Exploring the Effectiveness of Graphic Organizers on EFL Learners’ Writing Performance Across Different Learning Style Preference and Gender at Higher Education

Abstract

The research investigated the interaction effect amongst types of writing strategy (x1), learning styles (x2), and gender (x3) on writing accuracy (y) at Islamic University Students. The 70 participants consisted of three groups based on types of writing strategy: free writing (n= 34) versus graphic organizers (n=36); types of learning styles : visual (n=22) versus auditory (n=26) versus kinesthetic (n=22); and gender (x3): male (32), female (38). A three-way ANOVA test was applied in the investigation. The study revealed that an interaction effect occurred amongst three variables on average of writing accuracy at F (2, 69) =3.34, p=0.02, eta 0.10. Then, the interaction effect also occurred between writing strategy and learning styles at F (2, 69) =7.40, p=0.01; and between learning styles and gender at F (2, 69) =6.56, p=0.03. On the contrary, the interaction effect did not occur between writing strategy and gender at F (1, 69) =1.79, p=0.19. Further investigation is needed to validate the finding.