المیرا ایزدیار

IELTS Writing Task ۲ is believed to pose major challenges to prospective test-takers seeking proof for their level of language proficiency. Although an academic skill of paramount importance, writing has not always been given the attention it deserves, particularly in an EFL context such as Iran where IELTS continues to gain growing popularity. In light of this, the current study set out to identify the most challenging criterion in Task ۲ essays and attempted to address the issues through a sociocultural approach as it helps practitioners view learners as unique individuals, united by common social and cultural features. This study also aimed to detect a number of recurring mistakes pertinent to the identified problematic writing criterion (task response). Furthermore, some coping strategies employed by prospective IELTS test-takers, particularly when faced with hardships posed by the most challenging criterion, namely task response (TR), were explored. In doing so, the respondents’ writing background and current levels of proficiency in relation to their use and understanding of coping strategies were investigated. Additionally, to address some underlying issues arising from TR, the current research intended to examine the effects of tailor-made mediation techniques on TR scores as well as its subcomponents evident in the participants’ post-test writing performance. Additionally, the study aimed to investigate the participants’ perception and evaluation of such techniques in relation to the most demanding writing criterion. Considering the overall and specific purposes of the study, an embedded mixed-methods design was employed, with the integration of both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. For the purpose of collecting the necessary data, a learner-produced corpus of ۱۷۵ IELTS Task ۲ mock essays was compiled so as to identify the most challenging writing criterion as well as some pertinent mistakes recurring in many essays. This analysis provided the foundation of current research study, enabling the researcher to design the appropriate treatment based on the sociocultural theory and tailor-made mediation techniques primarily targeting TR and its problematic subcomponents. In addition, an open-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were employed to collect more information from participants. The content and thematic analysis of ۴۰ respondents’ input indicated that the majority of candidates lacked awareness of coping strategies or believed they were rarely used. Nonetheless, many admitted to using model answers and memorizing useful features in such samples. Moreover, an overwhelming majority believed that there was a string link between proficiency level and the use of more effective coping strategies in academic writing. Regarding the qualitative phase of the study, the findings of the semi-structured interviews showed the candidates’ positive attitudes toward tailor-mediation techniques and their effectiveness, especially compared to more conventional methods of feedback provision. In a similar vein, text analysis of experimental group post-treatment performance proved noticeable improvement in their handling of TR subcomponents including developing/supporting ideas, maintaining unity in body paragraphs, and following a focused and standard discoursal pattern. As for the quantitative data, statistical results of repeated measures Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) indicated that both over time change (F = ۱۹.۵۷۹, p = .۰۰۰ < .۰۱) and the overtime changes within the groups (F = ۷.۷۵۶, p = .۰۰۰ < .۰۱), were significant and changes in TR represented large effect size. It was therefore concluded that tailor-made mediation techniques, based on the underlying assumptions of sociocultural theory, were far more effective than traditional corrective feedback with a one-size-fits-all approach. The key findings of the current research study are particularly advantageous to common practices used by IELTS instructors as well as IELTS materials developers by giving them insights into the far-reaching effects of customized or tailor-made feedback provision beyond the confines of more traditional methods that many may struggle to grasp or identify with.