Writing errors at B1+: a quasi-experimental approach

Abstract

Level B1+, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, often marks a plateau in foreign language learning, leading to fossilisations that hinder progress in interlanguage development. The study aims to investigate the efficacy of a pedagogical intervention that combines genre-based instruction and the process writing, implemented within a quasi-experimental framework. Drawing on a sample of 10 learners enrolled in English Literature, the study employs a pre-test/post-test design to examine the impact of the intervention on the learners' interlanguage. The results show that frequent errors decrease markedly and textual productions increase significantly in linguistic accuracy, as well as their semantic and functional load.This suggests that the writing process and the genre-based instruction provide efficient scaffolding which enables the learners to move beyond the plateau of their interlanguage.