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Authors: Shahira Mahmoud Yacout
Keywords: scenario-based learning, real-world practices, higher order thinking skills, foreign languages, Arabic as a foreign language
Abstract: Writing is an essential skill in many vocational, academic environments and notably workplaces, yet many students perceive writing as being something tiring and boring, or maybe a “waste of time”. Scenario-based learning (SBL) is an instructional approach that develops and enhances students’ skills through developing higher-order thinking skills, it is subset of problem-based learning and case-based learning (Steward,2015) The approach focuses on authentic rhetorical framing reflecting writing tasks in real-life situations, it works effectively when used to simulate real-world practices, providing context that reflects the types of situations professionals respond in writing Sheridan and Kelly (2012). Using realistic scenarios customized to the course’s learning objectives should bridge the gap for students between theory and application (Golden, 2017; Errington; 2011; White, 2001). My experience as an Arabic foreign language instructor (AFL), I noticed that students find difficulties in adapting writing styles to authentic writing contexts, and addressing different audiences and purposes. This idea is supported by (Melzer, 2014) who claims that students face difficulties with transferring writing skills to contexts outside of the composition classroom. In addition, it is observed that some of the Arabic textbooks for teaching Arabic as a foreign language lack topics that initiate higher-order thinking skills and stimulate the learners to understand the setting, create messages appropriate to different audiences, contexts, and purposes. The goals of this study are to: 1) Provide a rationale for using a scenario-based learning approach to improve AFL learners in writing skills. 2) Demonstrate how the scenario-based learning approach enhanced AFL learners’ writing skills simulating real-life situations. 3) Display samples of prompts reflecting realistic writing situations. 4) Providing samples of students writing in different contexts. The study highlights and emphasizes the importance of designing writing prompts those mirror real-life situations and engage students in planning, monitoring, and problem-solving to make writing enjoyable and clearly useful to the students’ learning process.