TEACHING LOW ACHIEVERS AND STUDENTS WITH LEARNING-DISABILITIES TO PLAN, WRITE, AND REVISE OPINION ESSAYS

A total of 38 problem learners comprising adolescents with learning di sabilities and low achievers participated in this study. Of these, 20 were untrained control participants; the remainder were trained to pla n, write, and revise opinion essays. Trainees were randomly divided in to pairs and taught to collaboratively use interactive dialogues to pl an and revise their essays (but they wrote their essays separately). T he results from multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) and effect sizes indicated that trainees improved significantly from pretest to posttest in clarity and cogency of written opinion essays, and maintai ned such gains. Additional analyses indicated that they surpassed the untrained control group. Questionnaire data indicated trainees improve d in self-efficacy of writing only. The same finding held true in comp arison with untrained participants. The discussion integrates the trai nees' performance data with the questionnaire data and considers the r esearch implications and limitations of the study.