How can I promote meaningful writing?

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Authors

Sánchez, Luz Angélica Racilla

Issue Date

2021

Educational Level

ISCED Level 6 Bachelor's or equivalent

Geographical Setting

Mexico

Abstract

Context: This study took place at Zumpango's Escuela Normal, an urban teacher training college in Mexico. The participants were 20 students, predominantly female, in their late teens and early twenties working towards CEFR A2 level. The focus was on improving their writing skills, an area where students demonstrated struggles, particularly with lexis and auxiliary verbs. Given the importance of making writing meaningful and relevant, the teacher aimed to explore approaches to promote more effective and engaging writing tasks.

Aims: The study aimed to understand what constitutes "meaningful writing" and how it can be promoted in the classroom. Specifically, it sought to identify students' challenges, attitudes, and preferences regarding writing tasks, while also examining the teacher's role in supporting structured, student-centred writing processes.

Methods: Data were collected through student questionnaires, focus group discussions, reflective journal entries, and peer observations. These tools provided insights into students' writing challenges, preferred activities, and feedback on newly implemented strategies. An action plan was developed, including pre-writing activities with explicit grammar and vocabulary focus, individually structured while-writing tasks, and post-writing peer evaluations.

Findings: The findings revealed that pre-writing activities, especially those involving vocabulary and grammar, reduced student frustration and improved their ability to express ideas. Students appreciated being actively involved in task design and the opportunity to present their work to peers. Collaborative peer evaluation increased motivation, although some still preferred group work over individual writing. Challenges included overwhelming vocabulary in pre-writing activities and a preference for familiar writing formats. Students highlighted the value of displaying their work for validation and feedback.

Implications: This study underscores the importance of balancing teacher guidance with student agency in writing tasks. Teachers might consider providing explicit grammar and vocabulary support while gradually encouraging students to design and structure their own writing projects. Displaying students' work and integrating peer evaluation can enhance motivation, engagement, and a sense of accomplishment in the writing process.

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Keywords (free text)

english as a foreign language , meaningful writing , student-centered writing , peer evaluation , grammar support , writing challenges , exploratory action research

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