The influence of Integrating Focus on Form into Communicative Language Teaching on Libyan EFL Students' Writing Skills
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65405/nt4e9k81Keywords:
Focus on Form, Communicative Language Teaching, EFL writing, syntactic complexity, grammatical accuracy, LibyaAbstract
This study investigates the effectiveness of integrating Focus on Form (FonF) into Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in improving the writing skills of Libyan learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Writing remains one of the most challenging skills for EFL learners in Libya, particularly in terms of grammatical accuracy and syntactic complexity. Although CLT has been widely adopted in Libyan classrooms, its emphasis on fluency often results in insufficient attention to linguistic form. This study addresses this gap by examining whether the incorporation of FonF techniques within communicative tasks enhances students’ writing performance.
A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 60 undergraduate students from the University of Benghazi, divided equally into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received FonF-integrated CLT instruction, while the control group was taught using traditional CLT. Data were collected through pre-test and post-test assessments, including sentence combining tasks, error identification and correction exercises, and guided writing activities. Quantitative data were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests, independent-samples t-tests, and mixed-design ANOVA, while qualitative data were obtained from stimulated recall protocols and semi-structured interviews.
The findings revealed that both groups showed improvement; however, the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater gains in syntactic complexity and overall writing performance. Statistical analysis confirmed a strong effect of the instructional treatment, particularly in the development of complex sentence structures. Qualitative results further indicated positive student perceptions toward the FonF-integrated approach, highlighting increased awareness of grammatical forms and improved confidence in writing tasks.
The study concludes that integrating Focus on Form into Communicative Language Teaching provides a more balanced approach to language instruction, effectively promoting both fluency and accuracy. These findings have important implications for EFL pedagogy in Libya, suggesting the need for curriculum reform and teacher training programs that incorporate form-focused strategies within communicative frameworks.
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