Surreal illustration of a writer planning a narrative.

Unlock Your Writing Potential: How Planning Boosts Your Narrative Power

Soraya Malik in Mind & Education June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover the secrets to crafting compelling stories through effective planning, regardless of your proficiency level."

In the realm of language learning, both educators and researchers share a common goal: to draw out authentic language samples from learners. For researchers, these samples are crucial for understanding the intricate processes of second language acquisition (SLA). Teachers, on the other hand, use these samples as tangible evidence of successful learning outcomes. As the field evolves, there's a growing recognition of the need to gather language samples that genuinely reflect how learners perform when their focus isn't solely on error-free expression.

This shift leads to a fundamental question: How can we effectively elicit these 'meaning-focused' language samples? The answer lies in the strategic use of tasks. Tasks have become central to both contemporary SLA research and language pedagogy, prompting a movement towards task-based language instruction. However, planning is an integral aspect of language use, both spoken and written. Every speaker and writer engages in planning, consciously or unconsciously deciding what to convey and how to convey it.

The act of planning, and its subsequent impact on task performance, holds significant theoretical interest for SLA researchers and practical importance for language teachers. For researchers, planning provides a window into students' cognitive processes and its effects on language production. For teachers, understanding planning allows them to influence the quality and nature of language learners produce in a straightforward and effective way.

The Power of Planning: Pre-Task vs. On-Line

Surreal illustration of a writer planning a narrative.

A recent study investigated the impact of planning and language proficiency on 172 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' written narrative performance. The study focused on four key areas: concept load (lexical density), fluency, complexity, and accuracy. The researchers explored two distinct types of planning: pre-task planning (PTP), where learners have dedicated time to prepare before writing, and on-line planning (OLP), where planning occurs simultaneously with the writing process.

Participants were divided into high and low proficiency groups. One group was given 10 minutes to plan and take notes before starting their writing tasks (PTP), while the other began writing immediately, planning as they went (OLP). The learners' performances were then analyzed using paired samples t-tests to identify significant differences. The results revealed some compelling insights:

Low-proficiency learners: Benefited more from planning time in terms of concept load, fluency, and complexity.
High-proficiency learners: Showed advantages from planning time regarding concept load and accuracy.
Fluency: Higher proficiency learners showed fluent performance under unplanned condition.

These findings suggest that planning strategies can have a differential impact depending on the learner's proficiency level. Let's explore these key findings in more details.

Implications for Language Learners

This study underscores the importance of planning in writing, but also highlights that the optimal approach may vary based on individual proficiency. Low-proficiency learners may benefit from structured planning time to organize their thoughts and vocabulary, while high-proficiency learners can leverage their existing knowledge more effectively through spontaneous, on-line planning. By understanding these nuances, language learners can tailor their strategies to maximize their writing potential.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.5539/elt.v4n1p120, Alternate LINK

Title: The Effects Of Planning On Writing Narrative Task Performance With Low And High Efl Proficiency

Subject: Linguistics and Language

Journal: English Language Teaching

Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education

Authors: Massoud Rahimpour, Roghayyeh Jahan

Published: 2011-02-28

Everything You Need To Know

What impact does planning have on written narrative performance, and how does it affect learners with different proficiency levels?

Planning significantly impacts written narrative performance, influencing concept load, fluency, complexity, and accuracy. Low-proficiency learners benefit from pre-task planning (PTP) by improving concept load, fluency, and complexity. High-proficiency learners gain advantages in concept load and accuracy. The effectiveness varies based on proficiency, where structured planning helps low-proficiency learners organize their thoughts, while high-proficiency learners leverage existing knowledge through on-line planning (OLP).

Can you explain the difference between pre-task planning and on-line planning, and how do these planning types affect EFL learners?

The study investigates two planning types: pre-task planning (PTP) and on-line planning (OLP). In pre-task planning, learners have dedicated time to prepare before writing. On-line planning involves planning simultaneously with writing. The study's findings emphasize that low-proficiency learners benefit from pre-task planning in terms of concept load, fluency, and complexity, while high-proficiency learners show enhanced concept load and accuracy with pre-task planning. These planning approaches differentially impact language learners based on their proficiency levels.

How does the impact of planning time differ for low-proficiency versus high-proficiency learners in written tasks?

The impact of planning time varies between proficiency levels. Low-proficiency learners benefit more from pre-task planning (PTP), showing improvements in concept load, fluency, and complexity. High-proficiency learners gain from planning time, specifically in concept load and accuracy. Fluency is more evident in high-proficiency learners under unplanned conditions. This suggests that structured planning helps low-proficiency learners, while high-proficiency learners can use spontaneous on-line planning (OLP) effectively.

In the context of written narrative performance, what aspects were specifically examined, and how did planning influence each of these areas?

The study examines concept load, fluency, complexity, and accuracy in written narratives. Concept load refers to lexical density, fluency measures the smoothness of writing, complexity indicates the sophistication of sentence structures, and accuracy reflects correctness in grammar and vocabulary. The research showed that pre-task planning (PTP) benefits low-proficiency learners in concept load, fluency, and complexity, while high-proficiency learners gain in concept load and accuracy. Understanding these areas helps tailor planning strategies to improve language learning outcomes.

How can language learners use the study's findings on pre-task planning versus on-line planning to enhance their writing skills?

Understanding the differences between pre-task planning (PTP) and on-line planning (OLP) enables language learners to tailor their approach to maximize writing potential. Low-proficiency learners may benefit more from structured planning time to organize thoughts and vocabulary, enhancing concept load, fluency, and complexity. High-proficiency learners can leverage existing knowledge effectively through spontaneous on-line planning, which improves their concept load and accuracy. Tailoring strategies improves overall writing proficiency.