L1 Use in Individual Conferencing and Its effects on EFL Students' Writing Performances

Abstract

The present study investigates into the effects of L1 use in individual conferencing on EFL students' writing performances. Data were collected by analyzing students' first and second drafts of process and descriptive paragraph types. Two homogeneous groups of students whose language levels were determined with a proficiency exam at the beginning of the term participated in the study. One of the groups was randomly selected as an experimental group and the other as control group. The experimental group was instructed in Turkish during individual conferencing on their first drafts of the paragraphs. On the other hand, the control group was instructed in English during the whole process. The number of mistakes related to organization, grammar, vocabulary, relevance and mechanics in the first drafts of the students was determined for each group and they were analyzed through t-test. T-test results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between two groups of students' mistakes related to each category. After individual conferencing conducted by the researcher, students were made to write their second drafts. The number of mistakes related to organization, grammar, vocabulary, relevance and mechanics in their second drafts was identified for each group again and analyzed via t-test. T-test results indicated that there appeared a statistically significant difference between two groups of students in terms of four categories, organization, grammar, vocabulary, relevance after individual conferencing process. However, there was no statistically significant difference between two groups in terms of the number of mistakes related to mechanics. It was concluded that L1 use in individual conferencing could be an effective way of improving EFL students' writing performances.

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