The Effect of Reading-Based Pre-Writing Activities on the Writing Performance in an EFL Setting
The relationship between reading and writing has long been recognized, and it is agreed that reading andwriting cannot be separated (Castellani, 2001). This study aimed to examine whether utilizing different reading tasks, as prewritingactivities, could improve both pre and post-intermediate EFL learners’ comprehension and writing. More specifically, itaddressed the question whether using the compare/contrast, description, cause/effect, and problem/solution reading tasks wouldhave any effect on EFL learners writing performance. In addition, this study aimed to determine if there is any significantdifference between reading task types (compare/contrast, description, cause/effect, and problem/solution) and their effect onwriting performance of pre and post-intermediate EFL learners. To this end, a total of 120 EFL pre and post-intermediatelearners from one of the English Institutes of Isfahan participated in this study. The students were given various reading texts inthree phases on the basis of their levels to read carefully and to write summaries. Statistical analyses of the data revealed threeimportant findings. First, administering different reading tasks as pre-writing activities significantly improved the writingperformance of both pre and post-intermediate EFL learners. Second, there was a difference between the effect of variousreading tasks on EFL learners writing performance. Third, post-intermediate group had a better performance in writing afterusing such reading tasks. The findings may add new information to L2 research on writing performance, and pedagogicallyspeaking, the findings of the study may have implications for EFL teachers and students.