The Realization of Process Approach to Writing at the Level of Grade 10
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Date
2001-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The inclusion of the writing tasks in high school English textbooks in general
and grade lOin particular has been a positive new step towards ELT in the local
scene. In the former ENE series of textbooks, grammar was the focus of the syllabi.
Hence, both the teaching and testing methodology seemed to be grammar-centered.
The transition from the old grammar-focused to the new instructional
approach (Process Approach) did not seem to be smooth. In the pilot phase of this
study, series of writing classes were observed and questionnaires were administered
both to teachers and students in order to have a preliminary assessment of the
implementation of the writing tasks in the new textbooks. The results indicated that
the teaching and testing approach did not seem to go in line with the instructional
goals of writing in the new syllabi.
Whether the new approach is employed to implement the writing tasks in the
textbooks and to what extent these tasks are able to improve students' writing
achievement needs to be thoroughly examined. This is the main objective of the
study.
In order to achieve this purpose, a sample size of 147 students and 6 teachers
were taken for the study. Two hypotheses were formulated and in order to test them,
a pre- and a- posttest were administered to the experimental and control groups,
before and after conducting a five-week session.
The results were calculated using the t-test at a significance level of 0.05.
Moreover, questionnaires were designed and administered for both students and
teachers so as to find out their perceptions about the teaching and learning of writing.
The t-test statistic was computed to assess these survey responses.
The results of the study revealed that
a) there was a positive correlation between the current grammarfocused
teaching approach and students' low achievement in
writing,
b) the failure to use writing-sample tests had a negative impact on
students' proficiency in writing.
Based on these findings, it was recommended that
• teachers should consistently employ the process approach while dealing
with the tasks in the new textbooks,
• there should be an inclusion of writing-sample tests such as writing
paragraphs/essays, writing short answers so as to achieve the learning
objectives of the textbooks,
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Geremew Lemu