Analysing EFL Students’argumentative Writing Difficulties And Teaching Strategies Employed By Lecturers In Selected Universities In Thailand
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Date
2015-08
Authors
Ka-Kan-Dee, Maleerat
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Abstract
The main aim of this study was to identify the argumentative writing difficulties encountered by Thai EFL English major students. This study also investigated the teaching strategies used by two Thai EFL lecturers to develop their students’ argumentative writing competence. Think aloud protocols (TAP) were used as a tool for analysing argumentative writing difficulties encountered by 16 EFL English major students. A semi structured interview, stimulated recall interviews and classroom observations were used to collect detailed information from two EFL lecturers about the difficulties they encountered in teaching argumentative essays and the teaching strategies they used to help improve their students’ writing skill. This study draws on the cognitive process theory developed by the Flower and Hayes’ (1980) in analysing the students’ writing process while conducting Think aloud protocols. Krashen’s (1983) theory on language acquisition and constructivist teaching strategies were employed to monitor the teaching strategies used by the two EFL lecturers to teach argumentative writing essays. Qualitative data were analysed through grounded theory in which data were transcribed and coded thematically. Findings from the students’ think aloud protocols reveal that they faced the following specific writing difficulties: unfamiliarity with argumentative rhetorical features, insufficient knowledge about grammar rule, insufficient academic vocabulary, difficulty in writing a clear thesis statement, inability to provide solid evidence, generate well organised ideas and write effective conclusions, lack of awareness about audience expectation and motivational elements, lack of awareness of the planning process of writing and the inability to think creatively. The findings from the semi structured interviews, classroom observations and stimulated recall interviews reveal that the two lecturers used different types of teaching strategies to teach argumentative writing. The findings of the study provide valuable insights to help develop teaching programmes and instructions to more effectively support EFL students’ argumentative writing development. Additionally, the findings can also be used as guidelines for students to improve their argumentative writing. The implications of this study suggest that curriculum planners and material writers and designers can integrate components that focus on argumentative writing which use think aloud protocols to comprehend the difficulties students experience when they compose written compositions. Such stakeholders can then use appropriate methods to develop students’ writing competence in the Thai EFL context.
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Language and Literature