The Effect of Task Sequencing on the Writing Fluency of English as Foreign Language Learners

This study investigated the effect of sequencing tasks from simple to complex along +/- reasoning demands on fluency in writing task performance of English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners. The participants of this study included 90 intermediate EFL learners from three intact class divisions at the Islamic Azad Uni- versity, Shahr-e-Qods Branch. They were distributed in three groups: Experimental A, Experimental B, and a Control group. The students in all groups participated in the writing pre-test. During the eight treatment sessions (in relation to task performance) the first experimental group received a series of picture description tasks in a randomized order of cognitive complexity. The second experimental group received the same tasks, but ordered from simple to complex based on their required reasoning demands. The control group, however, did not receive any picture description tasks; rather they received some typical writing activities. Finally, the post-test was administered to all participants. The results of the data analysis, through Analysis of Variances (ANOVA) using the SPSS software, showed no significant impact for sequencing tasks from simple to complex on fluency in writing task performance.