scholarly journals Genre-based Approach to Writing in EFL Contexts

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Vu Phi Ho Pham ◽  
Thi Kim Loan Bui

Writing is a challenging and demanding skill for EFL learners in Vietnam. Teaching writing skills at Vietnamese universities is problematic since different approaches to writing have not been implemented effectively. Mainly, a genre-based approach to writing has not yet been implemented in EFL writing classrooms successfully. This paper investigates how the genre-based writing approach has been taught and learned at Van Lang University. The study mentions some critical notions of systemic functional linguistics, genre-based writing approach, and the importance and effects of genre-based approach to writing. 128 students turned in their midterm essays in week 5 of the 10-week writing course. These 128 expository essays were analyzed and synthesized using Microsoft Excel to calculate the differences in move-step structure. The findings indicated that the students had difficulty following the fixed move-step structure, and they also faced challenges of lexico-grammatical usage for the expository. Hence, the study suggests some implications for applying a genre-based approach to writing for EFL teachers and students and suggests further research.

2021 ◽  
pp. 343-359
Author(s):  
Fatima Yousef Alzahrani ◽  
Eatedal Mohammed Alghamdi ◽  
Maysa Mohammad Sadiq Qutob

Curriculum development has been carried out to improve English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses in Saudi public schools; however, EFL learners still have difficulties in writing. This study examines the difficulties that Saudi female EFL learners face in writing in secondary high schools. The study also aims to identify 12th grade female EFL learners’ needs in improving their writing skills. The research findings might help curriculum designers and EFL teachers to make improvements to a curriculum that meet EFL learners’ needs. The participants were 216 female EFL learners studying in public schools in Jeddah. A questionnaire including closed items on a Likert scale and one open-ended question were used to collect data, which were then analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results illustrate that female EFL learners’ main difficulties in EFL writing are mechanics, use of proper vocabulary, and organization of texts. Additionally, female learners expressed their needs and suggestions for improving their writing skills which are related to the specific difficulties they face. Accordingly, the researchers suggest establishing a well-designed writing program which provides learners with sufficient training in writing skills by increasing the number of hours given to writing.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatima Yousef Alzahrani ◽  
Eatedal Mohammed Alghamdi ◽  
Maysa Mohammad Sadiq Qutob

Curriculum development has been carried out to improve English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses in Saudi public schools; however, EFL learners still have difficulties in writing. This study examines the difficulties that Saudi female EFL learners face in writing in secondary high schools. The study also aims to identify 12th grade female EFL learners’ needs in improving their writing skills. The research findings might help curriculum designers and EFL teachers to make improvements to a curriculum that meet EFL learners’ needs. The participants were 216 female EFL learners studying in public schools in Jeddah. A questionnaire including closed items on a Likert scale and one open-ended question were used to collect data, which were then analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results illustrate that female EFL learners’ main difficulties in EFL writing are mechanics, use of proper vocabulary, and organization of texts. Additionally, female learners expressed their needs and suggestions for improving their writing skills which are related to the specific difficulties they face. Accordingly, the researchers suggest establishing a well-designed writing program which provides learners with sufficient training in writing skills by increasing the number of hours given to writing.


2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oleg Tarnopolsky

This article describes a classroom technique for improving the writing skills of EFL university students who have chosen English as their major for pursuing future careers as translators from and into English. The technique in question, designed for a creative writing course aimed at such students, was based on: (a) the combination of process and genre approaches to teaching writing; (b) paying special attention to students’ development of the skills of description, narration, and discussion in creative writing; (c) development the skills of commenting and critique; (e) emphasizing peer-reviewing, peer-commenting, and peer-evaluating students’ written works in the course; (e) and ensuring learners’ autonomy in writing by introducing free-choice writing. This technique allowed students to achieve dramatic improvement in their writing skills. The article describes how its introduction not only intensifies students’ development, but also generates positive motivation for writing in English as a foreign language.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 215-220
Author(s):  
Sahail M. Asassfeh

  The unprecedented emphasis on EFL students' development of their writing skills has invited researchers and EFL instructors to look for the most effective methods of teaching writing and assessing it. Within this context, two main dominant assessment types have been used by EFL writing instructors: holistic and analytic scoring with ambiguous research findings about the use of each. Moreover, ambiguity has also been surrounding variability in raters' scoring across genre types. This study aims at uncovering the difference between using the two scoring schemes across two genres in EFL writing: expository and narrative. Two texts each representing a genre type from 10th grade EFL writers' compositions were presented to a sample of 90 in-service EFL teachers for holistic scoring. Two months later, the same texts were presented to the same teachers for analytic scoring in order to compare between the grades assigned in each round for arriving at results. Results suggest significant differences between the scores obtained according to the grading method. Also, narrative essays received higher scores in both assessment types. These results are discussed, and recommendations are derived.


Author(s):  
Nguyễn Hoàng Bảo Khanh ◽  
Đỗ Thị Xuân Dung

Discourse competence has been widely acknowledged as a crucial part of communicative competence (Canale & Swain, 1980; Usó-Juan & Martínez-Flor, 2006; Celce-Murcia, 2007). Given this fact, the communicative approach to EFL teaching inevitably involves developing learners’ discourse knowledge. Particularly, in teaching EFL writing skills, the integration of discourse knowledge and implementation of discourse-based activities plays an essential role as it allows learners to compose written products that are grammatically correct, logically organized, and culturally appropriate. This paper explores EFL teachers’ perceptions towards the application of discourse-based activities in teaching writing to English majors at University of Foreign languages, Hue University. Results obtained from the study unveils that the use of discourse-based activities is deemed to have valuable potentials for the overall development of learners’ writing skills, especially in terms of the organizational and communicative aspects.


Author(s):  
Sri Mures Walef

This research is motivated by problems in the learning process, namely students have difficulty in expressing their ideas into writing or essays. The formation of words or sentences used by students is inaccurate or inappropriate, as well as the use of punctuation and spelling. In learning activities writing the teacher is more likely to apply teaching writing by prioritizing the results of the process. This study aims to improve narrative writing skills using the scientific method of class VI SDN 07 VII Koto Talago, Guguak District, Lima Puluh Kota Regency. The method used in this study is qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative research is research that intends to understand phenomena, about what is experienced by research subjects such as behavior, perceptions, motivations, actions and others. The results of the study describe learning using the Scientific method can improve student learning outcomes which initially in pre-cycle only reached 64 who are in sufficient qualifications. In the first cycle increased to 74 who were in qualifications more than enough, after the second cycle, the students' scores increased again being an average of 90 who are in excellent qualification. The increase includes three indicators, namely (1) narrative characteristics, (2) use of punctuation, (3) capital letters. Third, improving narrative writing skills using the Scientific method of class VI SDN 07 VII Koto Talago District of Guguak, Lima Puluh Kot Regency can be achieved due to several factors including teachers and students. Based on the results above it can be concluded that the narrative text writing skills using the scientific method increased, from sufficient qualifications to more qualifications until they were in excellent qualifications. Thus it can be concluded that, through the cooperative method the type of make a match improvement in students' essay writing skills increased significantly from stage to stage.Key Words: escritura de narrativas, métodos científicos


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 33-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yahya Ashour Mohammed Alkhoudary

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of utilizing weblog on facilitating teaching writing at Buraimi University College (BUC) and to explore the extent to which a blog as a computer-mediated tool enhances learners' writing skills in English as a foreign language e(EFL), English as a second language (ESL). Vygotsky's model will be adopted in this study. Furthermore, a process approach is employed to involve students in writing. A mixed-method of qualitative and quantitative was embraced. Three instruments were used to answer the research questions of the study. The participants consisting of 60 students, were placed into two groups: 30 students for experimental group (Ex.G.) and 30 for the controlled group (Cont. G.). Also, 30 EFL teachers (15 males and 15 females) were selected randomly. Pre-and post-tests were assigned to both groups before and after incorporating weblog as a teaching tool. Questionnaires were distributed to (Ex. G) to check the effect of using a weblog on students' writing quality. Interviews were also conducted with both teachers and students. The findings reveal that the students of weblog group significantly outperform their counterparts. This study concludes that integrating weblogs in teaching is of paramount importance to language learners and a promising tool in higher education.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-90
Author(s):  
Putu Yuni Widianingsih ◽  
Diah Ayu Manik Pradnya Dewi ◽  
Putu Enik Kristianti

The development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) offers many solutions for the teacher to use an effective learning platform to improve students’ writing skills. Schoology is a learning application that can be used by teachers and students to teach and to learn writing. This paper aims to explain the use of Schoology in teaching writing and its benefits for students’ writing skills. Literature study was used as the method of this study in collecting the data. The study found that: 1). Students who were taught by using Schoology had better writing skill than those who were not. 2). Schoology was found effective media for teaching writing due to its easiness and friendly display. The findings are expected to be an alternative learning media used by both teachers and students in supporting the teaching and learning process in writing.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 262-275
Author(s):  
Saravanan A/L Palanisamy ◽  
Azlina Abdul Aziz

This paper presents a systematic review of relevant published studies on challenges in teaching writing skills for upper secondary in ESL classrooms and solutions to overcome them from year 2012-2020. This systematic review attempts to address two research questions ; i.e. what are the writing challenges of the students and what are the solutions to overcome writing challenges faced by ESL students. 12 single studies and 2 systematic reviews were systematically reviewed and revealed that the most challenges encountered by students in writing are word choice, vocabulary, grammar and poor organisation of ideas. The findings also shed some lights on solutions to overcome the challenges from teachers’ and students’ perspective. Teachers should act as a guidance by providing sample essays, giving feedbacks and choose suitable approach by identifying students’ needs. Meanwhile the students should read more to generate ideas and improve their vocabulary and grammar knowledge.


Author(s):  
Mohamad Ahmad Saleem Khasawneh

This study investigated the attitudes of teachers of learning disabilities in English toward the use of virtual classrooms and e-learning in teaching writing skills to students with learning disabilities. The study adopted the descriptive approach and was applied to a sample of 65 teachers from Irbid city, Jordan. A questionnaire was developed to achieve this purpose after being checked for validity and reliability. The results showed that teachers’ attitudes toward virtual classes varied between high and moderate. For the realm of e-learning in general, the attitudes were high while for the realm of the effect of virtual classes in teaching writing skills were moderate. The study recommended providing intensive training to teachers of LDs in English language on the usages of e-learning and supporting teachers and students with the appropriate tools


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