Intermediate EFL Learners’ Attentional Oscillations During Writing Tasks

Kamali Khalavi, Shirin; Zeraatpishe, Mitra; Farrokh Alaee, Farnaz

doi:10.22034/iepa.2024.443847.1472

Intermediate EFL Learners’ Attentional Oscillations During Writing Tasks

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Shirin Kamali Khalavi ¹

Mitra Zeraatpishe ²

Farnaz Farrokh Alaee ³

¹ M.A., Department of English, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

² Corresponding author, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

³ Assistant Professor, Department of English, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/iepa.2024.443847.1472

Abstract

Quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) quantitatively records brain wave oscillation changes in any brain activity. Beta waves are produced during brain consciousness when an external stimulus induces computation, reasoning, attention, and logical thinking. Accordingly, the present study tried to measure beta wave changes during writing to analyze the changes of beta oscillatory changes while performing a writing task at the intermediate level. The study followed a quantitative method with the quasi-experimental design. To meet the purpose, thirty foreign language learners (15 males and 15 females) participated in this study voluntarily. They were doing writing tasks while their brain waves were recorded in the F3, F4, and Fz brain regions by applying the QEEG technique. The results reported positive significant differences on beta oscillatory activities in these brain areas, indicating the effectiveness of writing task activities in enhancing attention. The study has implications for language teachers to manipulate creative writing tasks as compositions to enhance attention as a prerequisite of learning and, as a result, beta waves and for the TEFL scholars to apply interdisciplinary approaches to uncover the effects of different tasks on brain oscillatory activities.

Keywords

Attention

learning

Beta oscillatory activities

QEEG

Writing

Subjects

Language Psychology

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