Lang... more This study examines the effect of questions on fostering interaction in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. It also seeks to determine the characteristics of questions that promote increased classroom interaction. Data were collected through video recordings of EFL classrooms which were analyzed using Discourse Analysis techniques. Participants in the study are consisted of a group of intermediate-level English students at the English Language Institute (ELI) of a Saudi Arabian university. First, participating classes were video-recorded and the data gathered was transcribed. The questions asked in each class were then divided into two groups: questions that were deemed to promote classroom interaction and questions that failed to create classroom interaction. Finally, the defining features of each group of questions were determined. Results showed a correlation between the questions' characteristics and the creation of classroom interaction. In other words, some question types significantly improved classroom interaction while others failed to do so.
Utilising a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, the current case study investigates th... more Utilising a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, the current case study investigates the characteristics and frequency of the usage of verbal humour that positively or negatively affects the Saudi English as a Foreign Language (EFL) tertiary-level students across two different English language proficiency levels. The participants included 42 EFL teachers and 138 male EFL students from the English Language Institute (ELI) in King Abdulaziz University. The students were enrolled in the beginners (E101) and intermediate (E104) English language proficiency levels. The mixed-methods approach was implemented using audio and video recordings and a questionnaire as the data collection instruments. The findings stated the four main characteristics of both positive and negative verbal humours in Saudi EFL classrooms. These findings revealed that humour was more frequently used at the intermediate than at the beginner level, and that the most effective forms of humour at both levels ...
‘How can we teach critical thinking skills to ESL/EFL learners?’ This paper answers this specific... more ‘How can we teach critical thinking skills to ESL/EFL learners?’ This paper answers this specific question with a proposed model of critical reading. The paper presents sample materials designed following Wallace’s (2003) three dimensional model of critical reading with linguistic, conceptual and cultural foci. The paper informs material developers and action researchers on how Wallace’s three dimensional approach to reading texts may enable readers to develop broader perspectives on various issues, and give critical insight into the texts. The sample material also demonstrates how Wallace’s three-dimensional approach to reading may help learners become critique of the outer world and allow them decode the texts in the light of their own schematic knowledge.
Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Oct 1, 2021
As lockdown restrictions were implemented in most countries around the world with the subsequent ... more As lockdown restrictions were implemented in most countries around the world with the subsequent transition to full-mode online teaching and learning, English language teachers (ELTs) in particular, had to adapt and adopt new teaching strategies. These unexpected changes to the medium or mode of teaching necessitated the provision of efficacious and coherent professional development (PD) training in order to smoothly navigate the transition from full-time (or semi full-time) onsite teaching and learning to full-mode online teaching. This research study, based on sequential explanatory mixed-methods research design, is aimed at exploring the availability and provision of ELT PD opportunities at English Language Institutes (ELIs)/English Language Centers (ELCs), at five major universities in Saudi Arabia and the perception of the ELT teachers on its coherence and adequacy. A total of 307 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) male and female teachers participated in a custom designed 20-item questionnaire on a 5-point Likert scale, as well as ten EFL teachers (6 female and 4 male) taking part in 40-minute semi-structured interviews, to explore their perception and opinions of online PD opportunities. Analysis of results of the gathered data indicated that the majority of the teachers felt that there were adequate online PD opportunities while the structures of these opportunities sufficiently addressed most of their needs. However, some teachers voiced concerns regarding the correlation between contextual, full-mode online teaching and the online PD sessions provided. Implications and recommendations for stake holders as well as for future research are given at the end of this study.
Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Foreign Language Education, 2019
This qualitatively based research study aimed at exploring the effective implementation of specif... more This qualitatively based research study aimed at exploring the effective implementation of specific EFL accreditation standards of curriculum and student achievement within the context of a Saudi higher education institution. The study further aimed at investigating how the reality of educationally and socially constructed international EFL academic standards is applied in a human learning setting with a focus on the Saudi context. As such, the study sought to determine how the quality assurance scheme of the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA) for curriculum and student achievement standards would be applicable across various EFL settings. Data was collected from public curriculum and assessment documents at the CEA-accredited English Language Institute’s Preparatory Year English Program at King Abdulaziz University to ascertain the extent to which this programme is aligned to the CEA standards of curriculum and student achievement. Also, more data was collected concerning the ELI Mission and how it is designed to achieve what it states in terms of the implementation of CEA-required curriculum and assessment standards. The study concludes with the recommendation that carefully implemented, accreditation standards lead to quality English language education across cultures and different education systems.
Arab World English Journal, 2022
Remote online second language (L2) writing instruction, in general, and remote online L2 writing ... more Remote online second language (L2) writing instruction, in general, and remote online L2 writing assessment, in particular, require a holistic structural approach that results in improving students' L2 writing, as well as offering an authentic and fair assessment of students' L2 writing performance. The study described in this paper employed a convergent parallel mixed methods approach where the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the purpose of the research, necessitated the adoption of this research design since it can provide the basis for answering the question: What impact did full mode online teaching have on L2 education. In the survey part of the research, 241 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers working in Saudi Arabia participated in a custom-designed 30-item questionnaire utilizing a five-point Likert scale. In the qualitative part of the study, nine EFL teachers (four males and five females) participated in a semi-structured interview which lasted from thirty-five to fifty minutes. A detailed analysis of both the quantitative and qualitative primary data indicated that EFL teachers are aware of the importance of rubrics and standardized assessment procedures in awarding fair grades to students. Teachers also highlighted several important advantages of teaching online L2 writing remotely. However, the vast majority of teachers questioned the accuracy of online writing assessment, indicating the need for a more developed model for the post Covid-19 era. Recommendations included the adoption of unanimously suggested practices (by participating teachers) in teaching remote online L2 writing as well as mandating the presence of the students onsite during the sitting of the writing exams, thus providing the assurance of authenticity of students' performance in the writing exams as well as the possibility to monitor all the students while they sit the exams.
Arab World English Journal, 2022
Remote online second language (L2) writing instruction, in general, and remote online L2 writing ... more Remote online second language (L2) writing instruction, in general, and remote online L2 writing assessment, in particular, require a holistic structural approach that results in improving students’ L2 writing, as well as offering an authentic and fair assessment of students’ L2 writing performance. The study described in this paper employed a convergent parallel mixed methods approach where the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the purpose of the research, necessitated the adoption of this research design since it can provide the basis for answering the question: What impact did full mode online teaching have on L2 education. In the survey part of the research, 241 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers working in Saudi Arabia participated in a custom-designed 30-item questionnaire utilizing a five-point Likert scale. In the qualitative part of the study, nine EFL teachers (four males and five females) participated in a semi-structured interview which lasted from thirty-five to f...
International Journal of Linguistics, 2017
This qunatitatively based research utilising quasi experimental design, sought to explore the eff... more This qunatitatively based research utilising quasi experimental design, sought to explore the effect of implementing the flipped classroom (FC) pedagogical approach on female, preparatory year program (PYP) English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students at the English Language Institute (ELI), King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Saudi Arabia. An experimental group as well as a control group were assigned in this study. The data collection was carried out using multiple sources, including pre- and post-speaking achievement tests in addition to two custom designed questionnaires. The results revealed that the FC did not sufficiently enhance the experimental group’s speaking skill to cause a statistical significance in comparison to the controlled group. On the other hand, students held a positive attitude toward the FC experiment and the used instructional videos. The study also aims to enlighten and familiarise EFL colleagues within the context of Saudi Arabia, as well EFL colleagues fr...
International Journal of Linguistics
The purpose of this study is to investigate, following a qualitative research design, the ways in... more The purpose of this study is to investigate, following a qualitative research design, the ways in which English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers modify their speech in an endeavor to create interactive learning environments facilitated by the implementation of strategies providing inherently comprehensible input for students. The study also seeks to examine students’ reactions to the use of such different speech modification strategies. The data gathered was taken from three different EFL classrooms with a total of sixty-two university students (forty male and twenty-two female) and three non-native speakers (NNS) of English language teachers. The data analysis reveals that EFL teachers regularly modify their talk through the use of different linguistic and interactional strategies in the Saudi EFL context, including the use of simplified grammar and vocabulary, shorter sentences, repetition, and emphatic stress and reduced speech rate. Other modification strategies include the ...
International Journal of Linguistics
Based on a mixed method research design, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of appl... more Based on a mixed method research design, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of applying scaffolding strategies in enhancing reading comprehension skills of female students at King Abdulaziz University in the city of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The participants of the study were thirty-three female students at the preparatory year program (PYP) who were registered at the proficiency level 104 (B1/Threshold level on the Common European Framework of reference for language; CEFR). They were divided into two groups: Seventeen students in the control group and sixteen students in the experimental group. Both groups were exposed to the same reading lessons but with the experimental group exposed to scaffolding strategies. Prior to the treatment, a pretest was administered to both groups. Once the treatment was accomplished, a posttest was administered to investigate the effect of applying scaffolding strategies on developing reading comprehension skills. Furthermore, qualitative ...
International Journal of English Language Education
This qualitatively designed study investigated the interaction strategies employed by English as ... more This qualitatively designed study investigated the interaction strategies employed by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers to enhance students’ contributions during classroom interaction, as well as exploring the impact of these strategies on Saudi EFL students’ verbal discourse in English Language Institute (ELI) at King Abdulaziz University. Nine teachers, along with their respective students participated in this study recording a ten-hour video and audio recordings representing the study’s primary data. All recorded (video and audio) data was transcribed and an Interaction Analysis (IA) approach was adopted for analyzing teachers’ and students’ classroom discourse. The findings indicated that EFL teachers attempted to enhance students’ contributions in various ways, and that the strategies used by teachers had varying impact on students’ classroom discourse. In addition, findings suggested that students’ verbal discourse could be developed with a relatively higher degree ...
International Journal of Linguistics, Sep 3, 2017
Based on a mixed method research design, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of appl... more Based on a mixed method research design, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of applying scaffolding strategies in enhancing reading comprehension skills of female students at King Abdulaziz University in the city of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The participants of the study were thirty-three female students at the preparatory year program (PYP) who were registered at the proficiency level 104 (B1/Threshold level on the Common European Framework of reference for language; CEFR). They were divided into two groups: Seventeen students in the control group and sixteen students in the experimental group. Both groups were exposed to the same reading lessons but with the experimental group exposed to scaffolding strategies. Prior to the treatment, a pretest was administered to both groups. Once the treatment was accomplished, a posttest was administered to investigate the effect of applying scaffolding strategies on developing reading comprehension skills. Furthermore, qualitative data was collected via open-ended questionnaire. The results of the study indicated that there was a statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest of the experimental group in favor of the posttest. Furthermore, students showed a positive attitude to the scaffolding technique as a
The current paper presents a critical review of two TESOL related research studies conducted in d... more The current paper presents a critical review of two TESOL related research studies conducted in different research paradigms in order to highlight their strengths and weaknesses in light of established research norms. The paper evaluates the overall contribution of these studies to the body of knowledge in the light of relevant ontologies, epistemologies, and methodologies. Moreover, it offers a flexible framework for writing research critiques. In a reader-friendly style, the paper offers precise guidance to new researchers for critical analysis and evaluation of various research studies.
Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Aug 1, 2014
This article explores the perceptions of teachers regarding post observation conferences in a pre... more This article explores the perceptions of teachers regarding post observation conferences in a preparatory year English language program in a university in Saudi Arabia. Semi-standardized interviews were used to gather qualitative data from ten teachers. Five themes emerged from the interview data after qualitative analysis: (1) Concerns about the means-oriented view of some observers (2) Blurring of lines between developmental supervision and evaluation (3) Post observation conference as a formality (4) Concerns about the difference of opinion between teachers and observers (5) Concerns about supervisors' credentials, training and experience in supervision. These themes are discussed in detail with reference to current literature on supervision.
English Language Teaching, May 25, 2017
This study examines the effect of questions on fostering interaction in English as a Foreign Lang... more This study examines the effect of questions on fostering interaction in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. It also seeks to determine the characteristics of questions that promote increased classroom interaction. Data were collected through video recordings of EFL classrooms which were analyzed using Discourse Analysis techniques. Participants in the study are consisted of a group of intermediate-level English students at the English Language Institute (ELI) of a Saudi Arabian university. First, participating classes were video-recorded and the data gathered was transcribed. The questions asked in each class were then divided into two groups: questions that were deemed to promote classroom interaction and questions that failed to create classroom interaction. Finally, the defining features of each group of questions were determined. Results showed a correlation between the questions' characteristics and the creation of classroom interaction. In other words, some question types significantly improved classroom interaction while others failed to do so.
Utilising a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, the current case study investigates th... more Utilising a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, the current case study investigates the characteristics and frequency of the usage of verbal humour that positively or negatively affects the Saudi English as a Foreign Language (EFL) tertiary-level students across two different English language proficiency levels. The participants included 42 EFL teachers and 138 male EFL students from the English Language Institute (ELI) in King Abdulaziz University. The students were enrolled in the beginners (E101) and intermediate (E104) English language proficiency levels. The mixed-methods approach was implemented using audio and video recordings and a questionnaire as the data collection instruments. The findings stated the four main characteristics of both positive and negative verbal humours in Saudi EFL classrooms. These findings revealed that humour was more frequently used at the intermediate than at the beginner level, and that the most effective forms of humour at both levels ...
‘How can we teach critical thinking skills to ESL/EFL learners?’ This paper answers this specific... more ‘How can we teach critical thinking skills to ESL/EFL learners?’ This paper answers this specific question with a proposed model of critical reading. The paper presents sample materials designed following Wallace’s (2003) three dimensional model of critical reading with linguistic, conceptual and cultural foci. The paper informs material developers and action researchers on how Wallace’s three dimensional approach to reading texts may enable readers to develop broader perspectives on various issues, and give critical insight into the texts. The sample material also demonstrates how Wallace’s three-dimensional approach to reading may help learners become critique of the outer world and allow them decode the texts in the light of their own schematic knowledge.
Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Oct 1, 2021
As lockdown restrictions were implemented in most countries around the world with the subsequent ... more As lockdown restrictions were implemented in most countries around the world with the subsequent transition to full-mode online teaching and learning, English language teachers (ELTs) in particular, had to adapt and adopt new teaching strategies. These unexpected changes to the medium or mode of teaching necessitated the provision of efficacious and coherent professional development (PD) training in order to smoothly navigate the transition from full-time (or semi full-time) onsite teaching and learning to full-mode online teaching. This research study, based on sequential explanatory mixed-methods research design, is aimed at exploring the availability and provision of ELT PD opportunities at English Language Institutes (ELIs)/English Language Centers (ELCs), at five major universities in Saudi Arabia and the perception of the ELT teachers on its coherence and adequacy. A total of 307 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) male and female teachers participated in a custom designed 20-item questionnaire on a 5-point Likert scale, as well as ten EFL teachers (6 female and 4 male) taking part in 40-minute semi-structured interviews, to explore their perception and opinions of online PD opportunities. Analysis of results of the gathered data indicated that the majority of the teachers felt that there were adequate online PD opportunities while the structures of these opportunities sufficiently addressed most of their needs. However, some teachers voiced concerns regarding the correlation between contextual, full-mode online teaching and the online PD sessions provided. Implications and recommendations for stake holders as well as for future research are given at the end of this study.
Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Foreign Language Education, 2019
This qualitatively based research study aimed at exploring the effective implementation of specif... more This qualitatively based research study aimed at exploring the effective implementation of specific EFL accreditation standards of curriculum and student achievement within the context of a Saudi higher education institution. The study further aimed at investigating how the reality of educationally and socially constructed international EFL academic standards is applied in a human learning setting with a focus on the Saudi context. As such, the study sought to determine how the quality assurance scheme of the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA) for curriculum and student achievement standards would be applicable across various EFL settings. Data was collected from public curriculum and assessment documents at the CEA-accredited English Language Institute’s Preparatory Year English Program at King Abdulaziz University to ascertain the extent to which this programme is aligned to the CEA standards of curriculum and student achievement. Also, more data was collected concerning the ELI Mission and how it is designed to achieve what it states in terms of the implementation of CEA-required curriculum and assessment standards. The study concludes with the recommendation that carefully implemented, accreditation standards lead to quality English language education across cultures and different education systems.
Arab World English Journal, 2022
Remote online second language (L2) writing instruction, in general, and remote online L2 writing ... more Remote online second language (L2) writing instruction, in general, and remote online L2 writing assessment, in particular, require a holistic structural approach that results in improving students' L2 writing, as well as offering an authentic and fair assessment of students' L2 writing performance. The study described in this paper employed a convergent parallel mixed methods approach where the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the purpose of the research, necessitated the adoption of this research design since it can provide the basis for answering the question: What impact did full mode online teaching have on L2 education. In the survey part of the research, 241 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers working in Saudi Arabia participated in a custom-designed 30-item questionnaire utilizing a five-point Likert scale. In the qualitative part of the study, nine EFL teachers (four males and five females) participated in a semi-structured interview which lasted from thirty-five to fifty minutes. A detailed analysis of both the quantitative and qualitative primary data indicated that EFL teachers are aware of the importance of rubrics and standardized assessment procedures in awarding fair grades to students. Teachers also highlighted several important advantages of teaching online L2 writing remotely. However, the vast majority of teachers questioned the accuracy of online writing assessment, indicating the need for a more developed model for the post Covid-19 era. Recommendations included the adoption of unanimously suggested practices (by participating teachers) in teaching remote online L2 writing as well as mandating the presence of the students onsite during the sitting of the writing exams, thus providing the assurance of authenticity of students' performance in the writing exams as well as the possibility to monitor all the students while they sit the exams.
Arab World English Journal, 2022
Remote online second language (L2) writing instruction, in general, and remote online L2 writing ... more Remote online second language (L2) writing instruction, in general, and remote online L2 writing assessment, in particular, require a holistic structural approach that results in improving students’ L2 writing, as well as offering an authentic and fair assessment of students’ L2 writing performance. The study described in this paper employed a convergent parallel mixed methods approach where the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the purpose of the research, necessitated the adoption of this research design since it can provide the basis for answering the question: What impact did full mode online teaching have on L2 education. In the survey part of the research, 241 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers working in Saudi Arabia participated in a custom-designed 30-item questionnaire utilizing a five-point Likert scale. In the qualitative part of the study, nine EFL teachers (four males and five females) participated in a semi-structured interview which lasted from thirty-five to f...
International Journal of Linguistics, 2017
This qunatitatively based research utilising quasi experimental design, sought to explore the eff... more This qunatitatively based research utilising quasi experimental design, sought to explore the effect of implementing the flipped classroom (FC) pedagogical approach on female, preparatory year program (PYP) English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students at the English Language Institute (ELI), King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Saudi Arabia. An experimental group as well as a control group were assigned in this study. The data collection was carried out using multiple sources, including pre- and post-speaking achievement tests in addition to two custom designed questionnaires. The results revealed that the FC did not sufficiently enhance the experimental group’s speaking skill to cause a statistical significance in comparison to the controlled group. On the other hand, students held a positive attitude toward the FC experiment and the used instructional videos. The study also aims to enlighten and familiarise EFL colleagues within the context of Saudi Arabia, as well EFL colleagues fr...
International Journal of Linguistics
The purpose of this study is to investigate, following a qualitative research design, the ways in... more The purpose of this study is to investigate, following a qualitative research design, the ways in which English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers modify their speech in an endeavor to create interactive learning environments facilitated by the implementation of strategies providing inherently comprehensible input for students. The study also seeks to examine students’ reactions to the use of such different speech modification strategies. The data gathered was taken from three different EFL classrooms with a total of sixty-two university students (forty male and twenty-two female) and three non-native speakers (NNS) of English language teachers. The data analysis reveals that EFL teachers regularly modify their talk through the use of different linguistic and interactional strategies in the Saudi EFL context, including the use of simplified grammar and vocabulary, shorter sentences, repetition, and emphatic stress and reduced speech rate. Other modification strategies include the ...
International Journal of Linguistics
Based on a mixed method research design, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of appl... more Based on a mixed method research design, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of applying scaffolding strategies in enhancing reading comprehension skills of female students at King Abdulaziz University in the city of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The participants of the study were thirty-three female students at the preparatory year program (PYP) who were registered at the proficiency level 104 (B1/Threshold level on the Common European Framework of reference for language; CEFR). They were divided into two groups: Seventeen students in the control group and sixteen students in the experimental group. Both groups were exposed to the same reading lessons but with the experimental group exposed to scaffolding strategies. Prior to the treatment, a pretest was administered to both groups. Once the treatment was accomplished, a posttest was administered to investigate the effect of applying scaffolding strategies on developing reading comprehension skills. Furthermore, qualitative ...
International Journal of English Language Education
This qualitatively designed study investigated the interaction strategies employed by English as ... more This qualitatively designed study investigated the interaction strategies employed by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers to enhance students’ contributions during classroom interaction, as well as exploring the impact of these strategies on Saudi EFL students’ verbal discourse in English Language Institute (ELI) at King Abdulaziz University. Nine teachers, along with their respective students participated in this study recording a ten-hour video and audio recordings representing the study’s primary data. All recorded (video and audio) data was transcribed and an Interaction Analysis (IA) approach was adopted for analyzing teachers’ and students’ classroom discourse. The findings indicated that EFL teachers attempted to enhance students’ contributions in various ways, and that the strategies used by teachers had varying impact on students’ classroom discourse. In addition, findings suggested that students’ verbal discourse could be developed with a relatively higher degree ...
International Journal of Linguistics, Sep 3, 2017
Based on a mixed method research design, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of appl... more Based on a mixed method research design, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of applying scaffolding strategies in enhancing reading comprehension skills of female students at King Abdulaziz University in the city of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The participants of the study were thirty-three female students at the preparatory year program (PYP) who were registered at the proficiency level 104 (B1/Threshold level on the Common European Framework of reference for language; CEFR). They were divided into two groups: Seventeen students in the control group and sixteen students in the experimental group. Both groups were exposed to the same reading lessons but with the experimental group exposed to scaffolding strategies. Prior to the treatment, a pretest was administered to both groups. Once the treatment was accomplished, a posttest was administered to investigate the effect of applying scaffolding strategies on developing reading comprehension skills. Furthermore, qualitative data was collected via open-ended questionnaire. The results of the study indicated that there was a statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest of the experimental group in favor of the posttest. Furthermore, students showed a positive attitude to the scaffolding technique as a