Rashidah bt Rahamat Sharipah Nor bt Puteh

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INCLUSION AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (RCISEN 2009)

Integrated skills with listening, speaking and reading

Skill which stimulates thinking, compels students to concentrate and organize ideas

It is a complex process that proves to be difficult for second language learners ( Rao 1997,Farris 2001,Dixon 2002)

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INCLUSION AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (RCISEN 2009)

Rao (1997) :Students find composing in English is difficult because the process demands utilising many cognitive and linguistic strategies of which many students are uncertain

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INCLUSION AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (RCISEN 2009)

Most elementary and intermediate students

face problems to write essay in English Struggling to write Sample of essays

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INCLUSION AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (RCISEN 2009)

Small survey THE RESPONDENTS• 29 respondents from four students• The low proficiency students • Majority got D and E for their English paper

in the PMR exam

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INCLUSION AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (RCISEN 2009)

THE INSTRUMENT

Questionnaire adapted from Tan Bee Hoon (2006)

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INCLUSION AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (RCISEN 2009)

SECTION CONSTRUCT ITEMS

Section A The Perceptions Towards Writing

6 items

Section B The Difficulties Encountered

4 items

Section C Preference for Learning Writing Skills

4 items

DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED 1 2 3 4

1 Getting started on my writing task 3.4 65.5 10.3 13.8

2 Writing an introduction 20.7 34.5 24.1 17.2

3 Writing thesis statement 6.9 48.3 20.7 20.7

4 Expressing my ideas 13.8 44.8 27.6 10.3

5 Organizing ideas 20.7 41.4 24.1 10.3

6 Writing conclusion 27.6 37.9 17.2 13.8

1=not difficult at all; 2=quite difficult; 3=difficult; 4= very difficult

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INCLUSION AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (RCISEN 2009)

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INCLUSION AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (RCISEN 2009)

DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED 1 2 3 4

7 Introducing a quotation 3.4 31.2 51.7 10.3

8 paraphrasing 20.7 48.3 13.8 13.8

9 Integrating source material into my paper

24.1 27.6 27.6 17.2

10 Writing a summary 34.5 34.5 6.9 20.7

11 Using correct English grammar 6.9 44.8 20.7 24.1

12 Using accurate punctuation 24.1 37.9 10.3 24.11=not difficult at all; 2=quite difficult; 3=difficult; 4= very difficult

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INCLUSION AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (RCISEN 2009)

DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED

1 2 3 4

13 Formatting a specific writing task such as an official letter, a report, or a thesis.

17.2 24. 27.6 27.6

14 Making sentences flow smoothly 6.9 48.3 20.7 20.7

15 Making my writing more interesting

31.0 13.8 27.6 20.7

16 Identifying errors in my writing 17.2 44.8 6.9 27.6

17 Revising my writing 37.9 17.2 17.2 17.2

1=not difficult at all; 2=quite difficult; 3=difficult; 4= very difficult

SUPPORT PREFERED 1 2 3 4

face-to-face individually with teachers 6.9 44.8 27.6 20.7

An online teacher 41.4 27.6 20.7 10.3

A resource center 3.4 27.6 41.8 27.6

A self-access lab 48.3 13.8 17.2 7.2

A telephone hotline. 27.6 44.8 13.8 13.8

A website 10.3 37.9 31 20.7

A print journal 24.1 27.6 24.1 24.1

An electronic journal 17.2 44.8 24.1 13.8

A web forum on writing 20.7 34.5 31 13.8

1=not helpful; 2=quite helpful; 3=very helpful; 4= essential

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INCLUSION AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (RCISEN 2009)

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INCLUSION AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (RCISEN 2009)

CONCLUSION

LOW ACHIEVERS HAVE POSITIVE VIEWS TOWARDS WRITING IN

ENGLISH

LOW ACHIEVERS NEED FACE-TO-FACE SUPPORT, WARM, ACCEPTING AND TRUSTING CLIMATE FROM THEIR

ENGLISH TEACHERS

CONCLUSION

TEACHERS NEED TO CHANGE THEIR INSTRUCTIONS AND APPROACHES TO HELP BUILT THESE LOW ACHIEVERS’

CONFIDENCE IN WRITING

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INCLUSION AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (RCISEN 2009)