Effect of Teaching Sequence on ESL Students’ Learning of Syntactic Cohesive Devices Using Sentence Transformation

This research aims to investigate the effects of two teaching sequences – interleaving and blocking on participants’ use three types cohesive devices (conjunctions, conjunctive adverbs prepositions [thereafter CCPs]) in their argumentative essays. The participants included 50 native Cantonese-speaking university students taking an academic writing course. Interleaving refers sequence which learners practice several skills at one time whereas only skill is practiced time.Prior essay writing, were taught CCPs using sentence transformation. One class was other blocking. first second drafts served as pre-and post-tests. total numbers used correctly both syntactically semantically essays counted for pre-tests post-tests groups. Results Paired Samples Independent t-tests suggest that neither more effective than raising instances CCPs; however, appears be boosting linking words. Sentence transformation, whether administered interleaved or blocked sequence, considered have purpose providing opportunity engage serious thinking about semantic relationship between given sentences.