Writing skills of SHS students in composition writing the case of Yendi Senior High School

Abstract

This study was conducted with an aim to investigate problems in Yendi Senior High School learners’ writings and factors that hinder their writing skills. It also aimed at obtaining suggestions on how to improve the SHS learners’ writing skills. For this purpose, a pre survey and questionnaires were administered to English language teachers and sampled final year students in the School. Writing samples were also collected from 84 SHS English learners to identify the major problems in their writings. The errors derived from students’ essays were analyzed using a combination of content analysis and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the major problems in SHS learners’ language writings are insufficient linguistic proficiency (including command over grammar, syntax and vocabulary), writing anxiety, poor writing habit, lack of ideas, reliance on L1 and weak structure organization. These challenges are influenced by various factors including untrained teachers, ineffective teaching methods and examination system, lack of reading and writing practice, large classrooms, low motivation and lack of infrastructure and TLMs. Remedial measures such as increased reading, conscious and incidental vocabulary teaching, writing practice, employing trained teachers and reforms in the examination system, and writing competitions are recommended for an improved performance of writing by the students.