Research Article
Effect of a Systematic Functional Linguistics Approach and the Teaching Learning Cycle on Writing Skills of EFL Undergraduate Students
Hiwot Admasu Zeberga*,
Dereje Tadesse Birbirso
,
Abera Admasu Endashaw,
Alemayehu Getachew Tsegaye
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 2, June 2026
Pages:
16-27
Received:
29 March 2026
Accepted:
21 April 2026
Published:
29 April 2026
Abstract: Academic writing remains one of the most significant skills for students in tertiary education, often due to a lack of explicit instruction regarding genre and register. While conventional teaching methods frequently emphasize on memorization of rules, the Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) approach emphasizes how language choices are shaped by communicative purposes. A key manifestation of this approach is the Teaching and Learning Cycle (TLC), a pedagogical model designed to scaffold student learning through collaborative modeling and guided practice. Understanding whether this strategy can produce measurable gains in writing proficiency is essential for developing more effective literacy interventions. Thus, the primary objective of this study was to asses students’ academic writing skills by implementing the Teaching and Learning Cycle (TLC), a strategy informed by the Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) approach to language. It was hypothesized that this instructional strategy would lead to measurable improvements in students’ writing. To investigate this, the researcher employed a mixed-methods design, combining an action research approach with a non-randomized one-group pretest-posttest design. Data was collected through pretests and posttests, which served as the main instruments for assessing students' writing improvement following the intervention. The test results were analyzed using SPSS software. First, the Intra-Class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) was calculated to determine inter-rater reliability across the three test occasions. Then, Repeated Measures ANOVA was conducted to examine changes in student performance over time. Data was presented in tables and converted into percentages to clearly illustrate progress. The findings indicated that the use of the SFL-based Teaching and Learning Cycle significantly improved students’ paragraph writing skills.
Abstract: Academic writing remains one of the most significant skills for students in tertiary education, often due to a lack of explicit instruction regarding genre and register. While conventional teaching methods frequently emphasize on memorization of rules, the Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) approach emphasizes how language choices are shaped by ...
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Research Article
Thinking COVID-19 Masks as Virus Prevention or
Socio-cultural Practice
Bamigbade Oluwafemi Emmanuel*,
Olateju Moji Ajibike
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 2, June 2026
Pages:
28-40
Received:
23 September 2024
Accepted:
14 October 2024
Published:
16 May 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.ellc.20261102.12
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Views:
Abstract: Nigerians can be said to be culturally conscious, this is especially so with the Yoruba, who use every avenue to be culturally creative. The improvised strategy observed in the Nigerian society in the use of COVID-19 face mask is significant to this study. This improvisation and stems on creativity and aesthetics among other indices across different strata of the society, ethnic groups, professional bodies, association and even political entity forms the motivation for this study. Using the participant orientation part of the theory of Ethnography, the paper examined people’s disposition towards the use of facemasks and the functions they perform during COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, other than the function of preventing them from contacting the virus. The data (twenty-eight samples) was got through participant observation, media and pictures of people wearing facemasks, WhatsApp and online images of people wearing facemasks. Our findings reveal that apart from protection from the deadly virus, people’s personal or group disposition to the wearing of masks reveal their leanings towards religion, culture, fashion, politics etc. The mandatory use of facemasks also created emergency entrepreneurs on mask-making, which serves as economic opportunity. The research concludes that more education on prevention and coping strategies are needed worldwide for COVID-19 and other related pandemic virus, since it seems that the world would have to tolerate its presence for some time, and any other related virus that may later emerge with similar spread pattern, as scientists work on the vaccine for prevention and medicine for cure.
Abstract: Nigerians can be said to be culturally conscious, this is especially so with the Yoruba, who use every avenue to be culturally creative. The improvised strategy observed in the Nigerian society in the use of COVID-19 face mask is significant to this study. This improvisation and stems on creativity and aesthetics among other indices across differen...
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