Exploring teachers practices in the teaching of composition writing skills
Date of Award
12-2017
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Education (MEd)
First Supervisor/Advisor
Mary Oluga
Second Supervisor/Advisor
Dr. Fulgence Swai Saronga
Department
Institute for Educational Development, East Africa
Abstract
The teaching and learning of composition writing in the rural context is a laborious task both to the learners and the teachers. This is as a result of language incompetence in English as a second language. The study aims at identifying the teaching strategies teachers in primary schools used in the teaching of composition writing and the impact of the strategies in the learners’ development of composition writing skills. The study was guided by research questions and was based on the process based genre approach of Badger and White that champions an integrated teaching approach by blending the process, product and genre approaches to writing. This theory posits that teachers should embrace a learner centred integrated approach to teaching and learning. A qualitative approach and case study design was utilised. Purposive sampling was used to identify the school and research participants. Based on the exam records, standard four was selected because it is a foundational class in composition writing, as such, their respective two teachers of English were sampled. Data was collected through interviews, focus group discussions, classroom observations and document analysis. The major findings are that teacher practices are product approach oriented with limited teaching strategies in the teaching composition writing. These are teacher centred strategies and do not allow the active participation of learners. The effect is that the learners are not able to write compositions in a meaningful way due to the prevailing challenges. The study recommends that teachers should embrace an integrated approach to teaching writing that advocates for learner centred methods to enhance effective writing skills required in composition writing.
Recommended Citation
Watsulu M. Jacqueline. (2017). Exploring teachers practices in the teaching of composition writing skills (Unpublished Masters Thesis). Dar es salaam: Aga Khan University