Building a coherent argument is an academic skill that many international tertiary students in Malaysia often do not master because they were first exposed to rote-learning pedagogies. Problem-Based Language Learning (PBLL) is an alternative that has been shown to be a promising method, providing students with real-life, collaborative problem-solving and deeper cognitive development. The present research examines how PBLL can positively influence the performance of international tertiary students in Malaysia in their argumentative writing. A pretest-posttest mixed-methods research design with an experimental group (PBLL) and a control group was employed. A total of 40 international students were randomly assigned to 20 students per group. An argumentative essay was the method of data collection. Independent-samples t-tests were used to assess the effect of PBLL on students’ argumentative writing. In the meantime, the results were triangulated through qualitative content analysis, which helps better understand students’ learning experiences. The results show that argumentative writing has tremendously improved as compared to the control group. PBLL had a positive effect on students’ academic performance, enhancing writing quality, content development, and logical thinking. The findings indicate that PBLL is a useful pedagogical strategy in helping international EFL learners improve their argumentative writing. It represents a viable alternative to traditional writing instruction by providing an active learning experience, group projects, and intellectual stimulation.
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