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Abstract
The present study examined the effect of the Freirean problem posing paradigm (PPP) on Egyptian EFL learners{u2019} writing in terms of argumentative writing skills, critical consciousness (CC) and empowerment. The aim of the study was to propose using the PPP in place of traditional writing instruction to enhance the learners{u2019} writing. The study also assessed the learners{u2019} attitudes towards implementing the PPP in their writing classes. The study employed a quasi-experimental design in which four intact classes were randomly assigned into the experimental and control groups. The participants were lower-intermediate students taking general English courses at the Center of Language and translation at Cairo university. The experimental group was exposed to 24 hours of instruction representing a concrete implementation of the PPP, whereas the control received a mixed approach to writing instruction. Both groups were given a pretest before the experiment in which they were required to produce an essay in response to an argumentative prompt and they also were given a posttest after the six weeks of treatment administration. Three holistic rubrics built on theoretical frameworks were used by two raters to score the essays of the participants in the pre-and posttests on the target features. The attitudes of the learners towards implementing the PPP in their classes were assessed through a questionnaire including 35 Likert scale items and two open-ended questions. The results showed that the PPP did not have a significant impact on enhancing argumentative writing skills, CC or empowerment. The results were attributed to some conceptual problems in the PPP which limited its positive potential as well as some factors particular to the study and the background of the learners. The attitudes of the learners towards implementing the PPP were positive, even though it did not significantly affect their writing skills