This quasi-experimental study probed the effects of implementing SL on paragraph writing skills in terms of content, vocabulary, grammar, and mechanics. The participants of the study were grade 11 students at Yekatit 12 Preparatory School, Ethiopia. The experimental group was taught paragraph writing skills in line with the principles of SL. The control group was taught similar paragraph writing skills through the traditional method in which SL was not effectively implemented. Pre- and post-tests were used on paragraph writing tasks. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. In addition, the selected participants from the experimental group were interviewed. Their responses were recorded and analyzed qualitatively to learn their feelings about the effects of implementing SL in an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) class. The results of the study after the intervention indicated that the experimental group significantly outscored the control group (p<0.05) on a paragraph writing post-test with regard to content, vocabulary, grammar, and mechanics. The focus group discussion results also showed that the experimental group participants preferred to use an appropriate implementation of SL than the traditional implementation of SL. Finally, it was concluded that implementing SL in an EFL class helped the experimental group participants compose better paragraphs in terms of content, vocabulary, grammar, and mechanics. On the basis of the findings and conclusions, a painstaking employment of social skills during paragraph writing stages was suggested as a pedagogical implication.
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