Effects of Input Flooding and Input Enhancement on Thai EFL Students’ Essay Writing: A Mixed-Methods Study
Keywords:
EFL, Essay Writing, Input Enhancement, Input Flood, Thai StudentsAbstract
This study investigated the effects of input flooding, input enhancement, and their combined application on Thai EFL students’ essay writing proficiency. Although these techniques have been widely examined in second language acquisition research, their combined impact on extended academic writing remains underexplored, particularly in secondary-school EFL contexts. Using a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design, three groups of Grade 11 students received instruction through input flooding, input enhancement, or a combined approach. Quantitative data were collected through pre-test and post-test essay writing tasks and analysed using paired t-tests and ANCOVA. To enhance scoring reliability, AI-assisted essay evaluation (ETS® e-rater) was employed and validated through human scoring. Qualitative data were obtained from focus group interviews to explore students’ learning experiences. The findings indicated that all instructional conditions significantly improved writing proficiency; however, the combined approach produced the greatest gains in grammatical accuracy, fluency, and essay organization. Qualitative findings revealed that input flooding supported implicit learning, while input enhancement facilitated conscious noticing of grammatical structures. The combined approach reinforced both processes, resulting in higher writing confidence. The study highlights the pedagogical value of integrating structured input-based techniques with technology-assisted assessment in EFL writing instruction.
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