Scenario-based literacy education : effects of integrated reading and writing tasks on text quality

Gautschi, Curtis; Madlener-Charpentier, Karin; Hoefele, Joachim; Liste Lamas, Elsa; Konstantinidou, Liana

Publication type:	Conference other
Type of review:	Not specified
Title:	Scenario-based literacy education : effects of integrated reading and writing tasks on text quality
Authors:	Gautschi, Curtis Madlener-Charpentier, Karin Hoefele, Joachim Liste Lamas, Elsa Konstantinidou, Liana
et. al:	No
Conference details:	EARLI Conference 2023 "Education as a Hope in Uncertain Times", Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and University of Macedonia, Greece, 20-26 August 2023
Issue Date:	26-Aug-2023
Language:	English
Subjects:	Literacy; Language education; Reading to write; Szenariodidaktik
Subject (DDC):	418: Standard language usage
Abstract:	Abstract: Many students in vocational education and training (VET) have difficulties with reading and writing. To date, there is little research on whether and how the development of VET students’ writing skills may benefit from teaching approaches that integrate reading and writing. This presentation reports results from a semester-long intervention study conducted in Switzerland in 2018/19 (N = 285) in which we investigated the impact of a scenario-based integration of reading-to-write-tasks on the development of VET students’ text quality. In the approach, problem-solving processes are set in motion by scenarios representing real- or work-life situations. Reading-to-write tasks form part of the student-initiated problem-solving process and result in situated argumentative writing. A positive experimental intervention effect was found, as text quality developed significantly better in the experimental group than in a matched control group (F1,178 = 7.40, p < .01, Cohen’s f = 0.20), as measured in a pretest-posttest design. Outcomes suggest tangible benefits may result when applying this approach to literacy education in VET, particularly for academically weaker as well as for multilingual students. Extended summary: Many students in vocational education and training (VET) have difficulties with reading and writing. Yet, few studies to date have examined the development of VET students’ literacy skills or the concrete challenges of VET students in reading and writing in detail (Becker-Mrotzek et al., 2006; Efing & Kiefer, 2018). Furthermore, little is known about the effects of different teaching approaches, let alone how factors such as linguistic background or training profile may impact effects, as intervention studies are lacking. Specifically, there is no research evidence on whether and how the development of VET students’ writing skills benefits from scenario-based reading and writing education where reading is used to leverage writing in everyday or professional problem-solving activities. (Schneider et al., 2013). Aims: In response to these gaps, a semester-long intervention study was conducted in Switzerland in 2018/19 (N = 285) in which we investigated the impact of a scenario-based integration of reading-to-write-tasks on the development of writing and reading skills. Scenario-based reading and writing education meets the specific needs of students in vocational education, as scenarios (a) allow reading and writing tasks to be situated in various social areas or professional domains (OECD, 2016), (b) link topics of general or professional interest with language education as required by the curriculum framework and school curricula (BBT, 2006), and (c) result in communicative tasks that can be (collaboratively) solved by learners with different levels of proficiency. Here, we present the results of the study in terms of three specific research goals. These were to determine whether: a) scenario-based reading and writing education yields a significant positive effect on VET students’ writing performance, b) scenario-based reading and writing education yields a significant positive effect on VET students’ reading comprehension? c) students’ linguistic backgrounds or their academic training profile (higher and lower academic levels) are associated with effects found in a) and b). Methods: The study employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design, involving student participants (N=285) from 20 Swiss VET schools, comprising two academically differentiated training profiles (higher and lower achievement levels) and three different language background configurations (monolingual German L1, multi-/bilingual, German as L2). In this design, the experimental group was exposed to the scenario-based reading and writing education teaching approach, while the control group followed the regular curriculum. Reading comprehension and text quality constituted outcome variables and were measured before and after the intervention. Data was analyzed by means of linear mixed effects regression modeling (LMM) to determine the statistical significance of the experimental effects of scenario-based integration of reading-to-write-tasks on the development of text quality and reading comprehension as well as the moderating impact of linguistic background and training profile. Findings: An intervention effect was found where text quality developed significantly better in the experimental group than in the matched control group (F1,178 = 7.40, p < .01, Cohen’s f = 0.20). While linguistic background was not found to moderate the intervention effect, the impact of the experimental teaching approach was found to be stronger among students in the academically less challenging training program.. No intervention effect was found for reading comprehension. Relevance: The tangible benefits of exposure to the target teaching approach for VET students, particularly for academically weaker students, support the use of scenario-based, source-based writing teaching for students in vocational education. Nevertheless, questions remain regarding the sustainability of the effect found, which would require longer-term intervention studies. Furthermore, while the present study examined the impact of source-based writing, the additional and potentially symbiotic impact of writing-to-read (Graham & Harris, 2017) on the development of literacy will require follow-up studies with more complex research designs. Finally, future research would benefit from a more in-depth investigation of quantitative behavioral data to determine the extent to which reading and writing activities are actually integrated (e.g., input logging, cf. Vandermeulen et al., 2020).
Further description:	Beitrag im Rahmen des SIG Writing Invited Symposium. Die SIGs haben im Rahmen der Earli-Konferenz die Möglichkeit, eine Gruppe von Forschenden einzuladen, um ihre aktuellste und renommierte Forschung in dem jeweiligen Bereich sichtbar zu machen. Konferenzwebseite: https://www.earli.org/events/earli2023
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/28588
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Licence according to publishing contract
Departement:	Applied Linguistics
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Language Competence (ILC)
Published as part of the ZHAW project:	Szenariobasierte Lese- und Schreibförderung in der beruflichen Bildung
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Angewandte Linguistik

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Gautschi, C., Madlener-Charpentier, K., Hoefele, J., Liste Lamas, E., & Konstantinidou, L. (2023, August 26). Scenario-based literacy education : effects of integrated reading and writing tasks on text quality. EARLI Conference 2023 “Education as a Hope in Uncertain Times”, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and University of Macedonia, Greece, 20-26 August 2023.

Gautschi, C. et al. (2023) ‘Scenario-based literacy education : effects of integrated reading and writing tasks on text quality’, in EARLI Conference 2023 ‘Education as a Hope in Uncertain Times’, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and University of Macedonia, Greece, 20-26 August 2023.

C. Gautschi, K. Madlener-Charpentier, J. Hoefele, E. Liste Lamas, and L. Konstantinidou, “Scenario-based literacy education : effects of integrated reading and writing tasks on text quality,” in EARLI Conference 2023 “Education as a Hope in Uncertain Times”, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and University of Macedonia, Greece, 20-26 August 2023, Aug. 2023.

GAUTSCHI, Curtis, Karin MADLENER-CHARPENTIER, Joachim HOEFELE, Elsa LISTE LAMAS und Liana KONSTANTINIDOU, 2023. Scenario-based literacy education : effects of integrated reading and writing tasks on text quality. In: EARLI Conference 2023 „Education as a Hope in Uncertain Times“, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and University of Macedonia, Greece, 20-26 August 2023. Conference presentation. 26 August 2023

Gautschi, Curtis, Karin Madlener-Charpentier, Joachim Hoefele, Elsa Liste Lamas, and Liana Konstantinidou. 2023. “Scenario-Based Literacy Education : Effects of Integrated Reading and Writing Tasks on Text Quality.” Conference presentation. In EARLI Conference 2023 “Education as a Hope in Uncertain Times”, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and University of Macedonia, Greece, 20-26 August 2023.

Gautschi, Curtis, et al. “Scenario-Based Literacy Education : Effects of Integrated Reading and Writing Tasks on Text Quality.” EARLI Conference 2023 “Education as a Hope in Uncertain Times”, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and University of Macedonia, Greece, 20-26 August 2023, 2023.