Peer Scaffolding among Primary ESL Learners' Writing Task: Learners' Behaviors and Triggering Factors

Human interaction and support are key to students' learning. In English as a second language (ESL) settings, peer scaffolding reinforces the traditional teacher–learner interaction. A lack of peer interaction among students, which is also a product of the COVID-19 pandemic, has resulted in young learners becoming overly reliant on teachers. This concern is a factor in hindering learners' writing development. Inspired by the sociocultural perspective, this study employed a qualitative research design to explore the types of scaffolding behaviors among young learners. The analysis is based on the Taxonomy of Language Functions and what triggers these behaviors among primary ESL learners during classroom writing tasks. Data from 10 recordings of audiovisual materials and interviews were collected from 30 Year 6 primary school students and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The data analysis showed that scaffolding behaviors occurred continuously throughout each writing stage. The findings revealed that the preferred scaffolding behavior among learners was questioning. Eliciting questions was the most frequent type of inquiry that was applied during peer scaffolding. Results highlight the triggering factors that influenced scaffolding behaviors, which were learners' level of competency, personalities, and accessibility to L1. This approach can be used as an alternate strategy for teaching writing because of its substantial impact on the writing ability of ESL students. The findings would provide a clear direction for ESL practitioners and learners to acknowledge the significance of learners' behaviors and factors during peer scaffolding in assisting their development in writing attainment. © Authors.

Dataset on Young People's Intention Towards Covid-19 Booster Vaccines in Malaysia

This study assessed the level of acceptance and predictor factors influencing the intention of Malaysian youths towards three COVID-19 vaccines: the Sinovac inactivated virus vaccine, the AstraZeneca viral vector vaccine and the Pfizer mRNA vaccine. The study data are related to the intention of young Malaysians towards booster vaccines for controlling coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus transmission. This study was conducted through an online survey from 1 January 2022 to 31 January 2022 involving semester 1 (2021/2022) students pursuing Philosophy and Current Issues course in the National University of Malaysia. Overall, the respondents demonstrated positive intentions towards the booster vaccines as they considered them beneficial and religiously acceptable but also acknowledged that the booster vaccines presented moderate risks. The detailed findings provide insights into the acceptance of young people towards booster vaccines. Accordingly, the development of policies and action plans by the Malaysian government and further studies by other researchers interested in the data are highly recommended.