WRITING STRATEGIES USED BY ESL UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
Keywords:
This study used a mixed-methods design. Sixty upper secondary ESL students aged 15–18 participated in the research. Data were collected through a writing strategy questionnaire adapted from Oxford’s Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) [1], analysis of students’ written compositions using a standardized rubric [10], and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed statistically, while qualitative data from interviews were coded thematically to identify patterns in strategy use.Abstract
This study investigates the writing strategies employed by upper
secondary school students learning English as a Second Language (ESL). Writing in a
second language requires not only linguistic competence but also cognitive,
metacognitive, and social strategies [1]. The research explores how learners plan, draft,
revise, and monitor their writing, and how these strategies influence writing quality.
Using a mixed-methods approach involving questionnaires, writing samples, and
interviews, the study identifies the most frequently used strategies and their
relationship to students’ proficiency levels [2]. The findings reveal that successful ESL
writers use a wider range of cognitive and metacognitive strategies, while less
proficient learners rely heavily on surface-level translation and memorization. The
study highlights the importance of strategy-based instruction in improving ESL writing
performance [3].
References
1.
Oxford R. (1990). Language Learning Strategies: What Every
Teacher Should Know. New York: Newbury House.
2.
Wenden A. (1991). Learner Strategies for Learner Autonomy.
London: Prentice Hall.
3.
Cohen A. (1998). Strategies in Learning and Using a Second
Language. Longman.
