Design and validation of a system of categories to assess the written discourse of L2 English learners

Silvia Corral-Robles; Micaela Sánchez-Martín; Gracia González-Gijón

doi:10.30827/portalin.vi36.15944

Authors

Silvia Corral-Robles University of Granada
Micaela Sánchez-Martín University of Murcia
Gracia González-Gijón University of Granada

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30827/portalin.vi36.15944

Keywords:

content analysis, Delphi technique, system of categories, written discourse, English as a foreign language

Abstract

This study is part of a broader research focused on written discourse analysis and its application in English language teaching. This paper aims to design and evaluate the validity of the content of an instrument (a system of categories) built to analyse the written discourse in L2 (English) of 112 Spanish students in Upper Secondary Education. This study was carried out from a qualitative approach using the technique of content analysis and the Delphi technique with five experts in the field. The results show that the category system has content validity as it meets the criteria to ensure the scientific rigour of qualitative methodology: credibility, transferability, dependence and confirmability. Moreover, there is a high score in terms of interrater reliability on the criteria contrasted with Kendall's W test (>.07), as well as on its application in the coding process which was confirmed with Cohen's Kappa test (.658). It can be concluded that this instrument is a valid tool to help ELF teachers and secondary school students in the teaching and learning process of the written discourse in English as a foreign language.

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Author Biographies

Silvia Corral-Robles, University of Granada

Professor of TEFL at the Faculty of Education Sciences at the University of Granada

Micaela Sánchez-Martín, University of Murcia

Professor of Research Methods at the Faculty of Education at the University of Murcia

Gracia González-Gijón, University of Granada

Professor of Pedagogy at the Faculty of Education Sciences at the University of Granada

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