Arab Educational Information Network

The aim of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of a relevance and confidence motivational strategies in developing EFL argumentative writing skills and overcoming writing apprehension among student teachers at Faculty of Education. The design of the research was a mixed research methodology. It combined both quantitative and qualitative modes of inquiry . The researcher used two groups: an experimental group and a control group. Both groups were tested before and after the intervention. Subjects of the present research consisted of fifty students who were chosen randomly from fourth year students enrolled in English section at Faculty of Education, Benha University, Egypt. They were divided into two groups: an experimental group (N=25) students who were taught through relevance and confidence motivational strategies and a control group (N=25) students who were taught in the regular way. The instruments of the research included an EFL argumentative writing skills test, the Daly-Miller Writing Apprehension Test (WAT) and a semi-structured interview. Results of the research revealed a statistically significant difference between the mean score of the experimental group and that of the control group in the post test of EFL argumentative writing skills in favor of the experimental group. Also, students' writing apprehension was decreased. (Published abstract)