EXPLORING PRE-WRITING STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME IDEA-GENERATION DIFFICULTIES IN ESSAY WRITING AMONG B1 LEVEL ESL LEARNERS

Abstract

 In English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing, the scarcity of ideas often hampers learners’ ability to produce coherent and original texts. This study aimed to foster students’ idea-generating abilities via the implementation of structured pre-writing strategies and teacher-led class discussions (TLCD). An action research design was adopted, beginning with problem identification through focus group discussions and classroom observations. Subsequently, systematically planned actions were implemented for eight successive weeks. Four idea-generating strategies—brainstorming, clustering, free-writing, and questioning—were employed during the intervention phase. In parallel, TLCD was introduced as a precursor to writing tasks, where teachers facilitated structured questioning to stimulate creativity. Data were collected through observation, questionnaires, interviews, and essay assessments. Findings revealed that students showed strong interest in using idea-generating strategies, which helped them generate adequate ideas, reduce pen pauses, and minimize frequent deletions. Brainstorming emerged as the most convenient strategy, while TLCD particularly benefited high-proficiency learners by enhancing creativity and critical thinking. Overall, the study demonstrates that integrating pre-writing strategies and teacher-led discussions can significantly improve idea generation, organization, and writing confidence among EFL learners.