Investigating the Impact of Think-Pair-Share on Saudi EFL Learners’ Descriptive Writing: A Study of Perceptions, Experiences, and Confidence

Abstract

Despite challenges like time constraints, disruptions and noise, Think-Pair-Share (TPS) remains a powerful strategy for promoting active learning through critical thinking, peer collaboration, and perspective sharing. The present study, conducted at a Saudi Undergraduate University, seeks to assess the perceptions of Saudi female EFL learners regarding the Think-Pair-Share (TPS) strategy, evaluating its effectiveness as a pedagogical tool, and its associated influence on their experiences, self-confidence, and descriptive writing competence. The researcher utilized a quantitative instrument – a 25-item Likert scale (disagree-agree), to gather participant data, which was subsequently analyzed to derive statistically grounded findings reflecting their perspectives. To accomplish this, 467 female EFL learners were divided into two balanced groups: 223 received TPS-integrated instruction, while 244 engaged in traditional EFL instruction. Their performance and viewpoints were then meticulously measured through a carefully crafted instrument, providing key findings on TPS’s effectiveness in improving writing skills and learner engagement. The statistical results show that the experimental group markedly outperformed the control group in descriptive writing, with post-intervention mean scores soaring past the control in all three key areas: perceptions (35.02 vs. 24.88), experiences (52.61 vs. 36.40), and confidence (21.89 vs. 15.49). These findings suggest that TPS enhances learner writing abilities and fosters a more positive and effective learning environment for descriptive writing tasks, as evidenced by the improvement in students’ perceptions, experiences, and confidence.