The effects of using concept mapping as pre-task planning on Southern African students’ CSL writing

Previous research has amply examined the link between the use of concept mapping and ESL/EFL students’ writing production, but few studies have explored how Chinese as a second language (CSL) students react to it. This study investigates the effects of using concept mapping on CSL students’ writing proficiency and then looks at the students’ attitudes towards the use of this strategy. Data were collected from two writing proficiency tests and an attitudinal survey. Sixty-eight southern African students majoring in Chinese participated in this study. They were divided into two writing classes, with one using the traditional product-based approach and the other using concept mapping instruction. After the four-month treatment period, a writing proficiency post-test was given to the students of both classes to evaluate their progress in writing proficiency. The t-test comparing the scores of pre-test and post-test for the control class did not show any significant difference, but the same test for the experimental class did exhibit significant difference. These statistical findings showed that the students in the experimental class made more gains in writing proficiency than those in the control class. The attitudinal survey also indicated that the students felt positive about the concept mapping strategy.