Investigating the Impact of Integrated Reading and Writing Instruction on Pupils’ Language Skills, and Motivation: A Quasi-Experimental Study with 5th-Year Pupils.

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the effect of integrating reading-writing instruction on English language learning and classroom engagement among fifth grade primary school pupils in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context. The study is based on the idea that reading and writing are interconnected literacy skills that support language development, although they are often taught separately in many classrooms. A quasi-experimental post-test only nonequivalent control group design was conducted in two public primary schools in El Golea, Algeria: Hadab Bani primary school and Beljoudi Allal primary school. The study involved 106 fifth grade pupils, including 51 pupils in the experimental groups who received integrated reading-writing instruction and 55 pupils in the control groups who followed the traditional separated-skills approach. data were collected through end of term English examination scores, classroom observation checklists, and written teacher feedback responses to examine both language performance and classroom engagement. Quantitative findings showed that learners exposed to integrated instruction performed better overall than those in the control groups. Although statistical analysis did not reveal a statistically significant difference between the two groups, t (49.89) = 1.08, P = 0.29, effect size analysis indicated a small positive effect in favor of the integrated approach (d = 0.28). Greater improvement was observed among learners who experienced longer exposure to integrated literacy activities. Qualitative findings further revealed higher level of participation, attention, interaction, and involvement among pupils in the experimental groups. Taken together, the results indicate that integrated reading-writing instruction can support both language development and classroom engagement in primary level (EFL) contexts. Keywords: integrated reading-writing instruction, EFL primary education, classroom engagement, literacy development, language learning, young learners.