# Vlog-Based Multimodal Composing: Enhancing EFL Learners' Writing Performance
## 5 Discussion
### Affordances of Writing Competence Improvement  
The improvement this study discerned can be attributed to four specific attributes of multimodal composing and mobile-based SNS use: visual representation activities, scaffolding for text writing, the fostering of an encouraging environment, and reduction in learning anxiety. Firstly, multimodal composing represents connotation of viewing. As [PERSON] and [PERSON] (2016) stated, visualized activities could produce higher outcomes in the target skill such as writing, when accompanied by a clear and appropriately challenging goal for online learning participation. Some of participants mentioned in the questionnaire that using vlogs to complete writing tasks was an interesting experience that stood out from their previous learning experience. It enabled them to practice their English writing skills under the help of visual activities, insofar as all the writing procedures were about visualizing. \"Vocabularies with images or videos impressed me deeply, so I was willing to choose these in their writings\". In addition, mobile access to vlog writing was promised for an increasing access to more writing opportunities. As such, the learners could find  
Figure 8: Comparison of pre-and posttests scores. (**a**) Comparison of pretest syntactic complexity. (**b**) Comparison of posttest syntactic complexity. Figure 7: Comparison of pre-and posttests scores. (**a**) Comparison of pretest lexical complexity. (**b**) Comparison of posttest lexical complexity. suitable expressions and authentic materials for their writings, which could benefit the development of writing performance. Findings from the current study also echo those of a study by [PERSON] and [PERSON] [47], who developed a multimodal communication to enhance the writing competence in an audio-graphic environment. Secondly, making multimodal products provides a certain scaffold for later text writing. Scaffolding is a kind of assistance used to maintain effective learning [48]. In traditional EFL writing teaching methods, the major shortcoming is that there was sometimes limited scaffolding, but the instructors often required students to write according to a given topic, which is a product-oriented method. Participants in this study, in contrast, could use vologs to prepare formal text writing, and the whole procedure is process-oriented. In the process of multimodal composing, learners would search resources from the internet, where learners could find out native expressions that can be a bridge for later writing. Therefore, learners could use relative pictures or moving figures to substitute former words or phrases and enhance their understanding of some vocabularies correspondingly. Thirdly, SNS created an environment that encouraged learners to have more interest in English writing. As instructors stated, multimodal composing developed learners' feeling of comfort, which made learning English a less painful experience and re-engaged learners with print-based writing. This offered opportunities for learners to use the target language, English, to communicate in authentic contexts. Some participants reported that they were motivated using vologs before writing and were eager to actively participate in this process. Prior studies of mobile SNS reported similar results. [PERSON] [49], for example, found that in the process of digital multimodal composing, the student evolved from an exam-oriented writer and textbook-decoder to a multimodal designer, which could promote students' motivation in writing. Lastly, multimodal composing and SNS-based writing practice reduced writing anxiety in the study. EFL learners are likely to experience shyness or anxiousness in communicating in English [50].